Improving fertility
While you are trying to conceive, there is already a lot you can do to increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy. There is more to it than stopping contraception and no longer drinking alcohol. Do you have questions about how to improve your fertility? Contact us on 020-775 99 27. You can reach us by phone on weekdays between 08:30 and 14:00. You can also email us at verloskundigen@pregnanta.nl. We will then contact you as soon as possible. Would you like to make an appointment to visit the practice? You are always welcome to come and meet us, with no obligation.
FOLIC ACID
Every woman who wants to get pregnant is advised to take 0.4 mg of folic acid (vitamin B11). Folic acid is known to reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect (spina bifida) when taken as a supplement.
Taking folic acid does not guarantee a healthy baby; other circumstances and hereditary factors can also play a role. But taking folic acid does reduce the risk of a baby with a neural tube defect.
Folic acid is available from every pharmacy. It is useful to take folic acid from 4 weeks before you become pregnant until 10 weeks into your pregnancy. After that, you can stop taking it. So it is advisable to start taking folic acid 1 month before you stop using contraception.
Nutrition
A healthy weight not only increases your chances of getting pregnant, but also reduces the risk of complications. You can use your BMI (Body Mass Index) to work out whether you are a healthy weight. A healthy, varied diet is extra important. Eat three meals a day, including at least 200 grams of fresh vegetables and two pieces of fruit. It is important to wash fruit and vegetables well before eating them.
We also recommend wholegrain products and enough fluids (at least 1.5 litres). This way you get the essential vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants (substances that help you absorb all the other ‘good’ nutrients more easily). There are also a number of foods you are better off avoiding, such as raw meat, products containing raw (unpasteurised) milk and offal. Too much caffeine also reduces fertility. Drink no more than two to three cups of coffee a day if you want to get pregnant. Decaffeinated coffee can also slow down the process of getting pregnant.
Contraception
THE PILL
When you stop taking the contraceptive pill, your menstrual cycle is not always regular straight away. On average, your body needs 3 months to restore its natural cycle. You may originally have started taking the pill to regulate an irregular cycle. In that case, when you stop the pill, there is a good chance your cycle will be irregular again. If your cycle is longer than 6 weeks after stopping the pill, it is advisable to see your GP. Long-term use of the pill does not lead to infertility, although it can sometimes take a little longer to get pregnant.
COIL (IUD)
If you use a coil as contraception, you can have it removed by your GP. Once a coil has been removed, you can get pregnant straight away. It makes no difference whether it is a copper coil or the Mirena® (hormonal coil). While you had the coil, your menstrual cycle remained intact, because you still ovulated every month.
NUVARING®
When you stop using the NuvaRing®, your menstrual cycle is not always regular straight away. On average, your body needs 3 months to restore its natural cycle.
IMPLANON®
If you use Implanon® (a hormonal implant) as contraception, you can have it removed by your GP. It may take a while for your cycle to return to normal. This is because of the higher concentration of hormones in the implant, which means it takes a little longer for these hormones to leave your body.
CONTRACEPTIVE INJECTION
If you use the contraceptive injection, a normal cycle may take longer to return. This is because the concentration of hormones is much higher than in the ‘normal’ pill, so it takes a little longer for these hormones to leave your body.
Smoking & Alcohol
SMOKING
If you are trying to get pregnant, the advice is to stop smoking. Both smoking and passive smoking are harmful. Smoking reduces fertility because it has a negative effect on the quality of eggs and sperm. Smoking halves your monthly chance of getting pregnant. It also increases the risk of miscarriage.
Children of mothers who smoke during pregnancy have a higher risk of growth restriction, premature birth and respiratory conditions.
The good news is that the harmful effects disappear after stopping. In men, it takes about three months to produce new sperm. How long the ‘smoking effect’ on the egg lasts is not known exactly. Plenty of reasons to encourage and support each other in stopping smoking!
ALCOHOL
Alcohol reduces both female and male fertility. In women, it can prevent ovulation. In men, sperm quality decreases, the number of sperm cells falls and there are significantly more abnormal sperm cells.
An average of one glass of wine a day, which is five to nine drinks a week, triples the risk of miscarriage. If you want to get pregnant, it is sensible for both of you not to drink alcohol. This increases your chances of getting pregnant and lowers the risk of miscarriage.
Children of mothers who drink (excessive) alcohol during pregnancy have, among other things, a higher risk of growth delay.
The good news is that the harmful effects disappear after stopping. In men, it takes about three months to produce new sperm. After these three months, sperm quality is optimal again.
Plenty of reasons to give alcohol a miss!