Getting pregnant fast naturally!

Summary

Dr. Rahi Victory, a reproductive endocrinology and fertility specialist, emphasizes that natural fertility can be optimized without IVF. Key factors include timing intercourse near ovulation, using ovulation predictor kits for accuracy, maintaining regular intercourse to enhance sperm quality, and selecting appropriate lubricants. Diet, avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs, and considering orgasm's role in sexual satisfaction also play crucial roles in boosting fertility. This comprehensive guide offers practical advice to improve chances of conception naturally.

Takeaways

• 🕒 Optimal timing for intercourse is crucial, with the best chances on the day of ovulation and the three days leading up to it.
• 📊 Ovulation predictor kits are the most reliable method to determine ovulation, with basal body temperature and cervical mucus checks being less effective.
• 💧 Sperm quality improves with more frequent ejaculation, suggesting daily or every other day intercourse, especially around ovulation.
• 🚫 Avoid commercial water-based or silicone-based lubricants as they can negatively affect sperm motility; oil-based lubricants are a better choice.
• 💦 Saliva should not be used as a lubricant due to its detrimental effects on sperm count and motility.
• 🛌 Sexual positions do not impact fertility success; comfort is key.
• 🌟 Female orgasm does not affect fertility rates, but it contributes to sexual satisfaction.
• 🍽️ A healthy diet, particularly a Mediterranean or Dutch diet, can improve fertility chances by reducing inflammation and oxidation.
• 🚭 Smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs, including marijuana, significantly reduce fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage.
• ☕ Moderate caffeine intake is acceptable for both men and women, but excessive intake can have negative effects on fertility and pregnancy.

Q & A

What is the importance of timing intercourse for natural fertility?

Timing intercourse correctly is critical for natural fertility. The optimal window for intercourse is around the time of ovulation, with the best chances on the day of ovulation and the three days leading up to it.

How long can sperm survive inside a female body?

Sperm can survive inside a female body for around 5 to 6 days, which is why timing intercourse correctly in relation to ovulation is important.

What method does Dr. Rahi Victory recommend for determining ovulation?

Dr. Rahi Victory recommends using an ovulation predictor kit (OPK) as the most reliable and effective method for determining ovulation.

How frequently should intercourse occur to optimize sperm quality?

For men, ejaculating every day or every two days throughout the month, including around the time of ovulation, can optimize sperm quality.

What type of lubricant is recommended for couples trying to conceive?

Oil-based lubricants or specially formulated lubricants designed to be safe for sperm, such as Pre-Seed, are recommended. Water-based and silicone-based lubricants can slow down sperm, and saliva is not recommended.

Does sexual position after intercourse affect the chances of conception?

No, studies show that sperm can reach the uterus and fallopian tubes within a minute of ejaculation, so maintaining a certain position or having the legs up is not necessary.

Does female orgasm during intercourse impact fertility chances?

While female orgasm is not necessary for conception, it does not negatively impact fertility. However, ensuring a satisfying sexual experience is important for maintaining the frequency of intercourse.

How does diet impact natural fertility?

A healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean or Dutch diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean meats, can improve fertility by reducing inflammation and oxidation that can damage sperm and eggs.

What are the effects of smoking, drinking, and drug use on fertility?

Smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs, including marijuana, can significantly decrease fertility chances and increase the risk of miscarriage. These substances can damage egg and sperm quality and impact hormone levels.

What is the recommended caffeine intake for men and women trying to conceive?

For women, one cup or less of caffeine per day is considered safe, while for men, 1 to 2 cups of caffeine per day can be beneficial for sperm speed. Exceeding these amounts may be detrimental.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Optimizing Natural Fertility

Dr. Rahi Victory emphasizes the importance of optimizing natural fertility before resorting to IVF. The key to success is timing intercourse around ovulation, which is best determined using an ovulation predictor kit. Sperm can survive for 5 to 6 days, and the optimal window for intercourse is the day of ovulation and the three days leading up to it. Other fertility indicators like basal body temperature and cervical mucus are less reliable. The frequency of intercourse should be daily or every other day, especially around ovulation, to maintain sperm quality. Lubricants should be chosen carefully, with oil-based products being the best choice for fertility, while saliva and commercial water-based lubricants can be detrimental.

