Getting Pregnant Naturally (4 page)

If you don’t trust yourself to read your body’s ovulation warning signs, you can pick up an ovulation predictor test kit at almost any pharmacy or grocery store for about $20. This test looks for the surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) that occurs just before ovulation. (The rise in LH actually triggers the release of the egg from the ovary.) Ovulation should take place twelve to thirty-six hours after the test is positive.

The kits are relatively easy to use and tend to be quite accurate—as long as you follow the directions. However, keep in mind that the test does not guarantee that ovulation has taken place. Some women, especially those with premature ovarian failure or those over age forty or approaching menopause, sometimes have LH surges that are not followed by the release of an egg. If you want
some assurance that you are identifying your time of ovulation accurately, give an ovulation predictor kit a try for a month or two, but don’t rely on this test if your infertility continues for several months longer.

It takes about twenty minutes or so for the sperm to work their way through the cervical mucus and up to the Fallopian tubes in search of the prized egg. Staying horizontal won’t guarantee success, but it can help minimize the risk of sperm leakage from the vagina—and it certainly can’t hurt. Plan ahead and have a book, music, or the television remote nearby to help pass the time, or close your eyes and take a nap.

Your vagina can keep itself clean, so there is no medical or hygienic reason to douche. Douching with commercial products can disrupt the natural pH of the vagina, possibly damaging or destroying sperm.

Even douching with plain water isn’t good for you: It has been linked to an increased incidence of ectopic pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease. A recent study conducted by researchers from Emory University in Atlanta and the Federal Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention found that women who douched were almost four times as likely as those who had not to develop an ectopic pregnancy. The longer a woman douched regularly, the greater her risk. After fifteen years of regularly douching, the risk of an ectopic pregnancy was seven to eight and a half times that of a woman who had never douched. An estimated 37 percent of American women douche; if you are among them, discontinue the practice, at least until you have finished having children.

Guaifenesin, the active ingredient in Robitussin and several other cough syrups, works by thinning the mucus in the lungs. As an added benefit, it also thins the cervical mucus, making it better suited for moving sperm through the reproductive organs. Take one to two teaspoons a day, starting three or four days before ovulation.

You’re going to have to pace yourself: Ejaculating too much—or too little—can lower your sperm count. Don’t
believe the old wives’ tale about “storing up” sperm to promote conception.

Most infertile couples focus on the timing of intercourse near the anticipated time of ovulation, but it is helpful to enjoy your sex life all month long. While absence may make the heart grow fonder, studies have found that abstinence makes the sperm grow weaker. Researchers have found that waiting more than two or three days between ejaculations (whether through intercourse or masturbation) can lead to a diminished number of active sperm and inferior sperm quality. Regular sexual activity increases testosterone levels, which stimulates sperm production and maturation. So to maximize your sperm count, enjoy a rewarding sex life all month long, not just around the time of ovulation.

“Go take a cold shower” may be one way of turning down the heat when someone’s amorous ambitions cannot be acted on, but evidence suggests that a cold bath or shower thirty minutes before intercourse can actually improve fertility. Evidence indicates that a cold bath increases the flow of oxygen in the body and the level of testosterone in the blood. So you might as well try a five-minute soak to cool things off—then enjoy yourself as things heat up.

In some cases, a physical problem can cause a man to ejaculate into his bladder, rather than out through the end of the penis. He enjoys the pleasurable sensations associated with an orgasm, but no fluid is released. Then, the next time he urinates, a milky white fluid—semen—is excreted along with the urine.

In many cases, this problem, known as retrograde ejaculation, stems from a neurological disorder that causes a lack of control of the muscles at the base of the bladder that normally close off just before ejaculation. (The nerve damage can be a complication of diabetes.) Retrograde ejaculation can also be a side effect of certain medications, including those used to treat depression and hypertension. A change in medications or, in some cases, surgery can be effective in treating the problem.

Keep in mind that the volume of ejaculate is not a reflection of the number of sperm a man is producing. A man can be sterile and produce a tablespoon of semen, while potent men can release just a drop or two. As for average, most men release between one-half and one teaspoon of ejaculate.

Don’t be embarrassed: Sooner or later, most men experience occasional episodes of impotence. However, an ongoing problem with impotence—the inability to achieve and maintain a successful erection—can obviously interfere with fertility. Fortunately, impotence and problems of sexual dysfunction affect only about 5 percent of infertile men.

Many erection problems have at least some physical cause. To achieve an erection there must be cooperation of blood vessels, nerves, and tissues. Impotence can be caused by a number of health problems, including diabetes, heart and circulation problems, stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, neurological disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, Parkinson’s disease, and liver and kidney disease. Impotence can also be caused by certain mediations,
such as tranquilizers, diuretics, and anti-ulcer, anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, and anti-hypertensive drugs. Some over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants can cause temporary impotence as well.

The other cases of impotence stem from psychological factors, such as relationship problems, stress, anxiety, grief, depression, fatigue, boredom, and guilt. Sexual intimacy can make some people feel very vulnerable, causing a number of stresses and uncomfortable feelings.

With patience and treatment, most cases of impotence can be managed and overcome, but you must be willing to ask for help. The prescription drug Viagra, approved by the FDA last year, has been shown to help 70 percent of men with impotence. For more information on impotence, talk to your doctor or contact:

The so-called missionary sexual position—man on top, woman on the bottom—reduces the risk of sperm leaking from the vagina and increases contact of the semen with the cervix. If you are a woman, after intercourse you might want to tip your hips back, slip a pillow or two under your hips, and gently press the labia (lips) of your vagina together to give the sperm every chance possible to work their way north to the Fallopian tubes.

Another option is rear entry or “doggie style.” This position allows for the deposit of sperm close to the cervix. When you’re trying to conceive, don’t make love sitting, standing, or with the woman on top.

Making love is a nice way to say good morning. There are no studies to show that morning intercourse improves the odds of conception, but experts do know that sperm counts are higher in the morning (provided you
haven’t had intercourse the night before). In addition, male hormones peak in the morning, which may help explain why many men feel passionate first thing in the morning.

Some infertile couples assume that conception can most easily be achieved by having intercourse as often as possible near the time of ovulation. However, too much of a good thing can compromise sperm count.

Your goal, of course, is to fertilize a mature egg as soon as possible after it is released from the ovary. Since this window of opportunity can be just six or eight hours for some women, intercourse must occur in a timely fashion. Mother Nature makes this task somewhat easier because sperm can survive inside the vagina for up to five days. (Actually, the length of time the sperm remain alive depends on where a woman is in her menstrual cycle: If she is in an infertile phase, the sperm will die within hours; if she is approaching ovulation, the sperm can survive for days in the more hospitable wet cervical mucus.)

Waiting two days between lovemaking sessions is ideal for most couples. Having intercourse daily will reduce sperm count somewhat, which can make a difference in cases where the man has low or borderline
sperm count. One exception: Men who have excessively high sperm counts (as determined by a sperm analysis conducted by a doctor) may find that daily intercourse helps lower the sperm count to a more normal level, which can prevent the sperm from fighting one another.

Don’t try to “save up” sperm by avoiding intercourse for a week or more before ovulation. This period of abstinence will lower sperm production, and it will result in the release of a large number of old sperm cells, which are less likely to achieve fertilization.

Also, keep in mind that the slippery, clear fluid or gel that is released prior to ejaculation contains live sperm. This pre-ejaculate is designed to protect the sperm by neutralizing acids in the urethra and vagina. Don’t confuse the release of this fluid with premature ejaculation; when ejaculation occurs, the prostate will release a greater supply of fluid that will allow the sperm to travel in the vaginal canal.