Causes & Treatment

5 Things to Help When Trying To Conceive Naturally

Eloise Edington | 9 Jun 2021

When you begin trying to conceive naturally it can feel exciting, wondering if it might happen that first month, even working out the due date and thinking about baby names. As the months of doing the baby dance roll by, you maybe start to detect ovulation with tracking devices and the whole process can wear you down. Month after month of seeing a negative test is heart-breaking and worrying. Before jumping into fertility specialist help at a fertility clinic, there are certain things you may want to try first.

FFH have collaborated with Two Plus Fertility, to share useful tips and lifestyle alterations you may want to make when trying to conceive naturally. Read on to find out more about: foods to eat to boost fertility, lifestyle tweaks, fertility acupuncture, supplements and devices / gadgets that can help to increase fertility success rates.

1. Fertility Acupuncture

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a form of Ancient Chinese Medicine that can improve both male and female fertility. Studies of acupuncture prove that it is most effective for the relieving of chronic pain, however recent studies suggest that acupuncture for fertility is an effective treatment for couples who are trying to conceive (TTC). For many fertility clinics today, acupuncture is integrated in their treatment plans to enhance IVF / fertility treatment success.

Why is Fertility Acupuncture Worthwhile?

Fertility acupuncture gently increases blood flow to specific reproductive areas of the body. It encourages blood and energy flow (otherwise referred to as Qi in Chinese medicine), relying on needles and their sizes to stimulate the target areas.

Fertility Acupuncture Sessions

Usually, you will have a course of fertility acupuncture, starting with a consultation to understand your medical history, followed by a personalised acupuncture plan that will likely also include nutrition and lifestyle advice, to ensure that your body is super receptive, to enhance fertility success rates. The sessions themselves will consist of needles being inserted into various areas of the body, where they will remain for 20-30 minutes. This procedure is usually not painful and can actually be quite relaxing.

2. Nutrition

How does Nutrition Impact Egg Quality / Health?

Egg quality and health can decrease over time. However, studies suggest that nutrition and fertility boosting foods can improve egg quality and health, especially after three months of positive lifestyle changes. Cutting out processed foods and swapping them for fresh fruits and vegetables can increase your daily intake of vital vitamins for fertility.

Foods for Couples to Eat to Boost Fertility

Home cooked meals — processed food is not just take-aways — it can be supermarket produce such as bread, canned, tinned or jar goods, pre-made ready meals etc. These foods are often filled with sugars that can affect both fertility and weight (and weight can affect fertility too). A good way to avoid these processed foods (full of mystery ingredients) is to shop fresh and make home-prepared meals. Stick to the fresh aisles in the supermarket!

Natural foods — it is good to get variety in your diet, with fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, seeds, wholegrain and oils (olive, avocado and fish). A good way to check that you are getting the right nutrients in your meals is to see if you have ‘eaten the rainbow.’ Checking for a variety of colours on your plate not only makes it more appealing to look at (we ‘eat’ with our eyes and stomach after all), but it also promotes nutrient absorption which helps with immune and hormonal balance. Having more or a variety in fruits and vegetables also increases the chance of absorbing antioxidants which help to cure oxidative stress and DNA damage that affects both egg and sperm health and quality.

CoQ10, selenium and glutathione are great for fertility — these antioxidants can radically improve egg quality and health. CoQ10 is mostly found in foods like organ meat, venison, chicken, oily fish (such as mackerel, sardines, trout) pistachios and extra virgin olive oil. Glutathione can be found primarily in raw foods like cruciferous vegetables and foods rich in vitamin C. These include broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale and citrus fruits. Selenium can also attack oxidative stress to help with fertility, and this can be found in fish and Brazil nuts — two Brazil nuts a day can provide the recommended daily intake for selenium.

Avoid Toxins — environmental issues have created unavoidable toxins in our daily lives. Micro plastics found in fish and on unwashed vegetables and fruits can be harmful to fertility as it can affect sperm count in men and hormone imbalances in women. It is recommended that you eat only two portions of fish a week. To avoid the toxins on fruit, you could try shopping organic and then storing those foods in glass food containers as appose to plastic containers.

The Mediterranean Diet — primarily consists of vegetable proteins, complex carbohydrates, whole-grains, nuts, seeds, beans, seafood, olive oil, limited red meat, limited dairy and monounsaturated fats. This diet is healthy for everyone’s fertility, but it is especially recommended to men who are TTC as it is associated with healthy sperm. The Mediterranean diet can also help with weight control, which can help to increase fertility.

4. Fertility Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins and fertility supplements can improve fertility success rates when TTC. Fertility vitamins assist with the normal function of reproductive organs and hormones to increase fertility. There are specific fertility supplements you can consider when TTC. Too much of a good thing can become bad for you. If you are using fertility supplements / vitamins, that will most likely be enough of your daily intake and it is recommended that you do not take more than what is necessary. We advise that you consult your doctor before using supplements and multivitamins.

Here is a list of vitamins that are known to help with fertility:

Vitamin D can improve egg quality. It can be found naturally in egg yolk, oily fish and exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin C and antioxidants can improve fertility by reducing oxidative stress. This can be found in citrus fruits, dark vegetables, nuts and berries.
Folate and folic acid help with spine and brain development during pregnancy. It supports cell energy levels and cell replication which is vital for fertility.
CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that helps with fertilisation rates and produces higher quality embryos.
Beli offers fertility supplement options for men and women, covering all aspects of fertility and reproductive health.

5. Fertility Devices

We know from extensive research done by Two Plus Fertility, that less than 1% of sperm reaches the egg during natural conception. Specific devices such as Two Plus can change that. Two Plus is a brand new and innovative conception aid, which has been developed by scientists. It is a small and comfortable conception cup, that has been designed to redirect the flow of the sperm to the uterus, so that less sperm is lost after sex and more reaches the cervix and egg, to help with fertilisation.

Following personal struggles when trying to conceive, Ben, (one of the co-founders of Two Plus) wanted to help couples conceive more easily and quickly. His intention has always been to put the joy back into trying to conceive and sex, and to provide a device that could be a successful alternative to invasive, clinical procedures. This is the device to try before embarking on fertility specialist help at a fertility clinic.

This product can also be used by couples who are in-between treatments or for those who are just looking to get pregnant faster. This new conception aid is safe to use and is 100% toxin free. Made from silicone, each cup lasts for one ovulation cycle (whilst washing in between sex sessions) and, when you buy a pack, it comes with three aids to last you three months. You will not feel it, it’s easy to insert and you can help you go about your daily life after sex, without worrying about throwing your legs in the air!

We are super excited to bring this innovative product to our readers, especially in the USA, as everyone has been asking for it for months. We have also just been told it is now officially available in the UK too, as of yesterday! Hurry before they sell out.

To celebrate the launch, you can benefit from a whopping 30% off with code FHH30 at checkout. We highly suggest you give it a whirl.

Making small lifestyle and nutritional adjustments can have a positive impact on natural conception. Coupled with holistic help through acupuncture, supplements and fertility devices can go that extra mile to ensure that you have a successful and quick pregnancy.