How to Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant After 40?
Is it IMPOSSIBLE ?
Not impossible, it is more difficult to get pregnant after 40. In order to be successful, there are several things you need to do to increase your chances.
1. Follow a Healthy Diet
One of the best ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant after 40 is to eat a well-balanced and healthy diet. Aim to follow all of these tips and you will improve your ability to conceive:
Find a good prenatal vitamin with folic acid. Your doctor should have a suggestion.
Opt for fruits and vegetables with minimal preparation. This allows them to retain more fiber and other nutrients. Ensure you eat fruits and vegetables that are blue, orange, green, and yellow daily and wash them beforehand.
Make sure you consume enough calcium as this strengthens your bones and makes microscopic cell processes within the body easier. Eat or drink low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and occasionally ice cream.
Try to eat more lean protein. Amino acids are considered protein's building blocks and these acids will help create your baby's musculature, umbilical cord, and placenta.
When you can, opt for whole grains. Eating the occasional piece of white bread is fine, but picking whole grain gives you more fiber and nutrients.
Don't worry too much about fat. Just remember to eat it in moderation and aim to consume mostly healthy fats such as canola oil, fish oil, or olive oil.
2. Select a Good Doctor
Find a doctor who is always available so that you can easily make an appointment. Your doctor should be on time and be easily reachable.
3. Take Care of Existing Health Problems
Before you decide to try getting pregnant after 40, make sure you have a complete checkup even if you feel okay. If you have thyroid issues or diabetes, you and your doctor will have to closely monitor your condition throughout the pregnancy.
4. Consider Using Donor Eggs
While some women over 40 are able to conceive naturally, that is not always the case. Even with assisted reproductive technology, you have a lower chance of conceiving if you use your own eggs. You will have better chances with donor eggs as they will be healthier without any of the issues that can affect eggs as you age.
5. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
You may need to make minor changes to your lifestyle to conceive. You should also try eating like you are already pregnant, reduce stress, and get enough sleep.
6. Keep a Normal Body Weight
Obesity is one of the biggest causes of infertility and having a high BMI can negatively affect your ovulation because of changes in reproductive hormone concentrations due to peripheral conversion within adipose tissues. Avoid hormonal supplements to help you lose weight; instead do so naturally, slowly, and consistently.
7. Take Supplements
Folate and iron can also help with moderate or mild subclinical anemia. Folate also helps prevent neural tube defects, a common issue among those who have babies past age 35. Always talk to your doctor about taking supplements to help you conceive.
8. Use Home Remedies
Tracking your basal body temperature can also help as it surges slightly by ovulation. You can also try paying attention to cervical secretions to see where you are in your cycle.
When figuring out how to go about getting pregnant after 40, avoid running, going up stairs, heavy lifting, and other strenuous physical activity. You should also try having intercourse in a range of positions to increase penetration. Some experts suggest massaging your uterus or using fertility cleanses.
What Are the Possible Risks of Getting Pregnant After 40?
Sadly, getting pregnant after 40 does increase the risks. If you are healthy, however, these risks will still be fairly low in your early 40s.
