
This plan can help many over 40 women:
🛏️ If you don't have fertile-quality cervical mucus, the sperm may only last 2 hours.🛏️ Older men sometimes can't perform as often.
🛏️ Older men sometimes have lower sperm counts.
🛏️ The sperm needs to be there, waiting, before your egg is released. So you need to start
tryingbefore your OPK turns positive.
🛏️ Regular sex increases his testosterone, his sperm count, and your cervical mucus and helps ramp up your hormones, especially estrogen - getting everything working well.
The Plan - Short Version:
🛏️Tryevery other night starting Day 8
🛏️ Buy 10 ovulation predictor kit sticks
🛏️ Begin ovulation testing on Day 10
🛏️ When test is positive,trythat night, plus two additional nights in a row
🛏️ Skip one night, then do one lasttry
🛏️ Take a home pregnancy test 15 days after your ovulation test was positive, if your period has not begun
🛏️ If your ovulation test never goes positive, continuetryingevery other night until Day 35, then do a pregnancy test if your period has not begun.
For the Detailed Version, read the full article: The Sperm Meets Egg Plan
How Sexual Frequency Affects a Woman's Sexual Responsiveness, Fertility, and Health
🛏️ The less often a woman has sex, the less she will want sex, the less she will enjoy sex, and the more difficult it will be for her to become aroused and climax.🛏️ Women who had sex two or more times a week had the most regular cycles, women who had sex once a week was slightly less regular, celibate women were still less regular, and women who had sporadic sex, or sex less than once a week, had the most irregular cycles. A variety of hormonal differences were seen, including higher estrogen levels in the women who had regular sex.
🛏️ The benefits of the hormonal changes in those having intercourse at least twice a week include better fertility, stronger bones, better cardiovascular health, less depression, lower incidence of fibrocystic breast disease and uterine cancer, and a decrease in menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and depression.
Photo credit: Sperm Count Recipe Ayurvedic, by Kamikaze Gecko
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Deanna Roy
-- The Sperm Meets Egg Plan is a step-by-step guide to achieving pregnancy without taking invasive tests, charting temperatures, or making mistakes in predicting your ovulation that result in mistimed attempts at fertilization.
Designed by Deanna Roy after months of trying made her believe she had a fertility problem, the plan will help you time intercourse whether you have a typical or atypical cycle.
It includes adjustments for common fertility problems, what to do if you are over forty, and considerations for trying again after a pregnancy loss.
This booklet includes 40 pages of instruction plus a 10-page sneak peek of Deanna's book Baby Dust. It should be a free download.
This FREE booklet is a THANK YOU to all the women who have supported Deanna's web site since the loss of her first baby in 1998.
📚 Start reading The Sperm Meets Egg Plan on your Kindle in under a minute!
📚 Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Fertility Supplement Bundle |
Vitamin supplements help fertility in women:
Taking multivitamins, particularly folic acid, can improve chances of pregnancy in couples having difficulty conceiving. Women who took multivitamin supplements 6 times a week were 40% less likely to fail to ovulate than women who took none.In the UK, women are advised to take 400 micrograms of folic acid (one of several different B vitamins) every day while trying to conceive, and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. 1000 micrograms of folic acid daily are the safe upper limit. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has proposed adding folic acid to the nutrients currently used to fortify white flour, as has happened in the US since 1988.
Researchers said the beneficial benefits seem to derive from folic acid, which helps prevent birth defects, 'The beneficial effect on fertility continued to increase as women consumed higher amounts of folic acid'. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables and liver.
Read more: Vitamin supplements help fertility in women
Supplements:
There is now a great deal of scientific knowledge about the use of nutritional supplements and their beneficial effects on both male and female fertility. As you will see, these supplements can be very effective in re-balancing your hormones, as well as improving you and your partner's overall health, which is so vital for successful conception.Supplements are necessary because even the best diet in the world will not contain all the nutrients you need to give you the best chance of conceiving.
Nutricost Folic Acid |
Folic Acid
It is now known folic acid can prevent spina bifida in your baby, and it is essential you get plenty both before and during pregnancy. And that's not all: folic acid is undoubtedly important, but it is just part of the very important B-complex family of vitamins necessary to produce the genetic materials DNA and RNA. Together with vitamin B12, folic acid works to ensure your baby's genetic codes are intact.Remember: it's not enough to take folic acid alone when you are trying to become pregnant. All of the B vitamins are essential during the pre-conceptual period. Research has shown giving B6 to women who have trouble conceiving increases fertility and vitamin B12 has been found to improve low sperm counts.
Nutricost Zinc |
Zinc
Zinc is the most widely studied nutrient in terms of fertility for both men and women. It is an essential component of genetic material and a zinc deficiency can cause chromosome changes in either you or our partner, leading to reduced fertility and an increased risk of miscarriage. Zinc is necessary for your body toattract and hold(utilize efficiently) the reproductive hormones, oestrogen, and progesterone.
And it's equally important for your partner: Zinc is found in high concentrations in the sperm. Zinc is needed to make the outer layer and tail of the sperm and is, therefore, essential for the health of your partner's sperm and, subsequently, your baby. Interestingly, several studies have also shown reducing zinc in a man's diet will also reduce his sperm count.
