Boost Your Conception Chances
Mother & Baby gives you the how-to on boosting your chances of conception, and yes limiting your coffee intake is one of the ways
TIMING'S EVERYTHING
Targeting intercourse around ovulation can work, provided you’re familiar with your menstrual cycle.
“Most women normally have a creamy yellow discharge, which becomes clear and stringy mid-cycle when you’re ovulating. When it looks like this, you should have sex,” advises Dr Jane Stewart of Newcastle Fertility Centre in the UK.
THREE TIMES A WEEK
To ensure the best sperm, have sex thrice a week, suggests Dr Seng Shay Way, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Gleneagles Medical Centre.
If you’re trying to conceive, it’s not ideal if your husband abstains for long periods or ejaculates every day, since it affects the sperm quality.
Sperm deteriorates if it’s not fresh or needs constant replenishing because of frequent sexual activity.
He notes that ejaculating every two or three days offers the best chance of healthy sperm.
QUIT SMOKING
Quit smoking if you plan to have a baby as smoking damages sperm and eggs.
Also, limit your alcohol intake to no more than two units a week (one can of beer is equal to one unit), Dr Seng advises.
LIMIT CAFFEINE INTAKE
At most, drink just one cup of coffee a day as caffeine restricts blood flow to the womb, he says.
AVOID MEAT
Avoid eating too much meat as this raises the body’s ammonia levels and inhibits the implantation of the egg on the uterus.
ZINC'S GOOD
Men should take foods or supplements that contain zinc, Dr Seng says, as it is known to boost sperm production.
AVOID HERBS
You may need to avoid herbs like dang gui (Chinese angelica), yin yang huo (epimedium) and ba ji tian (morinda root) if you’re hoping to make a baby, says TCM practitioner and acupuncturist Dr Swee Yong Peng.
Seek advice from a TCM doctor about what herbs you should take and avoid.
If you have any comments or practical suggestions, write to us at editor@family.sg
- Mother & Baby
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