Taking Care of Your Fertility

Fertility is the natural capability of becoming pregnant. It is generally understood that women are not having problems with fertility until they have tried without success to become pregnant after one year of trying. At this point, discussions of infertility begin.

What are signs of fertility?

You are considered fertile if:

• You are in general good health
• Your menstrual cycles are regular (consistently between 26 to 35 days long)
• Your periods are not too heavy or light or too painful
• You do not have any medical conditions which may interfere with your fertility
• You are not taking any medication or drug that can interfere with your fertility

Some women follow what is called the fertility awareness method (FAM).  FAM is a natural method of observing body signs that change throughout a woman's menstrual cycle.  FAM is an effective way to simply get to know your body, and can be an empowering way to take control of your gynecolocial health. 

What can cause problems for me and for my fertility?

There are a number of things related to improving your chances of having a healthy pregnancy: 

• Dieting and Nutrition. Eating a healthy diet and keeping a health body weight can help ensure that your reproductive system is working well.
• Excessive or Rigorous Exercise. Daily exercise is vital to good health. But sometimes if you are exercising a great deal or are training for a sporting event, like a marathon, you may stop having regular periods which affects your ability to get pregnant. 
• Emotional Stress. If you are overly stressed, the part of the brain that regulates ovulation is affected and as a result, ovulation may be postponed, which affects your fertility. 
• Drugs. Illegal drug use, cigarette smoking, alcohol or steroids can interfere with the hormonal balance needed for ovulation and regular periods. 
• Sexually Transmitted Infections. If you get (or have) a sexually transmitted infection (STI) like gonorrhea, chlamydia, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and do not get treated for it, the infection can cause damage to your reproductive organs. You may not even know that you have a STI because not all people who have STIs have symptoms. 
• Age. Women over the age of 35 may start to experience problems when trying to become pregnant. As women age, their ovaries slow down and do not have as many “good” eggs and are more likely to miscarry. With age, the ability to produce healthy sperm also decreases for men, although women are effected more dramatically biologically as age increases. 
• Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a disease that affects your uterus. It normally strikes women in their reproductive years.

Print Resources

Weschler, Toni. Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health. US Collins Group, 2006.