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If you’re looking for information on how to increase chances of pregnancy, you’ve likely found endless articles about what to do and what not to do. While some women have an easy time getting pregnant, it’s not quite so simple or easy for others. Most doctors won’t see a couple for infertility until they’re been trying to get pregnant for over a year, so they are left to wait it out and try natural solutions to increase fertility in the meantime. One thing you can do is to embrace these foods to eat for fertility.
Top 5 Foods to Eat While Trying to Conceive
The truth is, if you are fertile, and if the timing is right, you can get pregnant no matter what you do or don’t eat. But, if you eat the following list of foods when trying to conceive, you can help increase fertility and the vitamins and minerals in the foods will help to keep you and your baby healthy.
Folic Acid
This vitamin has been proven to reduce a baby’s risk of neural-tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, and it is linked to a lower incidence of heart attacks, strokes, cancer and diabetes. You can take a supplement or prenatal vitamin to increase your intake of folic acid. In addition, you can eat folate-rich foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach or kale, citrus fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fortified breads and cereals.
Omega-3s
Omega-3s are important for a baby’s brain and eye development and have many other pregnancy-related benefits, including lowering your risk of preterm birth, reducing your chance of preeclampsia and easing depression. It’s important to get omega-3 fatty acids from foods because your body doesn’t make them. To get the most omega-3s out of your food, eat cold water fatty fish like salmon, tuna or sardines.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that women trying to conceive can safely eat up to 12 ounces a week of low-mercury fish, such as shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon or catfish. The FDA has posted a full list of pregnancy safe fish on their website.
Dairy
Adding dairy to your diet is good for bone health but is essential for preparing your body for pregnancy because you’re getting calcium and protein. To increase your chances of getting pregnant, try switching to full-fat dairy products: one study found that women consuming a serving of full-fat milk each day decreased their chances of a certain kind of infertility, according to a New York Times article.
Fruits and Vegetables
Pineapple is loaded with beta-carotene (which helps keep your hormones in check and prevents early miscarriage) and contains a substance called bromelain, which has been shown to mildly support implantation through its anti-inflammatory properties.
Other fruits and vegetables that include a healthy dose of beta-carotene include carrots, cantaloupe, leafy greens and sweet potatoes. When choosing which fruits and vegetables to eat be sure to choose ones in a variety of colors. Fruits and vegetables provide a lot of essential nutrients and antioxidants which can help decrease inflammation in the body.
Drink Lots of Water
Water plays a key role in moving hormones throughout the body. It also helps thin out cervical mucus, which may make it a little easier for your partner’s swimmers to get to their goal. Keeping your body hydrated is essential because water carries oxygen and nutrients to your cells, tissues and organs.
Knowing what to eat when trying to get pregnant can help you in your journey to conceive. The bottom line is that eating a nutritious, balanced diet may help fuel your fertility through food and, if you do become pregnant, it will give your baby the healthiest start!
How Can I Increase My Chances of Getting Pregnant?
While changing your diet alone may not be enough to help you get pregnant immediately, it certainly will increase chances of pregnancy for most women. If you’re not already doing it, tracking your ovulation and menstrual cycle can help you time things right to up your odds of conceiving. You can do this on your own by checking your basal metabolic temperature and charting changes that often line up with ovulation. You can also utilize an ovulation predictor kit for at-home use. You may also wish to talk to your doctor about blood hormone tests or ovarian ultrasounds to perfectly pinpoint when you ovulate and therefore when the best likelihood of conceiving will be.
If you’re still wondering how to increase chances of pregnancy and wish to do it more naturally, you should consider chiropractic care. While chiropractors focus primarily on the spine, chiropractic adjustments impact every area and system of the body because the spine houses the spinal cord, through which all major messages from the brain travel. The health and function of reproductive organs and systems are linked to the health and alignment of the lumbar spine, so while it isn’t a foolproof or guaranteed method, getting adjusted by a local chiropractor can help to increase chances of pregnancy.
Trying to Get Pregnant? TrueCare Can Help
Whether you are just facing infertility for the first time or you have been on your journey for a while, know that you are not alone. If you find yourself constantly wondering and researching, “How can I increase my chances of getting pregnant?” turn to TrueCare for help. Our conveniently located clinics are all over North County and our teams of doctors are here to help you. Our comprehensive care includes access to a wide variety of specialists, and we can assist you in finding new ways to increase fertility and improve your overall health to prepare to carry a baby. Find a Women’s Health location near you today.
