First of all, what is IVF? It stands for in vitro fertilization, which basically means conceiving outside the womb. The babies conceived through this method are more commonly known as test tube babies. IVF is one of the number of assisted reproductive technologies available, and is the most popular method to date. IVF can be facilitated through a 3-day transfer (which is the standard) or a blastocyst transfer. A 3-day transfer means that embryos will be allowed to develop for three days while a blastocyst transfer allows for five days, after which the embryos will be transferred to the woman’s uterus. More on the said transfers in future posts.

How is IVF done? We will discuss about the most general procedures and go detailed in posts to follow. First, egg cells have to be retrieved from the woman’s ovaries, to be later mixed with the man’s sperm, in order to be cultured. As we know, this will be the fertilization process. The zygote would then be allowed to develop into an embryo (the length depends on the type of transfer above-mentioned). This is the most critical part of the IVF process, as it determines whether or not there would be healthy embryos available for transfer.

If fertilization succeeds, the next step would be transfer of the embryo to the woman’s uterus. It is a painless process (thus needing no anesthesia) which after several days the woman will be able to know if she is pregnant or not. From hereon, the usual course of pregnancy takes over. IVF, as can be assumed, is an expensive process due to the powerful technology used. But, as it is the least invasive, it is most preferred by those who have the money for it.

What can I do to help to get pregnant? This is a question many women ask themselves. Getting pregnant is one of the most wonderful, complex and satisfying experience a woman can have. Here are eight top tips you can do which will certainly help to get pregnant.

1. The key to getting pregnant is a bit of forward planning. Examine your life-style before you conceive. Healthy eating will help to get pregnant. Ask yourself: do you skip breakfast, do you eat on the go and do you eat enough fruit and vegetables? Do you eat sugary highly refined foods? In fact being a healthy weight for your height will really help to get pregnant. Don’t reach for the unrealistic height/weight charts you find in some magazines. Go to your family doctor instead and he will provide with you with this information as well as a healthy eating programme if you need one.

2. Taking the best vitamin/mineral/nutritional supplement you can find will help to get pregnant. Vitamins and minerals are just the beginning. Taking a high-quality, broad-spectrum nutritional supplement helps fill in the dietary gaps that everyone will have. Take these nutritional supplements three months or so before you want to get pregnant and include folic acid as this is essential for healthy spine formation.

3. Breaking bad habits and establishing good ones will help to get pregnant. Stopping smoking and alcohol will make for a healthier you and a healthy baby.

4. Women have cycles of different lengths. Some are 26, 28 or even 32 days. Recording the length of your cycle over this period to show what length of cycle you have will really help to get pregnant. This is because ovulation normally occurs 14 days before menstruation and “fertile days” begin normally three days before and three days after the day of ovulation. For conception these would be the days to concentrate on.

5. Keeping an eye on your temperature and your cervical mucus are both excellent ways to help to get pregnant!

A woman’s body temperature drops and then rises just before ovulation. Take your temperature each morning before you get out of bed and chart it on a daily temperature chart for several months.. A regular pattern will soon emerge. You are fertile for one day before the temperature drops and for one day after it remains elevated. The cervical mucus goes through a cycle of changes as the month progresses. As you approach the fertile period the mucus you produce becomes abundant, clear and stretchy-like egg-white in fact. As soon as you notice this change it is time to conceive.

6. Having sex using the missionary position help to get pregnant- the time-proven ‘man-on-top’ position works with gravity to encourage semen flow toward the uterus to maximize the chance of a sperm uniting with the egg and causing conception. One of the related best tips on getting pregnant is — after ejaculation, the woman can remain on her back with her legs bent a few minutes to further maximize semen flow toward the uterus.

7. When you really want to get pregnant, the temptation is to try all the time at every moment. It is often thought that frequent intercourse will help to get pregnant. In fact the opposite is true. The more often your partner ejaculates, the fewer sperm are contained in his ejaculate. Abstaining from intercourse for a few days before your fertile period and trying no more than once a day will therefore help to get pregnant.

8. Finally, one of the most important things you can do which help to get pregnant is to try to relax. This often becomes more difficult the more people say “Just relax and don’t try too hard”. It is really beneficial however to look at areas of your life that are more stressful and to find activities that counteract this stress, not because it increases fertility but because it feels good. Massage, acupuncture and gentle exercise are endorphin producing activities and reduce stress. The “feel good” factor will produce a happy, healthier you and help to get pregnant.

Author: Dorothy Gillies
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/womens-issues-articles/top-tips-to-help-to-get-pregnant-809860.html