Why Can’t I Get Pregnant?

When couples are ready to start trying for a baby, they don’t always look into how to prepare for a successful conception, and jump right into the game. They may have sex almost daily, and when several months have passed by without a pregnancy happening, they start to wonder why it hasn’t happened.

That being said, whenever a woman who has been trying to conceive reaches the end of the cycle, she becomes antsy. She doesn’t want to see another visit from Aunt Flo, and her world is crushed whenever Aunt Flo makes her appearance.

In most cases, doctors tell couples who are trying to conceive not to start worrying until they have been trying for a year and no pregnancy has been achieved. However, before getting to that point, there may be some issues coming into play why a pregnancy hasn’t happened.

Poor Eating Habits

Very few couples really believe that what they eat has an effect on whether they conceive or not. However, if you are getting fast food daily, and eating candies and foods that are full of refined carbohydrates such as potato chips, white breads, cookies, cakes and pastries, that will certainly hinder your chances of conceiving. There is too much refined sugar and not enough nutrients to help support your reproductive system. That being said, it is necessary to evaluate your diet and make healthier changes to help your chances of conceiving.

If you must consult a dietician or nutritionist for advice on what to eat, then that is a great step to make in order to help you achieve your dream of being a parent to your own child.

Being Overweight or Underweight

If you are not at a healthy weight, that will certainly have an effect on the ability to conceive. That usually goes hand in hand with eating habits which were discussed previously. If you are slightly overweight or underweight, that should not have an impact on your ability to conceive. However, if you are obese or extremely underweight, it will be a hindrance.

If you are concerned about your weight in one way or another, then you need to book an appointment to consult with your physician for a check up. Again, if weight is an issue, you likely will be referred to a dietician or nutritionist.

Excess or Lack of Exercise

Exercise is important to maintain your overall health, which includes maintaining the health of your reproductive system. That said, if you are living a sedentary lifestyle, then the lack of exercise will certainly have a negative impact on your ability to conceive. On the flip side, if you are working out for hours a day, that will also hurt your chances of getting pregnant. Too much exercise can stress your body out, and prevent proper ovulation from happening.

If you are concerned about your physical activity levels, you will want to consult your physician and ask him or her how much exercise you should be getting daily. A 30 minute walk 5 days a week may be perfect. However, everyone has different needs and that is why it is best to ask for advice from your doctor about how much exercise to get to help your chances to conceive.

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Too Much Stress

Unfortunately stress is a part of life. But how much stress is too much? If you are under a considerable amount of stress to the point that you are barely able to function, then that will certainly have a negative impact on you when it comes to achieving a pregnancy. You may be stressing about the fact that a pregnancy hasn’t happened after trying for months, or other factors could be coming into play.

In order to help reduce stress, it is a good idea to learn how to meditate, and take a yoga class. Listen to music and watch a light hearted television show or movie. Either way, finding ways to destress is important in order to help increase your chances of conceiving.

Booze, Cigarettes and Drugs are a Big No

If you are drinking, smoking and doing drugs, it is best to ditch all of that completely. Not only will all of that hurt your chances of getting pregnant- however if you do happen to get pregnant while keeping up with the dangerous lifestyle, you will be carrying a child that will likely develop complications as a result.

It is absolutely necessary to quit doing all of that if you are serious about getting pregnant and having a healthy child.

Cut Back on Caffeine

If you are drinking more than two cups of coffee a day, then it is best to not have more than one. Caffeine not only hinders ovulation but if you do conceive, too much caffeine can have a negative effect on the pregnancy and baby.

Medical Conditions that Affect Fertility

If you have been trying to get pregnant for a year while living a healthy lifestyle, being at a healthy weight and getting enough exercise, having sex during ovulation, and still haven’t been successful- then that will be the time to talk to your doctor about possible fertility issues getting into the way.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

A very common condition that women have is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) due to increased testosterone. PCOS is one of the most common causes of fertility in women by preventing ovulation from occurring regularly. What happens is that cysts typically result when the ovaries fail to produce the hormones needed to create a viable egg. Regular ovulation is prevented by these cysts, which can lead to irregular menstrual cycles and infertility.

Fortunately there are treatments that can help ovulation happen regularly and as a result, pregnancy will likely happen.

Endometriosis

Another common condition that many women have is endometriosis. The term endometriosis is used when a woman’s endometrial tissue that normally grows inside the uterus extends outside. The tissue inside the uterus would normally break down, and therefore be released during the menstruation. The endometrial tissue outside the uterus acts in the same way, however the problem is that there is absolutely no way for the body to release that tissue. As a result scarring happens which can affect fertility.

If the endometriosis is mild enough, surgery can be performed to remove the tissue. In severe cases, drastic measures may have to be taken such as possibly hiring a surrogate to carry the couple’s child if nothing can be done.

His Sperm Quality May be Bad

The lifestyles that are noted above in order to practice to help make a pregnancy happen applies for your man too. Eating too much sugar, drinking too much booze and coffee, doing drugs and smoking will certainly ruin his sperm count and quality.

However, if he has been taking care of himself, is at a healthy weight, is moderately active and still has a low count, then fertility treatments that help with sperm quality will have to be looked into.

To sum up, if you have been trying for months and haven’t been successful, be sure to improve your lifestyle when needed. However, if conception still fails to happen even after making those changes, then you will need to investigate into the issue further. 

Disclosure: This is a contributed post.