Nutricost Selenium |
Selenium
Selenium is an antioxidant which helps to protect your body from highly reactive chemical fragments called free radicals. For this reason, selenium can prevent chromosome breakage, which is known to be a cause of birth defects and miscarriages. Good levels of selenium are also essential to maximize sperm formation. Blood selenium levels have been found to be lower in men with low sperm counts.Triple Omega 3-6-9 |
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
These essential fats have a profound effect on every system of the body, including the reproductive system and they are crucial for healthy hormone functioning. For men, essential fatty acid supplementation is crucial because the semen is rich in prostaglandins which are produced from these fats. Men with poor sperm quality, abnormal sperm, poor motility or low count, have inadequate levels of these beneficial prostaglandins.NATURELO Vitamin E |
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant and has been shown to increase fertility when given to both men and women. Men going for IVF treatment with their partners have been given vitamin E, and fertilization rates have, as a result, increased from 19 to 29 percent. It has been suggested the antioxidant activity of vitamin E might make the sperm more fertile.Vitamin C with Rose Hips |
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, and studies show vitamin C enhances sperm quality, protecting sperm and the DNA within it from damage. Some research has indicated certain types of DNA damage in the sperm can make it difficult to conceive in the first place, or it can cause an increased risk of miscarriage if conception does take place. If DNA is damaged, there may be a chromosomal problem in the baby, should the pregnancy proceed. Whether or not DNA damage does have these effects has not been conclusively proven, but it's worth taking vitamin C and the other antioxidants as a precautionary measure.Vitamin C also appears to keep the sperm from clumping together, making them more motile.
One study has shown women taking the drug clomiphene to stimulate ovulation will have a better chance of ovulating if vitamin C is taken alongside the drug. Clomiphene does not always work for every woman, but the chances are often increased when vitamin C is supplemented.
Nutricost L-Arginine |
L-Arginine
This is an amino acid found in many foods and the head of the sperm contains an exceptional amount of this nutrient, which is essential for sperm production. Supplementing with L-arginine can help to increase both the sperm count and quality.Note: People who have herpes attacks (either cold sores or genital herpes) should not supplement with arginine because it stimulates the virus.
Nutricost L-Carnitine |
L-Carnitine
This amino acid is essential for normal functioning of sperm cells. According to research, it appears the higher the levels of L-Carnitine in the sperm cells, the better the sperm count and motility.Nutricost Vitamin A |
Vitamin A
This vitamin needs to be mentioned because there is a lot of confusion about its use before and after pregnancy. Many health practitioners now advise no vitamin A is taken during pregnancy. This advice is incorrect, and it can be dangerous to assume any vitamin or other nutrients should be avoided during the gestational period. Vitamin A has important antioxidant properties, and the consequences of Vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy can be devastating. For one thing, vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes. Animals studies show vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy has produced new-born animals with no eyes, eye defects, undescended testes, and diaphragmatic hernias.It is only when the vitamin A is in the form of retinol (in other words, the animal form of vitamin A) there is a problem. It has been found retinol can cause birth defects if taken in excess of 10,000iu a day. Beta-carotene, which is one of the vegetable forms of vitamin A, does not carry any risks.
Read more: How to increase your chances of conceiving and preventing miscarriages
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Karen Daniels
--
A breakthrough revolutionary plan for getting pregnant fast, solving common fertility problems and having a healthy baby – this is NOT your average book on getting pregnant!
Renowned fertility expert Dr. Niels Lauersen and women's wellness expert Colette Bouchez help readers take charge of their fertility with a revolutionary new self-help plan designed to show couples how to work together to boost their conception odds, plan for a healthy pregnancy, and get pregnant faster – all without the use of expensive fertility treatments or medications.
Based on scientific research and tested on thousands of couples Eat-Love- GET PREGNANT is a simple yet revolutionary plan that provides the quintessential
missing linkabsent from most other fertility programs – namely, the importance of not only boosting both male and female fertility simultaneously but bold new evidence showing how, when couples work together in certain special and unique ways, they can create a unified
fertility power booststrong enough to take them from infertile to fertile in as little as three months
📚 Paperback: 116 pages
Click to order/for more info: Eat, Love, Get Pregnant
📚 Start reading Eat, Love, Get Pregnant on your Kindle in under a minute!
📚 Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Infertility affects more than 6 million people in the United States alone, or 1 out of every 6 couples, according to Lafayette-based Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado.
And despite a common fallacy -- it's a woman's problem -- fertility difficulties are equally as likely to be caused by male difficulties. It is a combined issue in about 20 percent of infertility cases, Conceptions says.
For women, it is most commonly a problem with ovulation, according to Robyn Curtis, with the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, which has a Louisville office.
For men, it is mostly sperm health or motility,Curtis says.
But there are so many other influencing factors - dealing with a difficult conception can feel like a guessing game, says McGinnis, the new Boulder mom. That's why she recommends getting professional help after one year of trying -- and sticking to research-proven advice such as staying away from cigarettes and minimizing stress.
We've solicited the expertise of a spectrum of experts: a local acupuncturist, nutritionist-dietitians, reproductive endocrinologist-ObGyn, reproductive clinic, physician, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, as well as the results from some studies and a nontraditional pharmacy.
Here's their take on some wives' tales -- and some truths.
