How to Preserve Your Fertility for Future Planning

Considering you probably spend a good amount of energy trying to block conception, it's kind of odd to think about preparing yourself for a day when you might want to raise the gate to your reproductive system and have a baby. Maybe you're not at that point now—you're happily putting in long hours at a job you love, you're still enjoying being able to jump in the car for a road trip on a moments notice, or you just haven't yet found a guy worthy of mixing his DNA with yours. But you'd still like to think that if the baby jones hits you like a ton of bricks, pregnancy over 40 won't be a problem.

Yet everywhere you look, an article or book, or even your own mom! is there to remind you that your fertility drops every year you wait. You probably know the scary stats: Women reach their reproductive peak in their twenties, and by age 35, the risk of infertility jumps to 22 percent. But before you start Googling egg freezing by the way, that's still experimental and only a tiny number of babies have been born from frozen eggs, keep in mind that every woman's biological clock is different. Some women can get pregnant easily at 40 while others run into problems as early as their twenties. And while you can't stop the clock on the most important fertility factor—your age—there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make now to up your odds of getting pregnant later.

If You Want to Get Pregnant in Five Years...

See Your Doctor.

If you want to keep your body baby-ready, staying in top physical shape is essential. That means getting any fertility-sapping health issues, like diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or endometriosis, under control, diagnosing and treating STDs, and devising a healthy diet and exercise plan. If you're past 35 and wondering whether you have the option of waiting a few more years, you can also ask your doc to do a little detective work on what's known as your ovarian reserve.

Do Floss and Brush Your Teeth?

Brush and Floss.

Could something as simple as flossing your teeth help keep you fertile? Perhaps. Good oral health is crucial to maintaining your overall health and well-being. Recent studies have suggested that poor dental hygiene can be linked to a range of fertility issues, including gum disease, which can lead to inflammation throughout the body, affecting hormone levels and potentially impacting fertility.

Practice Safe Sex.

Practice Safe Sex.

You wouldn't think condoms would come up in a conversation about getting pregnant, but safe sex can be a crucial factor in your future ability to get knocked up. If you contract an STD such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, which could be in your system without causing symptoms, and it goes untreated, it can lead to a serious condition called pelvic inflammatory disease, which can scar the fallopian tubes causing infertility. So get tested regularly—and make sure your partners do too.

Stamp Out Cigarettes.

Stamp Out Cigarettes.

If higher rates of lung cancer and breast cancer haven't made you swear off smoking, consider this: The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) estimates that lighting up is linked to 13 percent of infertility cases. Tobacco messes with your fertility in all kinds of ways: It makes your eggs deteriorate faster than they naturally would with age, increases your risk of early miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy, a dangerous condition in which the egg implants in your fallopian tubes or ovaries instead of your uterus, and can bring on early menopause up to four years earlier compared with nonsmokers. Plus, if you wind up needing in vitro fertilization (IVF), smoking will reduce your chances of success by 34 percent. The encouraging news, though, is that once you do quit smoking, your fertility level will return to normal in about a year, considering that it takes the average puffer two to four tries before quitting for good, you should start trying to kick the habit well before that. While you're at it, recruit your partner, parents, and friends to quit with you: A recent study in Tobacco Control found that women who were exposed to secondhand smoke six or more hours a day as adults were 36 percent more likely to have trouble getting pregnant.

Take Your Vitamins.

Take Your Vitamins.

Folic acid appears to improve fertility by stimulating ovulation and giving an embryo essential proteins needed for survival. Dr. Chavarro's research also found that women who took iron supplements were 40 percent less likely to have fertility problems, so look for a vitamin with at least 40 milligrams of iron and 400 micrograms of folic acid and get in the habit of downing the pill every morning.

Think About Future Fertility if You Want to Get Pregnant in Two Years Do All of the Above Plus...

Switch Up Your Grocery List.

In Chavarro's groundbreaking study of the dietary habits of more than 18,000 nurses who were trying to get pregnant, he found some striking connections between food and fertility. There are four basic rules of a baby-friendly diet:

Choose slowly digested carbohydrates such as vegetables and whole grains over highly processed ones such as white bread and white rice. Eliminate trans fats, aka partially hydrogenated oils. Pick unsaturated fats over saturated fats. Get the majority of your protein from plants rather than animals.

This type of low-glycemic diet, which keeps your blood-sugar level nice and steady, has long been known to fight diabetes and improve cardiovascular health, but it also can have a profound effect on fertility.

Maintain a Healthy Weight.

When it comes to your weight, the ASRM estimates that 12 percent of infertility cases are due to weight problems, divided equally between the underweight and overweight. Weigh too much, and you have a greater likelihood of irregular periods and ovulation disorders, though even a moderate loss of 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help kick-start your ovulation. Weigh too little, and you may not ovulate at all, since body fat triggers the hormones that tell your ovaries to release an egg.

Move Your Butt.

Move Your Butt.

Upgrade Your Water Bottle. While you're working up a sweat, you'll work up a thirst—but make sure you swig your water from a BPA-free bottle. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, recently looked at the BPA bisphenol-A levels in women undergoing IVF and found a correlation between the level of the chemical in the blood and the ability to conceive. The theory is that BPA, which mimics estrogen, can mess with the balance of hormones in your body. The chemical can be found in the linings of canned goods and sports water bottles, but many companies are now marketing bottles made from safer materials such as stainless steel.

If You Want to Get Pregnant in One Year Do All of the Above Plus...

Save Your Calories for Ice Cream.

Our favorite bit of health news ever. If you add one serving of full-fat dairy to your diet per day, like whole milk on your cereal instead of skim, you can actually increase your chances of getting pregnant, according to Chavarro's research. There is one caveat, though:

Rethink Your Birth Control. If you add one serving of full-fat dairy to your diet per day, like whole milk on your cereal instead of skim, you can actually increase your chances of getting pregnant, according to Chavarro's research. There is one caveat, though. Now that you're getting closer to wanting a little munchkin, it's time to think about what's kept you from having one in the past. Barrier methods such as condoms or a diaphragm are easy: simply stop using them the day you're ready to get pregnant. If you have an IUD, your fertility will return as soon as your doctor takes it out. The same goes for Pill users: Whether you've been taking it for one year or 20, don't believe the rumor that it'll be months before your ovulation revs back up, says Vanessa Cullins, M.D., vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood of America.

Cut Down on the Booze and Caffeine.

Some studies show that having one to five alcoholic drinks per week can drop your chances of conceiving that month by as much as 50 percent. While other studies have found little connection between moderate drinking and fertility, Chavarro points out that sobriety certainly couldn't hurt and might help. And while you're at it, cut back on the triple-shot lattes. While there is no real consensus, some studies suggest that consuming more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day—about two eight-ounce cups of regular coffee—may increase your risk of endometriosis or fallopian tube problems.

Reduce Stress.

Reduction of stress is crucial as it can significantly impact your menstrual cycle and reproductive health. High levels of stress can disrupt hormonal balance and decrease ovulation, making it more difficult to get pregnant. Engage in activities that help reduce stress, such as yoga, meditation, or regular exercise. Consider speaking with a therapist or counselor if stress is overwhelming.

By taking these steps, you can better prepare yourself for a healthy and successful pregnancy in the future. Remember, fertility is a journey, and making these lifestyle changes can improve your chances of having the family you desire.