One in five women ages 15 to 49 cannot get pregnant after one year of trying, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Couples aiming to conceive can improve their chances by identifying ovulation windows, scheduling intercourse, and consulting an OBGYN before trying to get pregnant, USA Today reported.
Stress, travel, illness, and changes in sleep or weight can shift ovulation timelines. Tracking cycles helps identify the six-day fertile window leading up to and including ovulation.
Ovulation prediction kits detect hormone surges that occur a day or two before ovulation. Wearables and apps like Oura rings, Kindara, Natural Cycles, and Mira assist with tracking cycles.
“Your fertile window is the six days leading up to and including ovulation, and timing sex within it makes a real difference,” Dr. Jenna Turocy, fertility expert at Columbia University Fertility Center in New York, told USA Today. “What I tell my patients is to have sex every other day during the days leading up to ovulation, then on back-to-back days around ovulation itself.”
Sperm survive for several days inside the reproductive tract. “Sperm can survive for several days, so having them there and waiting when the egg is released gives you the best chance,” Dr. Jenna Turocy, fertility expert at Columbia University Fertility Center in New York, told USA Today.
Lifestyle factors influence reproductive outcomes for both partners. Tobacco and nicotine products damage eggs and sperm, and smoking accelerates the onset of menopause.
“It is very important to avoid all tobacco and nicotine products, which are well-documented toxins to both sperm and eggs,” Dr. Iris Insogna, an OBGYN in reproductive endocrinology at Columbia University Fertility Center in New York, told USA Today. Heavy alcohol consumption also degrades egg and sperm quality.
Doctors recommend a Mediterranean diet and a prenatal vitamin containing at least 800mcg of folic acid. Patients should consult a physician before taking supplements, though coenzyme Q10 may benefit women with egg quality concerns.
Male health accounts for approximately half of all infertility cases. Semen analyses help detect underlying issues before couples attempt to conceive.
Men should maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, avoid saunas and hot tubs, eliminate nicotine, and limit alcohol intake. Because sperm require roughly three months to develop, lifestyle changes take time to yield measurable improvements in semen parameters.
“Taking testosterone or anabolic steroids, even from a ‘men’s health’ clinic, can shut down sperm production, sometimes to zero,” Turocy told USA Today. Patients using testosterone should consult a doctor before altering or stopping treatment.
Women under 35 should consult a specialist after one year of unprotected intercourse without pregnancy, while women 35 and older should seek evaluation after six months.
Ovulation prediction kits test urine for the luteinizing hormone surge that triggers the release of an egg from the ovary.
Certain traditional lubricants can impair sperm movement, so couples trying to conceive often switch to fertility-friendly formulas.
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