Enhancing fertility
Drink raspberry leaf tea. FALSE.-- This tea may promote uterine health after you're pregnant, but does nothing for fertility. (Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy)
Have sex during a full moon. FALSE.
-- Menstrual cycles can coincide with the phases of the moon, but it doesn't matter if the moon's full if you're not ovulating. (Pharmaca)
Eat organic foods and drink purified water; eat alkaline foods.
DEPENDS on whom you ask.
-- Acupuncturist Amy Dickinson says pesticides and herbicides in non-organic food can harm a woman's eggs, and food chemicals and additives often have estrogen-like substances that can throw the hormonal balance off.
Dickinson recommends alkaline foods, such as vegetables, non-citrus fruits, sprouts, and wheat grass. Acidic foods, such as sugar, dairy, and grains, can create an acidic cervical pH, which sperm don't like, she says. Plus, she says fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoids, which help create healthy blood vessels that can help prevent miscarriage and prepare the uterus for implantation.
Physician Robert Gustofson, with the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Avista Hospital, says no food types have been shown to improve pregnancy probability. He says they won't harm your chances, however.
Be at a healthy body weight. TRUE.
-- Being overweight or underweight can have adverse effects.
Get acupuncture. TRUE.
-- Acupuncture increases the chances of implantation and increases blood circulation to the uterus. (Journal of Fertility and Sterility, 2003)
Adopt. FALSE.
-- Everyone knows someone who had adopted a child and then gotten pregnant, but research has not shown a connection.
Dream you are pregnant. FALSE.
-- Dreams are unrelated to fertility. (Gustofson)
Relax. TRUE.
-- Stress is a fertility killer. You need progesterone for pregnancy. When a body is stressed, it redirects to produce the stress hormone, cortisol, instead of creating progesterone. (Boulder acupuncturist Amy Dickinson)
Have sex 14 days after your period. FALSE.
-- Not every woman has a 28-day menstrual cycle with ovulation in the middle.
Have sex in a certain position. FALSE.
(Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
Be well rested. TRUE.
-- This helps combat stress. (Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado)
You have sex in a swimming pool. FALSE.
-- The chlorine will not kill all sperm. (Julie McGinnis, Boulder nutritionist, dietitian, and herbalist)
You douche after sex. FALSE.
-- There is no evidence douching will prevent pregnancy, even if you use certain essential oils or other liquids. (McGinnis)
You have sex while on your period. MAYBE.
-- The chances of ovulating while on your period are smaller, but you can still get pregnant.
The man was kicked hard in the groin while playing a sport. FALSE.
-- It's very unlikely a single traumatic event will result in sterility. The male system is pretty hardy. (Conceptions)
The woman is older than 35. FALSE.
-- In general, the chance of getting pregnant in one year is about 90 percent until age 34. It drops to 67 percent by age 40, and after age 45, it declines to 15 percent. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) However, fertility varies with every woman.
The man is older than 35. FALSE.
-- Growing evidence suggests age may be a factor eventually, but the number and quality of sperm doesn't decline until after age 64. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're stressed. TRUE.
-- Stress can reduce sperm count and stop ovulation. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine and Conceptions)
You took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- A few months after you stop taking the pill, your body should be back to normal. (Conceptions)
Your mom took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
You've already had one child. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You had a C-section. FALSE.
-- Not unless it was complicated by something affecting the Fallopian tubes. (Conceptions)
You are breastfeeding. MAYBE.
-- It can decrease ovulatory function but doesn't stop it. It depends on the woman. (Conceptions)
You haven't re-started your period after childbirth. FALSE.
-- You can ovulate and not have your period first. (Conceptions)
You have diabetes. TRUE.
-- Good glycemic control prior to conception can decrease birth defects. And women with pre-diabetes glucose intolerance can have disrupted ovulation. (Conceptions)
You have had a heart attack or liver or kidney failure. TRUE.
-- Significant, life-threatening medical conditions may decrease the chance of pregnancy until treated or resolved. (Gustofson)
If the man masturbates a lot. TRUE.
-- Masturbation can temporarily lower sperm count. It cannot make you sterile. (McGinnis)
You have anal sex. TRUE.
-- Anal sperm deposition does not fertilize an egg in the uterus. (Gustofson)
The man spends a lot of time in saunas or hot tubs. TRUE.
-- Overheating may temporarily reduce sperm count. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The guy wears tight underwear. TRUE.
-- This can increase the temperature of the testes. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The man smokes cigarettes or marijuana. TRUE.
-- Smoking can reduce sperm count. (Infertility.about.com)
You drink alcohol. TRUE.
-- Excessive alcohol can damage sperm and eggs. (Infertility.about.com) More than two drinks a day can suppress hormones. Plus, the byproduct of alcohol is a toxin, and if it goes to the uterus, it doesn't enhance pregnancy rates. (Conceptions)
You drink a lot of caffeine. TRUE.
-- (Conceptions)
The man uses steroids. TRUE.
-- Steroids can severely impair sperm production. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man consumes too much vitamin C (more than 1,000 mg). FALSE.
-- Vitamin C will be urinated out if not absorbed. It does not necessarily acidify the semen or kill sperm. (Gustofson)
You unnecessarily take over-the-counter drugs, including ibuprofen. TRUE.
