Understanding Female Fertility: Tips from a Gynaecologist

by admin | October 3, 2024 5:34 am

Summary

Female fertility refers to a woman’s ability to become pregnant. Ovulation is a phase in the female menstrual cycle when a mature ovum is released from the ovaries. If you are trying to get pregnant, it is important to attempt sexual intercourse during ovulation to increase your chances of conceiving a child. You can determine if you are ovulating by tracking your basal body temperature or using an ovulation home testing kit. You may also notice physical symptoms such as clear, sticky cervical discharge, enlarged breasts and slight pain or cramping on one side of your stomach during your ovulation phase. Female fertility decreases with age. It is crucial to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body weight to preserve fertility.

Female Fertility – An Introduction

Are you trying to have a baby? You might be wondering if there’s anything you can do to prepare your body to conceive. You may be taking your fertility seriously for the first time in your life, something you’ve never had to think about before. If so, here’s a first-timer’s guide to understanding female fertility. Female fertility is a complex subject. It is influenced by so many factors, like age, body composition, lifestyle etc. In this article, we’ll break down some of these nuanced ideas in a way that’s easy for you to understand, and give you some tips on how you can prime your body for a healthy pregnancy.

Female fertility is basically a woman’s ability to get pregnant. A pregnancy occurs when a mature ovum (also called an egg cell), is fertilised by a sperm cell to create an embryo. In nature, this occurs through the process of sexual intercourse. The embryo then attaches to the walls of the mother’s uterus and grows into a foetus. For this entire process to go on smoothly, the timing of the intercourse, the health of the ovum and sperm, and the health of the mother’s uterus are all crucial.

Why Ovulation is key

Ovulation is the phase of the female menstrual cycle when a mature ovum is released from one of the woman’s ovaries. It usually occurs about 2 weeks before the start of menstruation. If sexual intercourse occurs outside of the ovulation phase, there is no chance of a pregnancy. So if you are trying to get pregnant, it is important to know exactly when you are ovulating. There are a few different ways you can track this:

1. Tracking Basal Body Temperature (BBT) – Your basal body temperature is your body temperature when you are fully at rest. Measure your basal body temperature every morning as soon as you wake up, preferably at the same time every day. Record these readings and cross-reference them with your menstrual cycle. There are apps that you can download for this purpose. You will notice a rise in your BBT, of about 0.3-0.5 degrees during ovulation. The best time to have sexual intercourse with your partner is 2 to 3 days before the temperature rise starts. You will need to collect this data for about 2-3 months, to be able to predict when your BBT is about to rise.
2. Ovulation Home Tests – There are many ovulation home test kits available in the market. These test kits detect the levels of luteinising hormone (LH) in your urine. If your period is typically 28 days, you can start testing around day 11. You will have to test for 3 to 5 days to detect a surge in LH. Read the instructions on your ovulation home testing kit and speak to your gynecologist for more details.
3. Physical symptoms of ovulation – You might notice that your cervical discharge becomes clear and has an egg-white-like consistency during ovulation. Your breasts may also become enlarged and slightly sore during this time. Abdominal bloating and a slight pain or cramp to one side of the stomach are also common symptoms of ovulation. However, these symptoms can vary from woman to woman and hence are less reliable indicators than BBT tracking and ovulation home testing kits.

Female Fertility and Age

Age is a key factor to consider when discussing female fertility. For decades, it has been believed that 35 years is the age where women’s fertility declines sharply. The reality, according to experts is a little more nuanced. Female fertility declines gradually with age. The rate of decline in egg production and egg quality also varies from person to person. In general, in the mid- to late-30s, a woman’s chance of normal pregnancy decreases. Women who become pregnant in their mid- to late-30s have “geriatric pregnancies” and face more health problems during their pregnancy and labour. The chances of a woman above 35 becoming pregnant decreases even more if her partner is above 40 years of age.

How lifestyle affects female fertility

Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and exercising are the pillars of good health. It is no surprise that these lifestyle factors also influence female fertility. Being overweight, as well as being underweight, are both causes of female infertility. Overweight women tend to develop insulin resistance, causing the body to release more insulin. This halts ovulation. In women who chronically eat less and go on punishing diets to stay thin, the body shuts down ovulation in an attempt to conserve resources.

What you eat affects every aspect of your health. Eating full-fat dairy and adequate protein is associated with a healthy female reproductive system. Dark leafy greens are also known to improve ovulation. It is recommended to minimise consumption of sugar and other simple carbohydrates. Multivitamins and pre-natal vitamins are also important to maintain a healthy hormonal cycle and for good egg development. Studies also show that women with iron deficiencies have difficulty in becoming pregnant. Moderate exercise (upto 1 hour a day) is known to be good for female fertility, but extreme exercise can have the opposite effect.

Tips to improve female fertility

• Time sexual intercourse to coincide with ovulation for maximum likelihood of becoming pregnant.
• Eat a healthy diet, full of healthy fats and adequate protein. Avoid too much sugar.
• Moderate exercise is good for female fertility. Don’t overdo it.
• Do not smoke or drink alcohol if you’re trying to become pregnant.
• Avoid toxins in your environment. These could come from detergents, pesticides in your produce, and toxins in your deodorants. Switch to natural alternatives instead.
• Limit your caffeine intake. Less than 200 mg of caffeine is the recommendation for women who are trying to conceive.
• Take omega-3 fatty acid, folic acid and vitamin B supplements.
• Take time to relax and unwind every day. You could take up mindfulness and meditation.

If you have more questions about female fertility or need personalized advice, consult with the expert gynaecologists at Kauvery Hospital. With branches in Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Trichy, our dedicated team is here to support you on your journey to parenthood.

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai (Alwarpet & Vadapalani), Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai Alwarpet – 044 4000 6000 •  Chennai Vadapalani – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801

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