Suggested ad (EverlyWell)
There’s a reason why we talk about trying to conceive: getting pregnant is a process! And it’s not always an easy one. You’re already making major strides to take control of your fertility by logging your data in Ovia, and there’s even more you can do before you meet with a reproductive endocrinologist. Here are a few ideas.
Grab some advice (or a snack)
You probably know that pregnancy comes with some pretty specific dietary restrictions, but it’s actually super important to eat right while TTC too. Think about it this way: you want to put as much care into managing the nutrients you put into your body as you will with the baby that will someday come out of it.
If you’re already taking a standard multivitamin and eating a well-balanced diet, way to go! A nutritionist can also help you find ways to add fertility boosting nutrients to your diet, like zinc to help regulate your ovulation, and folic acid, which helps your body produce extra blood and prevents neural tube defects in future little ones. Did you know that you can get your daily 8 milligrams of zinc really easily through beans, dairy products, and some seafood like crab and lobster? Foods high in folic acid include leafy greens like spinach, as well as beans and citrus fruits. You might want to sip a glass of orange juice while you finish this article.
Quit poking around and get in touch with an acupuncturist
People have been using acupuncture while TTC for thousands of years, and for good reason. Acupuncture can boost fertility by reducing stress, increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs, and balancing the endocrine system, according to a 2017 study. Increased blood flow to the ovaries and uterus can better support your egg quality.
Acupuncture can also help by addressing some of the issues that also affect fertility, like hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Many acupuncturist take health insurance too, so they can be a lower cost resource while TTC.
Get to know your hormones from your couch
Checking your hormone levels can help you paint a more complete picture of what’s going on with your body and fertility. For instance, your estradiol levels measure your ovaries’ ability to produce eggs, and your levels of follicle stimulating hormone can indicate a lower egg supply. When you know what’s going on with your body hormonally, you can start to tailor your fertility plan to fit your individual needs.
You don’t need to go to a specialist or an expensive lab to get hormone testing done. It can actually be very convenient with at-home sample collection from EverlyWell. Their Women’s Fertility Test measures five major fertility hormones – estradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, total testosterone, and thyroid stimulating hormone – and delivers your results through their secure platform in just days. They even provide actionable insights and links to additional information so you can make informed fertility decisions.
This can be really valuable information for that first meeting with a reproductive specialist, or helpful for your doctor if they’re considering referring you to one. Tap below to become the foremost expert on your hormones while testing on your own timeline with EverlyWell. Save 15% with code OVIA.
This ad is brought to you by EverlyWell
Sources
- “Infertility and acupuncture” American Pregnancy Association. American Pregnancy Association. September 2, 2016. http://americanpregnancy.org/infertility/acupuncture/
- Katerina Lin and Cynthia Tung. “The regulation of the practice of acupuncture by physicians in the United States.” Medical Acupuncture 29(3):121–127. Web. June 1, 2017.
- “Preconception nutrition for increasing Your fertility.” American Pregnancy Association. American Pregnancy Association. May 28, 2018. http://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/preconception-nutrition/