-- Ibuprofen can inhibit prostaglandins and inhibit ovulation. (Dickinson)
The woman has an iron deficiency. TRUE,
-- Acupuncturist Amy Dickinson says pesticides and herbicides in non-organic food can harm a woman's eggs, and food chemicals and additives often have estrogen-like substances that can throw the hormonal balance off.
Dickinson recommends alkaline foods, such as vegetables, non-citrus fruits, sprouts, and wheat grass. Acidic foods, such as sugar, dairy, and grains, can create an acidic cervical pH, which sperm don't like, she says. Plus, she says fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoids, which help create healthy blood vessels that can help prevent miscarriage and prepare the uterus for implantation.
Physician Robert Gustofson, with the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Avista Hospital, says no food types have been shown to improve pregnancy probability. He says they won't harm your chances, however.
Be at a healthy body weight. TRUE.
-- Being overweight or underweight can have adverse effects.
Get acupuncture. TRUE.
-- Acupuncture increases the chances of implantation and increases blood circulation to the uterus. (Journal of Fertility and Sterility, 2003)
Adopt. FALSE.
-- Everyone knows someone who had adopted a child and then gotten pregnant, but research has not shown a connection.
Dream you are pregnant. FALSE.
-- Dreams are unrelated to fertility. (Gustofson)
Relax. TRUE.
-- Stress is a fertility killer. You need progesterone for pregnancy. When a body is stressed, it redirects to produce the stress hormone, cortisol, instead of creating progesterone. (Boulder acupuncturist Amy Dickinson)
Have sex 14 days after your period. FALSE.
-- Not every woman has a 28-day menstrual cycle with ovulation in the middle.
Have sex in a certain position. FALSE.
(Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
Be well rested. TRUE.
-- This helps combat stress. (Conceptions Reproductive Associates of Colorado)
Diminishing fertility
You may adversely affect conception if:You have sex in a swimming pool. FALSE.
-- The chlorine will not kill all sperm. (Julie McGinnis, Boulder nutritionist, dietitian, and herbalist)
You douche after sex. FALSE.
-- There is no evidence douching will prevent pregnancy, even if you use certain essential oils or other liquids. (McGinnis)
You have sex while on your period. MAYBE.
-- The chances of ovulating while on your period are smaller, but you can still get pregnant.
The man was kicked hard in the groin while playing a sport. FALSE.
-- It's very unlikely a single traumatic event will result in sterility. The male system is pretty hardy. (Conceptions)
The woman is older than 35. FALSE.
-- In general, the chance of getting pregnant in one year is about 90 percent until age 34. It drops to 67 percent by age 40, and after age 45, it declines to 15 percent. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) However, fertility varies with every woman.
The man is older than 35. FALSE.
-- Growing evidence suggests age may be a factor eventually, but the number and quality of sperm doesn't decline until after age 64. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're stressed. TRUE.
-- Stress can reduce sperm count and stop ovulation. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine and Conceptions)
You took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- A few months after you stop taking the pill, your body should be back to normal. (Conceptions)
Your mom took birth control pills. FALSE.
-- (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
You've already had one child. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You had a C-section. FALSE.
-- Not unless it was complicated by something affecting the Fallopian tubes. (Conceptions)
You are breastfeeding. MAYBE.
-- It can decrease ovulatory function but doesn't stop it. It depends on the woman. (Conceptions)
You haven't re-started your period after childbirth. FALSE.
-- You can ovulate and not have your period first. (Conceptions)
You have diabetes. TRUE.
-- Good glycemic control prior to conception can decrease birth defects. And women with pre-diabetes glucose intolerance can have disrupted ovulation. (Conceptions)
You have had a heart attack or liver or kidney failure. TRUE.
-- Significant, life-threatening medical conditions may decrease the chance of pregnancy until treated or resolved. (Gustofson)
If the man masturbates a lot. TRUE.
-- Masturbation can temporarily lower sperm count. It cannot make you sterile. (McGinnis)
You have anal sex. TRUE.
-- Anal sperm deposition does not fertilize an egg in the uterus. (Gustofson)
The man spends a lot of time in saunas or hot tubs. TRUE.
-- Overheating may temporarily reduce sperm count. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The guy wears tight underwear. TRUE.
-- This can increase the temperature of the testes. (Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine)
The man smokes cigarettes or marijuana. TRUE.
-- Smoking can reduce sperm count. (Infertility.about.com)
You drink alcohol. TRUE.
-- Excessive alcohol can damage sperm and eggs. (Infertility.about.com) More than two drinks a day can suppress hormones. Plus, the byproduct of alcohol is a toxin, and if it goes to the uterus, it doesn't enhance pregnancy rates. (Conceptions)
You drink a lot of caffeine. TRUE.
-- (Conceptions)
The man uses steroids. TRUE.
-- Steroids can severely impair sperm production. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man consumes too much vitamin C (more than 1,000 mg). FALSE.
-- Vitamin C will be urinated out if not absorbed. It does not necessarily acidify the semen or kill sperm. (Gustofson)
You unnecessarily take over-the-counter drugs, including ibuprofen. TRUE.
-- Ibuprofen can inhibit prostaglandins and inhibit ovulation. (Dickinson)
The woman has an iron deficiency. TRUE,
at least for people with chronic anemia.
