Do you think you might be extremely overweight or underweight? Calculate your body mass index (BMI) using this tool now. Having a low BMI (18.5 or less) or a very high BMI (over 30) could cause you to have irregular or missed periods, and being extremely underweight could make you stop ovulating altogether.
Obesity can increase the risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, birth defects and the need for a c-section. So it’s important to be at a healthy weight when you are trying to conceive.
If you fall into either of these categories, talk to your doctor about how to get to a healthy weight. You will want to eat right, get plenty of nutrients, exercise, and drink plenty of water. Often, even a small weight gain or loss is enough to get your body ready to make a baby, as long as it is done healthily.
Skipping the veggies
The jury’s out on whether certain foods actually make you more fertile, but there’s one thing the experts agree on: If your body’s in a healthy state, you’re more likely to conceive, so eating right is essential. The other important reason to say no to the fries and yes to the spinach salad is folic acid. This B vitamin is found in leafy greens and is important to have present in your body before and after conception to prevent birth defects. Doctors recommend you also take a vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid while you’re trying to conceive.
Neglecting your teeth
If you have been lax about dental hygiene, now’s the time to get back on track with your dentist appointments and make sure you’re flossing. You and your partner should both get your pearly whites super-healthy before you get pregnant. Poor oral hygiene can affect a man’s sperm count, and if you have gum disease, it could increase your risk of premature delivery and a low-birth-weight baby.
The reason poor dental hygiene can negatively affect fertility is due to the increased risk of periodontal disease (gum disease) and tooth decay.
Poor Exercise
Keep making excuses not to exercise? Stop! One study found that doing regular, moderate physical activity – like brisk walking, leisurely cycling, golfing, and gardening – cut down the amount of time it took women to get pregnant.
Extreme exercise
You want to stay fit, but you do not want to overdo it. In the same study we mentioned above, vigorous exercise increased the amount of time it took women to get pregnant. We are not saying to skip your morning run if that’s what you have always done, but working out to the point of interfering with your menstrual cycle, as some marathon runners and gymnasts experience, can mess with your fertility.
BPA
You may want to take a hard look at what your water bottle is made of. BPA, aka bisphenol A, is a chemical found in some plastic items, such as water bottles, food containers, and even in the lining of aluminum cans. Some studies have led scientists to believe that high BPA exposure could mess with men’s and women’s fertility, potentially lowering sperm count or reducing the number of viable eggs. Limit your BPA exposure by avoiding canned foods and avoiding consuming anything from a plastic container with the recycling number three or seven on it (usually on the bottom of the container).