Many couples wonder what they themselves can do to support their fertility treatment. And indeed there are a number of ways that you can positively influence treatment success.

5 RULES FOR A GOOD TREATMENT BASIS FOR WANTING TO HAVE CHILDREN

As you may well know, a healthy and stress-free lifestyle offers the best basis for getting pregnant – whether in a natural way or through artificial insemination. This applies equally to men and women. To give you a little food for thought, we have summarised the five main tips:

EAT WELL; AVOID UNHEALTHY FOODS

Choose your foods consciously, and try to maintain a healthy and varied diet. This includes plenty of fruit, salad and vegetables. Those who eat too much fatty, sugary food often not only eat the wrong things, but also frequently suffer from being overweight. And this has been proven to have a negative impact on the desire to have a child, especially in women. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption limit the fertility of both partners and reduce the chances of a successful artificial insemination treatment. Therefore, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption should be avoided at all costs.

TRY TO RELAX

Stress is not a good ingredient when you are trying to conceive. Make time for periods of rest and relaxation during your day-to-day life and work schedule. Getting enough sleep is also important. Fertility treatment can also put a lot of strain on you and your relationship. Sometimes we recommend two to three-month breaks from treatment. Note: despite fertility issues, pregnancy by natural means is not impossible. People sometimes conceive unexpectedly between treatments. This is something we have seen happen time and again.

MOVEMENT YES, PEAK PERFORMANCE NO

Exercise promotes your health, stimulates your metabolism and thus optimises your hormone balance. In men, for example, this can increase the quality of sperm cells. Pick a type of physical activity that you enjoy – whether it’s endurance sports such as walking, jogging and swimming or movement and relaxation exercises such as gymnastics and yoga. The recommended training regime: it’s better to do a little on a regular basis than doing too much or being too extreme. This is because high-performance sport and heavy physical exertion exert a negative impact on your desire to have a child.

STICK TO THE PLAN, BUT NOT TOO RIGIDLY!

In some respects, fertility treatment involves discipline and following a schedule. But don’t allow your desire to have a child to take over your whole life. Go with the flow – whether in your free time or in relation to your partner. Make love not only when the plan says you should, but also when you feel like it.

STAY CALM AND MAKE TIME FOR THE THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY

Staying relaxed during fertility treatment is easier said than done. Especially between embryo implantation and the exam to check whether a pregnancy has occurred, couples wishing to have a child are under considerable stress. Nevertheless, we recommend that you stay as relaxed as possible, concentrate on your everyday life and continue to plan enjoyable things to do. This will fuel you with positive energy for your fertility treatment.