05:03

💧 Lubrication and Fertility

This paragraph discusses the impact of lubricants on fertility. Conventional water and silicone-based lubricants can significantly slow down sperm, making them a poor choice for couples trying to conceive. Oil-based products, such as olive oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil, have not been shown to negatively affect sperm and are considered optimal. Saliva is advised against due to its detrimental effects on sperm motility and quantity. The best option is commercially available lubricants designed to be sperm-friendly, such as Pre-Seed, which not only doesn't harm sperm but can also potentially enhance fertility. The paragraph also covers the myth of sexual positions affecting fertility, stating that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that certain positions or post-coital leg elevation improve chances of conception.

10:04

🍽️ Diet and Lifestyle for Fertility

The final paragraph focuses on the role of diet and lifestyle in fertility. A healthy diet, particularly one rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean meats like chicken or fish, can improve fertility. High sugar and cholesterol diets can lead to inflammation and poor sperm quality. The Mediterranean diet is recommended for its fertility-enhancing properties. The paragraph also warns against smoking, drinking alcohol, and using drugs, including marijuana, as these habits can significantly reduce fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage. Alcohol consumption is particularly damaging, with even small amounts negatively impacting hormone levels and sperm quality. Glyphosate, a common ingredient in weed killers, is also present in many alcoholic beverages and can have a negative impact on hormones. Caffeine is discussed, with moderate intake being acceptable for both sexes, but excessive intake can have adverse effects, particularly in women.

Keywords

💡Fertility

Fertility refers to the ability to conceive and produce offspring. In the context of the video, fertility is the main theme as it discusses natural methods to optimize one's chances of conceiving without medical intervention. The video emphasizes that fertility can be enhanced through lifestyle changes and understanding one's body's signals.

💡Ovulation

Ovulation is the process where a mature egg is released from the ovary, typically once a month in a woman's menstrual cycle. It is a critical concept in the video as timing intercourse around ovulation is emphasized as a key factor in natural fertility optimization. The video suggests using ovulation predictor kits to determine when ovulation occurs.

💡Intercourse Timing

Intercourse timing refers to the scheduling of sexual intercourse to coincide with the fertile window in a woman's menstrual cycle. The video stresses the importance of timing intercourse correctly, suggesting that the optimal time is around the day of ovulation, and not too far in advance.

💡Sperm Survival

Sperm survival is the duration that sperm can remain viable within the female reproductive system. The video mentions that sperm can survive for about 5 to 6 days, which influences the advice on intercourse timing to maximize the chances of conception.

💡Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

Luteinizing hormone is a hormone that triggers ovulation. In the video, LH is mentioned in relation to ovulation predictor kits, which measure LH levels to predict ovulation. The video suggests that these kits are a reliable method to determine the best time for intercourse.

💡Basal Body Temperature (BBT)

Basal body temperature is the body's temperature at rest, which can be used as an indicator of ovulation. However, the video argues that BBT monitoring is not a reliable method for predicting ovulation, contrary to some popular beliefs, and suggests using ovulation predictor kits instead.

💡Cervical Mucus

Cervical mucus is the fluid secreted by the cervix, which changes in consistency during the menstrual cycle. The video dismisses monitoring cervical mucus as an effective method for predicting ovulation, stating that it is not a reliable indicator and does not improve the chances of conception.

💡Sperm Quality

Sperm quality refers to the health and motility of sperm, which are crucial for fertilization. The video discusses how frequent ejaculation can optimize sperm quality, suggesting that men ejaculate every day or every two days to improve their sperm's chances of success.

💡Lubricants

Lubricants are substances used to reduce friction during sexual intercourse. The video provides guidance on which lubricants to use, cautioning against those that can negatively affect sperm motility. It recommends oil-based products or sperm-friendly commercial lubricants like Pre-Seed.

💡Diet

Diet in the context of the video refers to the types of food one consumes, which can impact fertility. The video suggests that a Mediterranean or Dutch-based diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean meats can improve fertility, while high sugar and cholesterol diets can have negative effects.

💡Substance Use

Substance use encompasses the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, which the video advises against during attempts to conceive due to their detrimental effects on egg and sperm quality, and the potential for increased miscarriage risk.

Highlights

You don't always need a fertility specialist to get pregnant; optimizing certain factors can help.

Timing of intercourse is critical for natural fertility.

Sperm can survive inside the female body for about 5 to 6 days.

Optimal timing for intercourse is on the day of ovulation and the three days prior.

