Fertility 101: How to prepare your body for conception

Prep your body for optimal conception

If motherhood is aligned with your 2023 goals and dreams, we’re diving into natural ways to boost your fertility. No matter if you’re in your early, mid, or late 30s, it’s not too late to optimize your fertility and increase your chances of conceiving.

The Latest Research On Fertility And Age

The data’s in: women are giving birth later. But how drastically does fertility decline as you age? It’s not nearly as dramatic as you may think. Although most of us picture a slim-to-none chance of conceiving after 38, that’s not entirely the case. In all reality, it’s more of a dip—not a nosedive—at 35. A reassuring study (cited in these guidelines) found that women ages 30-34 have an 86% chance of getting pregnant within one year of trying to conceive. And they have a 94% chance of conceiving after two years. For women ages 35-39, there’s an 82% chance of conceiving after one year, and a 90% chance of conceiving after two years.

4 Ways To Boost Fertility, Naturally

Luckily, there are a variety of lifestyle habits you can implement to protect your egg quality, reproductive organs, and hormone health. In turn, all of these things support optimal fertility! Prioritizing quality sleep, balancing blood sugar, eating nutrient-dense foods, and incorporating moderate exercise have all been shown to increase fertility. Thanks to the power of a well-nourished lifestyle, it’s possible that reproductive health has less to do with chronological age and more to do with biological age.

1. Have a proactive conversation with your doctor. As soon as you start thinking about trying to conceive, talk to your provider. Together, review your menstrual cycle. Ask to have labs done to understand your hormones and baseline. Blood tests can also rule out nutrient deficiencies, like folate, vitamin D, and iron (which can impair fertility). Set yourself up for success!
2. Eat a nutritious, well-rounded diet. When it comes to optimizing fertility, it’s important to eat enough, prioritize high-quality ingredients, and keep blood sugar balanced. Ultimately, it’s important that your body has enough fuel to support the very energy-intensive process of developing a mature egg, ovulating, conceiving, and carrying a baby to term. It’s best to include plenty of protein (for most women, that’s 20-30 grams of protein per meal), non-starchy vegetables, and anti-inflammatory foods as these help improve egg quality, decrease inflammation in the body, and improve hormone balance.
3. Add a mindfulness practice. Research shows that meditation has the potential to reverse—or at least stave off—the age-related changes to DNA that can negatively affect fertility. Aim to practice yoga and / or meditate 2-3 times a week (or more, if time permits!).
4. Move your body. A sedentary lifestyle is linked to infertility, thus indicating that exercise can improve fertility. However, exercising too much can have the opposite effect. There’s no need to train for a marathon while trying to get pregnant (although for some women, this is possible!). Instead, aim to walk, strength train, or do your favorite form of moderate exercise 4-5x per week. It’s less about the number of minutes you clock and more about consistency.

WeNatal prenatal

Another piece of the fertility puzzle? Taking a high-quality prenatal—particularly if you are (or were) on birth control. There’s no denying that birth control pills can deplete vitamins and minerals. Eating a variety of foods, as well as taking a prenatal, can help replace valuable nutrients. This is another reason why you’ll want to have your nutrient levels checked before trying to conceive. You might need a higher dose of some vitamins and minerals, like B vitamins. Again, a blood panel will help with this!

Our go-to prenatal: WeNatal. There are so many things we love about WeNatal, including the fact that it’s the first prenatal vitamin designed for both women and men. Rest assured that you and your partner are getting the nutrients you need. Female-founded and mom-led, WeNatal is committed to bringing you a better prenatal option.

Practical ways to lower stress

Stressing about your conception timeline? We get it. However, stressing about your age—or wallowing in should-haves—will only hinder your chances of conceiving. There is no shame in living a life filled with memories, experiences, adventure, and accomplishments. Looking at things from a different lens, that’s a fertile life. All of that to say, here are a few practical ways to lower your stress.

1. Do more of what makes you happy. Make time for pleasure! Watch your favorite movie, buy yourself flowers, take a bath, etc.
2. Spend time with people you love—those who give energy, rather than take energy.
3. Get outside and disconnect from your digital life. Time in nature is rejuvenating and healing on so many levels.
4. Find an acupuncturist near you. Most health insurance plans cover acupuncture.

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