Are you thinking of having kids soon or sometime in the future? Tired of looking for reliable information?
Dr. Saqib Siddiq has answered all your questions and here’s what he thinks you need to know!
#1 Start planning early
Wondering how to get pregnant or have kids? The earlier you start planning, the better your chances at getting pregnant. It’s better to start talking to your doctor and equipping yourself with correct information so you can understand your body, your risks and potential complications. This will help you make informed decisions about when and how you want to have kids.
#2 Reflect on your sleeping habits
Sleeping early (latest around 11 pm) and kick starting your day with the crack of dawn, keeps your hormones at bay. Hormones play a massive role in reigning our fertility. Sleepless nights and snoozing during the day hours have brought havoc to both male and female fertility.
#3 Watch your diet
Eating healthy boosts fertility a million fold. Avoid BPA. Fertility booster healthy diet includes fruits and nuts which are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Eggs and milk should be incorporated in daily diet as well.
#4 Your weight needs to be just right
Certain changes in your lifestyle can make a difference in your fertility cycle. Maintaining a healthy body weight is also important for a woman to get pregnant. Being overweight or underweight can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant. Your optimal BMI should be between 19 and 25.
#5 Infertility in Pakistan
Infertility rate in Pakistan is around 15 percent and it’s alarmingly on an increase; reason being our sedentary lifestyle, disturbed sleeps cycles and unhealthy eating habits. It is very essential to keep a closely examine on the kind of lifestyle we are leading and make changes accordingly so as to lead a healthier reproductive life.
#6 Fertility is not just a woman’s issue
“The society often puts pressure on a woman when it comes to fertility issues but the fact is that 30 percent infertile couples are due to male factor, 30 percent owing to female factor, further 30 percent are due to issues in both partners and in 10 percent of the cases its unexplained infertility.” It’s more of a social norm to associate only females with infertility, however, medical science defies the narrative.
#7 Age is an important factor
When we’re young, we feel we have a lot of time to plan and actually have kids. However, it’s important to understand that fertility issues increase as age increases. Fertility tends to decline at the age of 32- 35 for a woman so it is important to not delay pregnancies unnecessarily.
#8 Men, too have a biological clock
A man’s age also matters as much. Normally at the age of 40, men’s fertility tends to decline because his sperm quality decreases. This makes it harder to conceive and takes longer to have a healthy child. So, it you’re thinking of having a child, have the conversation sooner.
#9 Irregular periods don’t mean you’re infertile
Having irregular periods doesn’t mean that it is impossible for you to get pregnant. If you are ovulating, it means that you can definitely get pregnant! It is important to get yourself checked by a doctor to understand what is causing your inconsistent periods and receive proper treatment for it. Irregular periods can make it difficult for you to get pregnant, but in no way does it mean that it’s impossible.
#10 When you should seek medical advice
It can be frustrating if you don’t get pregnant when you have planned to, however it is also crucial to not delay getting help if you are facing problems. If a couple has been trying to conceive for over a year and couldn’t conceive, then they should seek medical advice. If the female partner’s menstruation cycle is not regular, has had recent miscarriages or has PCOS and she plans get pregnant, seeking a doctor’s advice earlier is crucial.
Dr.Saqib Siddiq is a renowned Gynecologist and IVF Specialist based in Lahore. He specializes in In Vitro Fertilization and Gender Selection. His qualifications include M.B.B.S, M.C.P.S and MS (Obs & Gynae). You can now ask a question or book an appointment with him anytime, anywhere. Sign up to book an appointment with him click here