Use an ovulation predictor kit for the most reliable method to know when you're ovulating.

Basal body temperature monitoring and cervical mucus checks are not as effective as ovulation predictor kits.

Sperm quality improves with more frequent ejaculation, ideally every day or every two days.

Commercial water-based lubricants can slow down sperm; oil-based lubricants are better.

Saliva should not be used as a lubricant when trying to conceive due to its negative impact on sperm.

Pre-Seed is an example of a lubricant that is safe for sperm and can aid in conception.

Sexual position does not affect the chances of conception.

Female orgasm does not impact fertility success rates, but it's important for sexual satisfaction.

A Mediterranean or Dutch diet can improve fertility chances compared to a Western diet.

Avoid smoking, drinking, and drug use to maximize fertility.

Alcohol can significantly damage sperm and egg quality, and increase the risk of miscarriage.

Marijuana use can lead to a 12-fold increase in the risk of miscarriage for males.

Caffeine intake should be limited for women trying to conceive, with one cup per day or less being safe.

For men, 1 to 2 cups of caffeine per day can be beneficial for sperm speed.

Simple lifestyle changes can significantly improve natural fertility without needing a fertility specialist.

Transcripts

You don't actually always need a fertility specialist.

Sometimes you can get pregnant naturally by just optimizing a few things.

Come follow me and we'll tell you how to do it.

I'm Dr.

Rahi Victory, reproductive endocrinology and fertility specialist.

Let's review how to optimize your natural fertility.

Optimizing your natural fertility is critical for you and can be very,

very important for success when you're trying to conceive.

It's not always about IVF.

We say that on our show all the time and I want you to know

that you can do things on your own at home to maximize your chances of success.

So here they are in a real straightforward, structured format.

So number one, timing of your intercourse.

So timing, it correctly is critical.

If you miss the timing, it's not going to work.

So you've either gone too early

or too late and the egg has already passed its chance to fertilize.

So we know that that window of opportunity is roughly about 5 to 6 days

because there is a study that shows that starting as far back as six days

prior to your ovulation, one

episode of intercourse can actually lead to a pregnancy.

And that's because sperm can actually survive inside you for around 5 to 6 days.

However, that same study showed that the optimal timing

is on the day of ovulation and that it's really in the three days

before ovulation that you're maximizing your chances of success.

So don't try having sex five, six, seven days ahead of time.

You want to have it definitely on the day of ovulation

and around that time of ovulation is really, really critical.

So, of course, the next question is how do I know that I'm ovulating?

So there are a load of tests that are available.

You can do a luteinizing hormone kit which is just called an RV lation

predictor kit.

It measures your LH hormone levels.

You can do basal body temperature monitoring.

Some people advocate for doing cervical mucus checks.

There's loads of different options available to you, but the reality

is the only one that's reliable, effective,

consistent is doing the ovulation predictor kit.

Real simple.

Buy a package. Don't spend a fortune.

The fancier they are, they're not necessarily better P on a stick.

When you see that you've got either

a happy face or two lines, you know that it's positive.

When you get to that stage.

It's actually the next day that you're releasing your egg.

So again, you're going to go back to making sure you have sex on that day

that you're ovulating, which is the day after your kid is positive.

The cervical mucus and basal body temperature help.

No, they really don't.

And there are studies showing that they're really not that useful.

Now, there is going to be

a flurry of comments from people swearing that it worked for them

or midwives and doulas and so on that swear that it works as well.

But the reality is

there's good data on this scientifically and it just doesn't work very well at all.

It's a very poor marker, so don't bother with that stuff.

It drives everybody crazy, especially the temperature

monitoring thing, unnecessary needless waste of time.

Just go straight to doing your ovulation predictor kit.

You'll be much happier.

And again, don't spend a fortune on it.

You can do it cheap.

What about the frequency of intercourse?

Well, it's really critical to understand sperm.

So sperm responds to the frequency of ejaculation

the more frequently you ejaculate within reason,

the better the quality of the sperm.

What's within reason?

Well, we know for guys that if they're ejaculating every day

or every two days nonstop, so not just around ovulation,

but the whole month long, that's going to optimize their sperm quality.

So what do you want to do?

You want to go at least every two days or every day

and then around the time of ovulation, do it every day.

There are loads of studies that show that that is the best approach to things.

It will maximize your chances of success and it's actually really healthy

for you and your partner.