-- It can affect ovulation. (Conceptions)
Eating soy, which contains plant-based estrogens. FALSE.
-- There is no research showing a high-soy diet creates infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Using a cell phone. MAYBE.
-- One study by The Cleveland Clinic found men who used cell phones the most had poorer sperm quality than men who used them the least, but more research is needed.
You have an eating disorder. TRUE.
-- Too-low body fat levels can stop the reproductive process. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You are a hard-core athlete. TRUE.
-- Low body fat can mean irregular periods. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man is an avid cyclist. TRUE.
-- For men, pressure from the bicycle seat can damage blood vessels and nerves. Mountain biking shocks the perineum and can injure the scrotum. One study found mountain biker men were more likely to have twisted veins in the scrotum, cysts or calcium deposits. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You have a sexually transmitted infection. DEPENDS.
-- Chlamydia or gonorrhea are associated with male and female infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) HPV (human papillomavirus) typically is not, unless it is linked to cancer and the woman must have her cervix operated on. Herpes does not affect fertility. (Conceptions)
The woman has endometriosis. TRUE.
-- (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The woman has thyroid problems. MAYBE
-- Too much or too little thyroid hormone can interrupt ovulation. (Conceptions)
The man has retrograde orgasms (sperm deposition in the bladder). TRUE AND FALSE.
-- It will be more difficult to conceive, but it not impossible. (Gustofson)
You were exposed to harmful chemicals. TRUE.
-- Some chemicals can hurt sperm or eggs or cause birth defects. (McGinnis)
You go under an anesthetic at the dentist's office. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You've had radiation treatment. TRUE.
-- Cells exposed to significant levels of radiation may take up to two years to resume normal sperm production or, in severe cases, may never recover. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're exposed to some kinds of plastics and rubber or pesticides.
-- It can affect ovulation. (Conceptions)
Eating soy, which contains plant-based estrogens. FALSE.
-- There is no research showing a high-soy diet creates infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Using a cell phone. MAYBE.
-- One study by The Cleveland Clinic found men who used cell phones the most had poorer sperm quality than men who used them the least, but more research is needed.
You have an eating disorder. TRUE.
-- Too-low body fat levels can stop the reproductive process. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You are a hard-core athlete. TRUE.
-- Low body fat can mean irregular periods. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The man is an avid cyclist. TRUE.
-- For men, pressure from the bicycle seat can damage blood vessels and nerves. Mountain biking shocks the perineum and can injure the scrotum. One study found mountain biker men were more likely to have twisted veins in the scrotum, cysts or calcium deposits. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You have a sexually transmitted infection. DEPENDS.
-- Chlamydia or gonorrhea are associated with male and female infertility. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) HPV (human papillomavirus) typically is not, unless it is linked to cancer and the woman must have her cervix operated on. Herpes does not affect fertility. (Conceptions)
The woman has endometriosis. TRUE.
-- (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
The woman has thyroid problems. MAYBE
-- Too much or too little thyroid hormone can interrupt ovulation. (Conceptions)
The man has retrograde orgasms (sperm deposition in the bladder). TRUE AND FALSE.
-- It will be more difficult to conceive, but it not impossible. (Gustofson)
You were exposed to harmful chemicals. TRUE.
-- Some chemicals can hurt sperm or eggs or cause birth defects. (McGinnis)
You go under an anesthetic at the dentist's office. FALSE.
-- (Conceptions)
You've had radiation treatment. TRUE.
-- Cells exposed to significant levels of radiation may take up to two years to resume normal sperm production or, in severe cases, may never recover. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
You're exposed to some kinds of plastics and rubber or pesticides.
DEPENDS on whom you ask.
-- McGinnis says some plastics contain materials can disrupt hormones. (McGinnis)
Gustofson says large amounts of pesticide ingestion may cause infertility, but minimal exposure will not cause harm. He says plastics and rubber do not cause infertility.
You use petroleum-based lubricants, including spermicides, oils or Vaseline. TRUE.
-- Astroglide, Replens, mineral oil or all-natural lubricants may not be as harmful to sperm. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Read more: Misconceptions about conception
Eat, Love, Get Pregnant: A Couple's Guide To Boosting Fertility and Having A Healthy Baby
by Karen Daniels
--
Renowned fertility expert Dr. Niels Lauersen and women's wellness expert Colette Bouchez help readers take charge of their fertility with a revolutionary new self-help plan designed to show couples how to work together to boost their conception odds, plan for a healthy pregnancy, and get pregnant faster – all without the use of expensive fertility treatments or medications.
Based on scientific research and tested on thousands of couples Eat-Love- GET PREGNANT is a simple yet revolutionary plan that provides the quintessential
📚 Paperback: 116 pages
Click to order/for more info: Eat, Love, Get Pregnant
📚 Start reading Eat, Love, Get Pregnant on your Kindle in under a minute!
📚 Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
-- McGinnis says some plastics contain materials can disrupt hormones. (McGinnis)
Gustofson says large amounts of pesticide ingestion may cause infertility, but minimal exposure will not cause harm. He says plastics and rubber do not cause infertility.
You use petroleum-based lubricants, including spermicides, oils or Vaseline. TRUE.
