While it may seem easy, getting pregnant can actually be a lot more difficult than people imagine. In fact, there is only a small window each month in which a woman can conceive, regardless of each. Even a young, healthy couple between the ages of 29 and 33 with normal functioning reproductive systems have only a 20-25% of chance of conceiving in any given month.
However, there are a number of infertility procedures and different types of IVF treatments that can help couples conceive. Approximately 85-90% of infertility cases are treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures. According to research, nearly 44% of women with infertility have sought out medical assistance and infertility procedures for help conceiving. Of those who sought medical intervention or infertility treatments, 65% were gave birth.
While it’s natural for a woman’s fertility to wane with age — women are most fertile between the ages of 20 and 24 — there are several factors that can affect the fertility of both men and women.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and exercise and greatly improve your chances of conceiving. Excess weight and obesity can disrupt the body’s hormones, which in turn, can lead to issues regarding fertility. A Harvard study revealed then men who engage in moderate to strenuous exercise at least 3 times a week have 44% higher sperm count compared to men who are sedentary.
Untreated sexually transmitted diseases, many of which have little to no symptoms, can also lead to infertility in some cases. Therefore, it’s important to get tested regularly and use protection.
Believe it or not, but stress can also contribute to infertility issues as well as high blood pressure. Stress hormones activate your body’s natural “fight or flight response”, which can disrupt your natural reproductive hormone levels. This is why so many couples are able to conceive unexpectedly once they stop trying to.