Less stress, better for emotional things like bonding

and being a couple and having a solid sexual relationship.

It's really good for guys in terms of prostate cancer, colon cancer,

stress, depression, and like I said, it's going to give you your best chance

of getting pregnant.

So there's loads of health benefits in addition to your ability to get pregnant.

So make sure your frequency is correct.

It's got to be every day or every other day,

but around the time of ovulation.

So, you know, a day or two

before you think you're going to get that positive surge,

you're going to start every day.

And then on the day of the positive search and even one day after is fine as well.

What about lubrication having all that sex?

Some people start to find that it's a little dry.

Well, there's all sorts of different

commercial lubricants available and there's natural lubricants available.

And a lot of people are just using the most natural lubricant of all,

which is saliva.

So the important thing to know is that not all lubricants are created equally.

So if you're using a commercially available lubricant, like a water

based lubricant, it can actually slow down your sperm by 60% to 100%

within an hour of the time that the sperm gets exposed to the lubricant.

So that is not a great choice.

So these are your conventional water based lubricants or silicone based lubricants

you can pick up at any pharmacy or adult store.

So they are a poor choice if you are trying to get pregnant, don't use those.

Next best option is the oil based products.

So the oil based products, whether it's olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil,

they all actually have never been shown to have any negative effect on your sperm.

And so that actually is optimal for your chances.

What about saliva?

Even very dilute amounts of saliva, 6.25%

will drastically reduce the number of sperm that are swimming.

And how quickly they are swimming.

So do not use saliva if you are trying to get pregnant,

it's actually very detrimental and it's a really bad idea.

Plus, it's actually terrible lubricant because it doesn't last very long.

Under the friction of intercourse, it's going to disappear and evaporate

within seconds.

So what's the very best option?

There are some commercially available solutions that you can use that actually

are safe for sperm, and some of them even potentiate the sperm.

So there's one we use all the time called Pre-Seed.

I am not advocating for that specific brand,

but anything like that is actually a good product to choose

because it not only is not detrimental, it can actually be a positive

and help you conceive compared to any of those other ones.

So what about position?

People always ask, is one position better than the next?

What about putting your legs up for 20 minutes afterwards?

And we've reviewed that on our show, Fertility Factor Fiction.

The reality is there is no difference whatsoever.

There are loads of studies that show that within one minute

of the time that your partner has ejaculated,

you can see sperm arriving into the uterus and going up into the fallopian tube.

So you don't need to maintain a certain position.

I certainly wouldn't jump out of bed right after the ejaculation

and run for the bathroom.

But if you're getting up or you're changing position

or one sexual position is more comfortable for you than any other,

you're not going to do any harm or alter your chances of success.

Position does not matter.

You do not need to have your leg stay up in the air.

You don't need to tilt your pelvis.

The only people that might benefit from that and again, zero scientific proof

are the ones that have a very tilted cervix or uterus.

And so it's going to take it a little bit longer to get in.

Or if you have a really tight cervix and nothing can exactly get through there.

Okay, What about the big oh, so if you have an orgasm versus

not have an orgasm as a female, does it make a difference?

So you got to remember that when you have an orgasm,

you're actually creating a little wave in your uterus.

And that can help potentiate the ability of the sperm

to travel up towards the tube.

But they've actually done studies on this, and it shows that is of no benefit.

So for all the women out there, if you do or you don't, that's totally up to you.

It will not alter the success rate of your getting pregnant.

But for all the guys out there, make sure your wife is satisfied

or maintaining the frequency of intercourse is not going to happen.

So it's really critical that you make sure your wife, your partner, whoever it is,

is happy with your sexual encounter or else doing it every day

or every other day nonstop for months on end

may not be something that she is willing to participate in.

Okay.

What about your diet is an important

with your diet, which is obviously part of your natural fertility

to optimize things? Well, yes, of course it is.

So we know high sugar, high cholesterol diets can create

a lot of inflammation, but inflammation leads to oxidation of your sperm.

And any time you have a lot of oxidation, you're going to have poor quality sperm.

So it's really important for the men and for the women

because it has the same impact on eggs to maintain a healthy diet.

Studies show that a mediterranean diet

filled with fresh greens, fresh fruit,

you know, lean meats like chicken or fish will actually improve your chances

of conceiving compared to our typical Western diet, which is,

you know, more or less cheeseburger, fries all the time.