-- Astroglide, Replens, mineral oil or all-natural lubricants may not be as harmful to sperm. (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)
Read more: Misconceptions about conception
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Karen Daniels
--
A breakthrough revolutionary plan for getting pregnant fast, solving common fertility problems and having a healthy baby – this is NOT your average book on getting pregnant!
Renowned fertility expert Dr. Niels Lauersen and women's wellness expert Colette Bouchez help readers take charge of their fertility with a revolutionary new self-help plan designed to show couples how to work together to boost their conception odds, plan for a healthy pregnancy, and get pregnant faster – all without the use of expensive fertility treatments or medications.
Based on scientific research and tested on thousands of couples Eat-Love- GET PREGNANT is a simple yet revolutionary plan that provides the quintessential
missing linkabsent from most other fertility programs – namely, the importance of not only boosting both male and female fertility simultaneously but bold new evidence showing how, when couples work together in certain special and unique ways, they can create a unified
fertility power booststrong enough to take them from infertile to fertile in as little as three months
📚 Paperback: 116 pages
Click to order/for more info: Eat, Love, Get Pregnant
📚 Start reading Eat, Love, Get Pregnant on your Kindle in under a minute!
📚 Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Found on the Soulcysters message board:
My doctor has me taking 200 mg of soy cycle day 1-5 and then 150mg of Clomid cycle day 5-9.
I am taking the soy in the morning and the Clomid in the evening, so that on cycle day 5 I will take 200 mg of soy in the morning and 150mg of Clomid in the evening. I am to start OPK's [ovulation prediction kit] on cycle day 12 at 10am.
When I get a positive, I will go in for an ultrasound to check my lining and my follies, and then I will do an IUI [intra-uterine insemination] at 12 PM the following day, take another OPK [ovulation prediction kit] that day before the IUI, and if it is positive still, then I will get one more IUI done the 24 hours after the first one.
My doctor actually explained it well by saying that the photoestrogens in the soy will be estrogenic and cause my lining to thicken to counteract the Clomid's thinning, it will also give my eggs an estrogenic boost to ripening, so that I will ovulate sooner.
He also said that if we weren't doing an IUI cycle, the soy would be helpful in making a lot of good quality EWCM [egg white cervical mucus].
My doctor did do a small study with 200 women on 100 mg of Clomid - 100 with soy and 100 without. All of the women had to have proven ovulation with Clomid.
Here were his results:
In the women taking Clomid without/with soy:
• average uterine lining thickness : 7.5mm/11.3mm
• average number of mature (20mm or larger) follicles: 2.5/3.5
• average number of released follicles: 2/3
• percent of women that ovulated (verified by ultrasound and progesterone blood testing): 87%/93%
• average day of ovulation: 18/15
• average level of serum progesterone 10 days after ovulation: 9.3/12.2
• percent of ovulating women becoming pregnant with IUI over a course of three cycles (blood hcg levels greater than 5): 43.6%/68.7%
• percent of women that became pregnant that went on to give birth: 52.3%/89.7%
CONTRAINDICATIONS and PRECAUTIONS
Soy isoflavones are contraindicated in those who are hypersensitive to any component of a soy isoflavone-containing product.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid the use of soy isoflavone supplements pending long-term safety studies. Men with prostate cancer should discuss the advisability of the use of soy isoflavones with their physicians before deciding to use them.
Women with estrogen receptor-positive tumors should exercise caution in the use of soy isoflavones and should only use them if they are recommended and monitored by a physician.
Soy isoflavone intake has been associated with hypothyroidism in some.
NOTE: This post has been created for informational purposes only. This post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Zita West
-- Embarking on IVF — or any assisted fertility treatment—can be a very demanding and stressful experience, but the right physical, nutritional, and emotional support can lessen these stresses and strains and increase the chances of success.
Here a leading fertility and pregnancy expert offers an in-depth explanation of all aspects of fertility and, uniquely, addresses the issues involved in using assisted conception.
She explains fertility from preconception and trying naturally to assisted conception, what is involved in the IVF process, how to prepare your body to increase the chances of conceiving successfully, the importance of a proactive approach to diet and nutrition, and how complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, can increase the chances of success.
Including interviews with leading experts in the field, case histories from patients, and the author's own holistic principles, this is an invaluable guide for the growing number of people who are considering, or have already embarked on, medical intervention to enable them to conceive.
📚 Start reading Zita West's Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception on your Kindle in under a minute!
📚 Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.


The Lymph Node Sign is helpful in about 75% of cases.
Around ovulation a lymph gland in the groin on the same side as the ovulating ovary enlarges to about the size of a pea and becomes tender when pressed.
Daily examination of this gland will reveal the increase in size and tenderness.
This is best done lying down with fingers straight, and pointing to the leg, so that the middle finger can feel the pulsating artery to the leg.
The index finger will then be over the lymph gland.
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Zita West
-- A pioneer in the field of fertility, Zita West's programme is invaluable for couples trying to conceive.
Harley Street's most popular fertility expert, and favourite consultant to celebrity clients, guides the reader through a process of vital physical and mental preparation.
The book is for every couple trying to conceive and has fascinating advice taken from Zita's 20 years of experience as midwife and 7 years as an acupuncturist.
It provides a structured, easy-to-follow step-by-step programme, complete with case studies and and enormously detailed questionnaire.
