Anticipating pregnancy is one of the most keen emotions a person can undergo.
All the dos and don’ts and other precautionary steps you ought to take to succeed in conceiving can confuse and exhaust you over time.
So, here we have a compact list of what you should primarily avoid to conceive successfully. It will help keep all your confusion at bay and give you a clear idea of things to avoid while planning pregnancy.
Things to Avoid When Trying to Conceive
Preparing yourself both in body and mind can help you have a successful pregnancy. Be it natural or ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) induced pregnancy, there are certain things both men and women have to adhere to for a successful pregnancy.
While there are things you should do to increase fertility, there are also things to cut down on to enhance fertility.
Some of the most important things to avoid while planning conception include:
- Losing or Gaining Too Much Weight
- Strenuous Exercises
- Alcohol Consumption
- Smoking
- Stopping Prescribed Medications
Losing or Gaining Too Much Weight
Weighing too much or too little from your ideal BMI (Body Mass Index) can make it difficult to become pregnant. With weight fluctuation, the balance of hormones also gets disturbed, resulting in irregular periods, ill health, obesity, and other fertility-impeding scenarios.
Being overweight also indicates the possibility of PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). It decreases the fertility rate and increases pregnancy complications.
Obesity can cause miscarriage, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and so on. You can seek professional help to reduce weight if you find it difficult to reduce it on your own. Even losing a few pounds can positively affect your chances of getting pregnant.
Being underweight than the ideal BMI also affects the chances of pregnancy. Following a healthy diet can help you gain the ideal BMI. Being underweight can cause ill health, hormone imbalance, and irregular menses.
The main trouble of weighing under or over your ideal BMI is irregular periods. Delayed or no menses means severe ovulation issues resulting in failed pregnancy attempts. Hormonal imbalance also makes it hard for the ovary to produce or release eggs.
Strenuous Exercises
Moderate exercising is good for maintaining a healthy physique. It will also help in quicker conception. However, over-exercising can result in the exact opposite scenario.
Over-exercising can disorient hormonal balance and weight fluctuation, leading to an irregular menstruation cycle. This can result in adverse pregnancy.
Being inactive or sedentary also decreases the fertility rate and complicates pregnancy.
Engaging in moderate activities and keeping yourself active is recommended for a successful and healthy pregnancy.
Fertility centers and hospitals provide various activity packages that are tailored to the requirements of pregnant women and those attempting conception. Consult with your fertility doctor and involve yourself in one such activity club to keep yourself from risking a fertility rate decrease.
Alcohol Consumption
Excessive or binge drinking affects both male and female fertility. Men can face lower testosterone levels and erectile dysfunctions.
Alcohol abuse can result in miscarriages. Alcohol also hinders the success of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) treatments.
There is no safe level of pre-pregnancy or pregnancy drinking. Alcohol harms the growth of the fetus as well.
Smoking
Smoking is a serious obstruction to a successful pregnancy. Smoking injures both male and female reproductive mechanisms.
Smoking and vaping damage both egg and sperm quality and quantity.
Smoking damages the cervix and fallopian tubes in women. The egg count decreases due to damaged ovaries.
The chances of IVF success also get reduced due to smoking. There are high chances of smoking causing ectopic pregnancy as well.
Stopping Prescribed Medications
It is not necessary to stop taking your prescribed medications if you are suffering from any medical condition while trying to conceive. Not all medications are harmful to the fetus.
Not taking the regularly prescribed medication can, at times put both the mother and fetus in danger. Consult with your fertility doctor before stopping any prescribed medications.
Additional tips
Some other things to avoid while trying to conceive include:
- Excessive Caffeine Intake: Intake of excess coffee and tea increases the risk of miscarriage. Taking in a small amount of caffeine every day would not affect pregnancy. However, excessive intake of caffeine around pregnancy time can seriously impact fertility and the fetus.
- Stress: Stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyles, which would negatively impact pregnancy. Involve yourself in activities that bring peace to your mind and keep you engaged and more productive. Have a good amount of sound sleep every day, as it will enhance your body functions.
- Unhealthy Food Habits: A diet containing ultra-processed carbs, low-fiber foods, and high sugar content affects health and decreases fertility. Eating healthy foods that support fertility when you’re trying to get pregnant, along with a balanced diet, can positively impact conception. Include whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables in your diet.
- Substance Abuse: Abuse of illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, or even prescribed drugs causes reduced fertility in men and women. The complications associated with pregnancy also increase with substance abuse.
- Putting Off Pregnancy: Age is a vital factor in determining your fertility rate. Fertility decreases with an increase in age. It is ideal for both men and women to plan pregnancy as early as possible. The quantity and quality of both egg and sperm decreases with age.
Summing Up
If you are interested in having a baby, it is advisable to set your circumstances and body state in a conducive way. Not just good physical health but your mental health also matters while trying to get pregnant.
Surround yourself with an optimistic, peaceful, and relaxing environment. Stay away from stress as much as possible. Stress in any form: deadlines, toxic people, adverse circumstances, or any other stress factor is to be warded off to keep your mind and body ready for pregnancy.
Your lifestyle choices also influence your pregnancy success rate. Make sure that you stay active, engage in moderate physical activity every day, consume a healthy diet, and stay clear of drug usage and abuse.
If you wish to know more about things to avoid while planning pregnancy, contact a fertility doctor.
FAQs
No, giving up on smoking is good while planning pregnancy. Smoking affects fertility in both men and women. Since smoking also hinders the fetus’ development, it is best to stop smoking.
Cutting down on alcohol, smoking, and unhealthy diet is recommended to increase the fertility rate. You can also choose to seek professional help if you are having difficulty conceiving for a longer period.