Fertility facts for the man and the woman

For her

Fertility problems in women are most commonly caused by ovulation failure ie the release of an egg each month.

Your menstrual cycle

When trying to conceive it is important that you are in tune with your monthly cycle in order to pinpoint your most fertile time. This basic principle is important regardless of how long you have been trying to conceive.

In a normal, regular cycle you will ovulate around 14 days before the start of your period ie when you start bleeding. The general rule is to count forwards 12-16 days from the day your period starts to find your most fertile time. However a much more accurate and reliable method is to buy ovulation predictor kits that let you know when the LH hormone surges, which in turn indicates ovulation will happen within the next 2 days.

There are other key changes in your body to look out for. For example your cervical mucus changes during your cycle and will be thin and clear at the time of ovulation but thick and yellowy white at other times in your cycle.

Issues that affect ovulation

Polycystic ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is where a woman's ovaries contain lots of small cysts which tend to cause a hormonal imbalance which leads to irregular periods and hence uncertainty about when ovulation occurs. Women with PCOS may also notice more hair growth around their body, weight gain and acne. PCOS is often treated with drugs that stimulate ovulation and about half of all women given the drugs may conceive within 6-9 months. IVF treatment is also an option for women suffering from PCOS.

Hormonal problems

When reproductive hormone imbalances occur the release of a mature egg from the ovary is unlikely and irregular or infrequent periods occur. Sometimes periods can be absent and bleeding can be either very heavy or very light. Treatment includes drugs that stimulate ovulation such as Clomiphene and FSH (follicle stimulating hormones). IVF is also an option.

Age

A woman is born with a limited number of eggs and as she ages so do her eggs. The older an egg is, the more likely it is to become damaged or to have developed abnormalities. This is why fertility declines with age. Eggs are either not able to be fertilised or may generally unable to sustain a pregnancy.

Other factors affecting female fertility

There are many things that affect ovulation e.g. illness, over exercise, air travel, shift working etc. Also if you have come off the contraceptive pill, your body needs at least one cycle to re-adjust but can sometimes take as long as six months to settle.

Alcohol affects fertility in women and can increase the risk of miscarriage. Just 5 units a week could mean it may take twice as long to get pregnant. Better to give up completely but at least cut back to 1 or 2 units a night. (A unit is defined as a small glass of wine, half a pint of normal strength beer or lager or a shot of spirits.)

Smoking is the most obvious problem for those trying to conceive. Smoking has been shown to reduce chances of conception by 40% and is linked to early menopause and delivering premature babies. The best advice is to give up completely .

A nutritious diet helps keep you fit, healthy and fertile. The key is to eat lots of fresh fruit and veg, wholemeal bread, pasta and brown rice, balanced with low fat meat options such as chicken, turkey and fish.

When trying for a baby it is recommended that you consider taking extra vitamins and minerals via supplements. Folic acid, Vitamin C, E and zinc can boost fertility and if you do fall pregnant are essential for maintaining health. Take a look at our specially formulated 'babyblend' pre-conception supplement that contain all of these nutrients plus Omega 3 oil and arginine to boost libido.

Keeping active can also help you maintain your target weight and exercise is a great stress buster. A half hour a day of moderate exercise (swimming, walking, running, or whatever keeps you interested!) is enough to keep you fit and healthy.

Stress and tension can affect your hormones and in-turn your fertility. It is important to find ways to de-stress everyday.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI's) are a major cause of infertility in women. Chlamydia has a significant effect on fertility and can cause blocked fallopian tubes. The infection has no symptoms so is hard for women to detect. It is preventable by practicing safe sex and it can be treated with antibiotics.

The information in this section is intended as a guide only. If you are concerned about your fertility and would like to find out more about the options that maybe appropriate for you then you should seek advice from your GP.

Physical factors affecting female fertility

A woman's fertility can also be impaired by certain conditions that affect the Fallopian tubes and womb:

Blocked fallopian tubes: Any blockage in the tubes will stop the released egg from reaching the womb. These tube blockages are most commonly caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection of the womb and /or fallopian tubes) or STIs such as chlamydia as mentioned above. Again surgery is possible if the blockage is reasonably small. IVF is also an option if surgery fails.

Endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the womb that is normally renewed each month, starts to grow outside of the womb, usually on other reproductive organs and in the fallopian tubes. It leads to very painful, heavy periods that maybe irregular. It can lead to miscarriages too. Surgery to remove the tissue and blockages is usual and can be followed by assisted conception treatments such as IVF.

Facts for him

The latest figures show that men now account for a higher percentage of fertility issues than women. This appears largely due to lifestyle and environmental factors, but your health plays a vital role in increasing your chances of becoming a dad.

There are a number of physical conditions that may be affecting your fertility:

Blocked tubes in the reproductive organs

• Obstructions in the vas deferens (the tubes that carry the sperm) will affect the concentration of healthy sperm ejaculated
• Varicose veins (varicoceles) found in the testicles will also block the tubes
• STIs such as Chlamydia can also result in tubal blockage if left untreated.

Blocked tubes can be treated with surgery to remove the blockage and over 40% of the surgery results in couples going on to achieve successful pregnancies.

Sperm numbers and quality

• Low sperm counts. If there are not enough sperm in an ejaculation fertilisation completes less likely.
• Low sperm motility. If the se rpm are not active then it is unlikely they will swim up the fallopian tubes and then fertilise the egg.
• Misshapen sperm (sperm morphology). If sperm are not the usual tadpole shape it makes it very difficult for them to swim forward and reach the egg.

Sperm count can be increased with use of certain fertility drugs and supplements.

Artificial insemination is also an option where there is low motility. Other procedures that can be helpful include ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) which is where a single sperm is injected into the egg.

Both smoking and drinking alcohol are known to reduce sperm production. Smoking also damages the sperm that is produced.

There are lots of jokes out there about underwear but there is no doubt that loose fitting underwear is best for men regardless of fashion! The reason is that if the testes get too hot sperm production is reduced and that's why nature made them hang outside of your body in the first place. Looser fitting underwear provides better conditions for sperm production and storage.

Your diet also plays a part and it is makes sense to consider using a fertility supplement when planning a family. Good foods are fish, shellfish, egg yolks, seeds, chicken, turkey, and wholegrain cereals (wholemeal bread, wholewheat cereal etc).

Eating a balanced diet also helps to keep your weight in check which affects testosterone production and libido.

The information in this section is intended as a guide only. If you are concerned about your fertility and would like to find out more about the options that maybe appropriate for you then you should seek advice from your GP.