The guide includes details on:
• when and how often to have sex
• what can prevent fertilization and conception
• everything you need to know about sperm and ovulation
• nutrition, supplements and herbs
• complementary therapies such as acupressure, lymphatic massage and hypnotherapy
• how to overcome stress and other emotional blocks to pregnancy
• PCOS, endometriosis and other health issues
• tests and procedures if there is a problem
• and much much more.
📚 Start reading Zita West's Guide to Getting Pregnant on your Kindle in under a minute!
📚 Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Being overweight, or obese for example, reduces both male and female fertility.
In women, it can affect ovulation.
Being underweight can also impact on fertility, particularly for women, who will not ovulate if they are severely underweight.
Smoking not only affects a person's general and long-term health, but it can also affect fertility and stress can reduce sexual desire, reducing the frequency of sexual intercourse.
Severe stress may also affect female ovulation and can limit sperm production.
Nutrition – what people are eating – also has an impact on fertility.
Many of us will be aware of the importance of folic acid for women trying to conceive, or that zinc is good for healthy sperm, but the role of nutrition infertility goes beyond this.
Read more: Healthy eating can help perk up fertility
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Aimee E. Raupp
-- Worried about your ability to have children in the next five years?
Have you been trying to get pregnant for a while now and it's just not happening?
Does it seem like every woman you know is having a hard time getting pregnant and you don't want that to be you when you're ready?
If you answered yes to any one of these questions, Aimee's second book, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant: The Diet That Will Improve Your Fertility Now and Into Your 40s, was written for you.
Whether you're in your 20s, 30s or 40s, this book will give you all the nutritional information you need to keep your baby-making machinery in tip-top shape.

Click to order/for more info: Yes, You Can Get Pregnant

The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle spans from ovulation at midcycle until menstruation.
The luteal phase should last for at least 12 to 14 days.
A luteal phase which is less than 10 days will have difficulty producing an environment favorable for implantation.
The luteal phase derives its name from the fact the luteinized cells from the collapsed follicle undergo a structural transformation in response to increased vascularization, a process known as luteinization.
Thereafter these two cell types produce progesterone; one of which is dependent on the secretion of luteinizing hormone.
When a pregnancy occurs, and the developing blastocyst burrows into the uterine lining, the embryo will secrete hCG [Human chorionic gonadotropin], which stimulates the ovary to produce more progesterone.
This process is called luteal rescue.
If this process happens too late or if pregnancy does not occur, LH [Luteinizing Hormone] stimulation decreases, progesterone levels decrease and uterine prostaglandins are released.
This causes the corpus luteum to shrivel.
The uterine lining, because of lack of progesterone stimulation, is shed.
Read more: Luteal Phase Defect
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Nancy London
-- The first prescriptive and anecdotal guidebook for the multitudes of older moms, and distills the wisdom, insight, and practical advice gathered during her years as a therapist and support group leader.
With tips for renewing physical and sexual energy, parenting after infertility and adoption, balancing career and family, and caring for elderly parents, the personal stories from these older moms are often humorous, sometimes surprising, but always reassuring.
Without exception, the reader will be left with the comforting knowledge that she is not alone on her journey.
Hot Flashes fills a much-needed place in the parenting field, at a time when more and more women are embracing motherhood later in life.

Click to order/for more info: Hot Flashes Warm Bottles

During or After Ovulation: Warm food like millet, brown rice, avoid cold food like Tofu, etc.
During Menstrual Cycle: Avoid beans, tomatoes or cold food, eat more warm food but not much spicy food.
Pregnancy: first 3 month of pregnancy follow warm food diet, absolutely to avoid seafood like crabmeat (cause miscarriage), sushi or raw salad not much either. Middle of pregnancy should avoid barley to prevent amniotic fluid drainage. Late stage pregnancy should eat more cooling food like cucumber, etc.
Postpartum: due to loss of blood, body the will feel chilly or cold, follow warm food diet and eat more ginger, chicken, sesame oil (help uterus constrict to remove placenta leftover), quail is ideal to heal wound and scar.
(Created by Dr. Li Liu based on her clinical insight and experience)
More info: AcuwellnessAtlanta.com
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Marlo Schalesky
-- Contains frank and emotionally resonate stories from both men and women facing the struggle of infertility.
Mother's Day is not a joyful occasion for all women, particularly those who would like to have children but cannot.
Marlo Schalesky's Empty Womb, Aching Heart: Hope and Help for Those Struggling with Infertility does for Christian women what Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin's Tears of Sorrow, Seeds of Hope: A Jewish Spiritual Companion for Infertility and Pregnancy Loss did for Jewish women: provide comfort and camaraderie in the face of infertility and pregnancy loss.

Click to order/for more info: Empty Womb, Aching Heart

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
![]() |
Photo credit: Alan Betson - All rights reserved |
1. THE MIND
It is a vicious circle: fertility problems lead to stress and stress exacerbates fertility problems. In The Fertility Code, Dermot O’Connor and fertility counseling psychotherapist Ann Bracken outline ways to reduce stress and anxiety, adopt a more positive outlook and enhance sleep – seen as a vital factor in improving your chances of conception.
