10 Ways to Boost Your Fertility

It's an aspect of our health that most of us take for granted: Have sex, get pregnant, right? In reality, even minor stressors can throw your body out of whack. If you're trying to conceive, these simple health moves can help protect your fertility.

By Sarah McCraw Crow

Viorika Prikhodko/istock

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Watch Your Weight

Aside from the other risks it poses to your health, excess body fat can lead to an overproduction of certain hormones that disrupt ovulation. Your cycles may be less regular, you may ovulate less often, and you lower your chances of getting pregnant. On the flip side, too little body fat means your body may not produce enough hormones to ovulate each month or to sustain a pregnancy if you do conceive. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. Just don't overdo it, says Christopher Williams, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, and author of The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally (Hyperion). Women who exercise intensely (like long-distance runners or competitive athletes) may stop ovulating or ovulate less frequently. Overexercising also raises miscarriage risk. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your workout routine before trying to get pregnant.

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Comments (30)

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2/1/2012 02:36:53 PM Report Abuse

gargsonny wrote:

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1/6/2012 10:08:57 AM Report Abuse

marshekababygir wrote:

i dont have a period but only once or twice a year would that stop me from gettn pregnant

12/27/2011 06:37:27 PM Report Abuse

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12/19/2011 09:36:43 AM Report Abuse

j596 wrote:

For those of you trying to get pregnant and seeking more info, a friend of mine recommended the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility byToni Weschler. I learned a lot about conception and about what I should be looking into in order to get pregnant. There are a lot of overlooked factors, and myths about conceiving and the book has info on working out your best chances,

1/31/2011 02:12:48 PM Report Abuse