If you are worried that you may be infertile then let's start at the beginning by identifying exactly what being infertile is. Infertility is not being able to get pregnant after unprotected intercourse, having trying to get pregnant for over a year, or being unable to maintain a pregnancy. So if you have not been trying to get pregnant for over a year please don't despair!



Many couples naively expect to get pregnant the first month they try. For some it is easy business getting pregnant, especially when they appear to get pregnant straight away. For those who don't conceive in the first month they try, they then get concerned, worried and frustrated. They then worry that they may be infertile. This gets worse as the months pass by.

Sometimes this worry and frustration is made worse by well meaning friends and relatives with comments like "so when are you going to have a family" "I thought you would be pregnant by now" "when are you and that husband of yours going to make me a grandmother" and the comments go on and on.

Infertility is divided into Primary Infertility and Secondary Infertility. Primary Infertility refers to couples that have never been pregnant while Secondary Infertility relates to couple that have had a pregnancy in the past, but are having difficulty in conceiving subsequently.

In the United Kingdom NICE guidelines suggest that 80% of couples will get pregnant within the first year of unprotected intercourse increasing to 90% in the second year. Data from the United States of America state about one in seven couples are infertile. This appears to be the case for most countries.

So what may be preventing you from conceiving? Well let us look at some of the facts. Around 35% of difficulties arise from male issues, 35% from female issues, 20% of the time it is related to both parties and in 10% no cause can be found.

There is another term you may have heard of - subfertility. This describes any impairment of fertility without implying permanent infertility. So if you have not become pregnant and are worried you may be infertile, unless you have been medically assessed as being infertile why not consider yourself subfertile. Thinking like this will ease some of the pressure for you and your partner.

What can you do to increase your chances of conceiving? Below are six steps to increase your success. Remember these are suggestions and general good health advice, which has helped countless couples to get pregnant. They are by no means guarantees, but if you are having problems and worried you may be infertile or subfertile why not give them a try before embarking on costly medical interventions.

1. Keep love making regular and fun. Some couples fall into the trap of only having sex when they think it is the right time to conceive. Relax and enjoy yourselves. Research has shown when couples relax they improve their chances of conceiving. The experts suggest making love 3-4 times per week. It is claimed that this improves the quantity and quality of the sperm produced.

2. Check out your diets. Is either of you over or underweight? Both can have an impact upon you getting pregnant. Being overweight does not compromise fertility alone. It is probably responsible around 10% of the time but the main problem with being overweight is that it affects ovulation. Being underweight can interrupt ovulation and cause irregular periods and in some situations even cause the cessation of menstrual periods.

3. Increase your water intake. Research indicates that the majority of us do not drink enough fluid and that many of us are dehydrated to some degree or another. Cellular function relies on appropriate hydration. Cut out the caffeine, it is a stimulant and a diuretic. It can interfere with the body's natural blood sugar levels. Replace it with water.

4. Give up smoking. What more needs saying on this subject? Smoking is bad for ovarian health and can lower a man's sperm count dramatically.

5. Make your diet organic. Animal produce, fruit and vegtables that are non-organic contain growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, additives, chemicals and artificial sweetners all of which result in the disruption of of the body's natural hormonal balance. As a result this can lead to an increase in oestrogen which can affect the womans chances of getting pregnant.

6. Plan ahead. Discuss with your partner the things you want to change such as giving up smoking, taking up exercise to achieve ideal weights, changes to your diets and reducing your alcohol intake. Set time frames, for example, what you will do in the next month, two months, six months etc. This will move your focus away from the month-to-month pressures of conceiving.