O’Connor regards the psychological aspect as the pillar of the programme, because
if your mind is not in the right frame, it makes it difficult to implement all the other parts.
2. NUTRITION
Changing from poor or even average eating habits to optimum nutrition are
probably the most powerful thing you can do to enhance your fertility, says O’Connor. His recommendations include 10 portions of fruit or vegetables (organic) a day and eliminating dairy from your diet, as well as avoiding refined carbohydrates and eating
hormone-balancing phyto-estrogens, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas daily.
The nutrition plan should not just help you to achieve your optimum weight, but also smooth out blood-sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. It is designed to promote healthy ovulation and improve the quantity and quality of sperm.
3. DETOX
Decreasing exposure to toxins should not only improve fertility but also benefit the foetus if you do conceive. Top of the list of toxins to avoid are the obvious ones of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. O’Connor also recommends clearing your kitchen of all canned and processed food, as well as popcorn, cheese, salted nuts, jam, and marmalade, to mention just a few on the
food detox list. You are advised to choose chemical-free skincare products, and avoid household cleaners containing toxic chemicals.
4. EXERCISE
Forget the
no pain, no gainmantra – when it comes to exercise to maximize fertility, balance is key and overheating is to be avoided. However, regular exercise will help control weight and reduce stress – both key factors infertility problems. Walking, yoga, gentle swimming, and the Chinese exercise system chi gong are what O’Connor recommends.
5. MEDICAL SCIENCE
Although this is not part of the
codeper se, it is the fifth dimension that O’Connor advocates for couples with fertility issues because his programme is complementary and supportive rather than an
alternativeto assisted reproduction.
For their part, mainstream fertility clinics have moved in the past five years, he says, from putting no emphasis on the mind-body element to putting some emphasis on it,
but are yet to put a huge emphasis on it.
Read more: Increasing the odds for your family
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
by Dermot O'Connor
-- The Fertility Code program delivers a powerful and practical step-by-step approach for those who wish to give themselves the best chance of starting a family.
As many as 500,000 couples in the UK and Ireland actively seek help with fertility, such as IVF treatment each year. While some are legitimate candidates, many have been proven to just need proper lifestyle and fertility advice and assistance in order to conceive.
The Fertility Code is designed for these people, and for those who need more serious intervention, to optimize their fertility. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to preventing a couple from having a baby.
This is why it is important that a fertility plan should address as many of these potential issues as possible. Through many years' experience of helping thousands of couples to become parents, Dermot O'Connor knows that such a plan must be easy to understand, easy to implement and genuinely effective.
The Fertility Code combines the best of both Eastern and Western medicine to provide a comprehensive guide to conceiving successfully and carrying a baby to full term.
It details the optimum plan to enhance fertility, and delivers a proven strategy, incorporating the key elements consistently utilized by the couples Dermot has helped:
• Fertility Awareness Strategies
• The psychology of fertility
• Optimum nutrition for conception and pregnancy
• The importance of detoxification

Click to order/for more info: The Fertility Code

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
![]() |
Clearblue® Fertility Monitor |
Healthy couples only have a 25% chance of conceiving each month, and it can take on average 6-18 months to get pregnant.
But new research proves one at-home fertility predictor, in particular, can significantly improve the odds of a quicker conception.
The study has shown use of the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor can dramatically increase a woman's chance of conception over two cycles of use. The results of this controlled study are being published in the February issue of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's publication Fertility and Sterility. Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor is manufactured and marketed by Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc.
![]() |
Clearblue® Fertility Monitor |
Findings revealed approximately 23% of women who took part in the research using the monitor became pregnant during the first two cycles of use, compared with 14% of the women who were not using the Monitor.
This indicates over a third more women conceived using the Clearblue® Fertility Monitor. Additionally, product feedback was overwhelmingly positive with 90% of participants agreeing the Fertility Monitor was easy to use.
Read full article
TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

by Lisa Olsen
-- A 279-page, instantly downloadable e-book presenting a 5-step, sure-fire, 100% guaranteed, clinically proven holistic and ancient Chinese system for permanently reversing your infertility and your partner's infertility disorders and getting pregnant quickly, naturally and safely within 2-4 months without drugs, dangerous surgeries, side effects, or expensive infertility treatments.
It's probably the most powerful infertility reversal system ever developed, and currently the best-selling e-book of its kind on the entire Web!
Here's what the author Lisa Olson had to say about her incredible program:
After 14 years of trial, error, and experimentation, I finally discovered the answer to infertility and developed a fool-proof system to getting pregnant the natural way - no drugs, or surgery necessary.
It took a lot of research to get to where I am today, to know exactly what works and what doesn't. Yes, after desperate trial and error, countless of useless treatments, disappointments, and agony, a simple holistic system opened the door to my new and much brighter life of motherhood.
I was also excited to see that my other infertility related symptoms had diminished. After years of waiting, I was finally free from Infertility! I have become a proud mother of two.
And now I'm finally revealing my secrets in this new 'encyclopedia' of pregnancy called, Pregnancy Miracle.
I will be your own personal coach, take you by the hand, and lead you through the lousy advice, hype and gimmicks... and directly to the sort of inner balance perfection that will end your battle with infertility forever and help you become a proud mother of your healthy children.

Click to order/for more info on this helpful program:
Pregnancy Miracle
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