So make sure that you are observing

a really healthy diet because that actually can make a difference.

There are many studies that show in particular for women

with PCOS that even a small £5 weight loss can make a big difference

in how often you ovulate and in your chances of conception.

So that can be really critical as well.

What's the number one thing you can do that will alter your natural fertility?

So it's the big three, Don't smoke, don't drink

and don't use drugs, including marijuana.

So smoking has a huge negative impact in some studies, as high as 80%.

That's eight 0% decrease in your chances of success.

It damages the egg quality, increases your risks of miscarriage

drastically, damages the sperm, and again, increases the risks of miscarriage,

even if it's the guy that's just smoking because you can negatively impact

the sperm DNA.

What about alcohol?

Alcohol is very traumatic to sperm and egg quality as well.

Even a small amount of alcohol can very significantly alter your chances

of success and have a huge hormonal impact both for males and for females.

So it is critical to avoid alcohol at all costs.

Now, lots of guys will say, oh, what about just a couple of beers on the weekend?

The truth is alcohol is terrible for sperm

increases, sperm DNA damage decreases your testosterone level,

increases the number of abnormal sperm by up to 83%.

And if all of that isn't enough to convince you it's a class

one carcinogen, which means we know alcohol causes cancer.

And some of that might be coming from something called glyphosate.

Glyphosate is literally what they use in Roundup

to kill weeds around your lawn and your gardens.

So you're actually taking some of that in when you drink beer or wine.

And they've done tests looking at over 20 different varieties,

many of them commonly available in North America.

And almost all of them had glyphosate in them.

And people say, well, it's not enough to do damage.

But the truth is one part per trillion of glyphosate

is enough to actually negatively impact your hormones.

So there is 25 parts per billion, not trillion,

but billion in most common forms of alcohol.

So you definitely are having a very negative impact.

Do not drink when you're trying to conceive.

I'd actually recommend you don't drink in general,

but definitely around consumption.

Male, female, zero alcohol is best.

What about marijuana?

Marijuana is no better.

It has hugely negative impact for fertility.

For women.

It damages your egg quality.

It can increase your risk of miscarriage.

And it has enormous neurodevelopmental outcome differences

for your babies so that they can actually have emotional problems,

psychological problems, developmental problems

if they're exposed even early on in your pregnancy.

For the guys, again, huge impact on the sperm,

decreased sperm performance, lower counts, higher number of abnormal sperm,

and a tremendous increase in your sperm DNA

fragmentation, which means along that ladder, like some

structure of

DNA in the sperm, you get lots of little breakages.

Those breakages get passed on, the embryo becomes unstable,

and that leads to a much higher risk of miscarriage.

How high? 12 fold higher.

So it's an enormous increase in your partner's risk of miscarriage

if you as a male are using marijuana products.

People also ask us all the time about caffeine.

So I'm drinking tea here and tea has variable amounts of caffeine in it.

But does caffeine change your risks or improve or decrease your chances?

So for women, one cup per day or less is fine

and there is no association with any adverse outcomes.

But more than one cup

per day has been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage.

For guys, 1 to 2 cups of caffeine per day is actually beneficial

because it helps speed up the sperm.

But more than that is probably detrimental.

So super simple things you guys can do to improve your natural fertility.

Make sure you've got your timing right.

It's got to be around the time of your ovulation.

Make sure you're using some kind of test to determine when that ovulation is.

We recommend doing an ovulation predictor kit for frequency.

It should be every day or every two days nonstop through the whole month.

Lubrication.

Don't use saliva, don't use the commercial products.

Make sure you're using either an oil based lubricant or a custom

made solution that's actually optimized for helping you get pregnant.

In terms of position, it doesn't matter.

Whatever is most comfortable for you, that's perfectly reasonable.

Orgasm definitely recommended, but it has no impact on your fertility.

It's just for satisfaction with the the sexual function and episode

in terms of your diet, a mediterranean or a Dutch based diet

which is full of vegetables, fresh fruits, olive oils,

light oils, avoid cholesterol and sugar.

Make sure that you're eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Lots of vitamins will be helpful for you.

And then in terms of exposures, get rid of all your exposures.

No smoking, no drinking or drug use, super easy ways

to maximize your fertility without needing fertility specialist.

I hope you find that helpful.

And join us again on our YouTube channel for more videos

that will help you get pregnant faster than normal.