7 key tips for a natural pregnancy

5 | Reading 3mn | sperm therefore

1. Take two FERTIMAX capsules per day during the period of time when you are trying to conceive. For it to be effective, take FERTIMAX for a minimum of 3 months, i.e. the average time it takes for the spermatozoa to mature (72 days) plus the 25 days required for them to be able to fertilise.For maximum effect, we recommend that you take a 6-month course of FERTIcouple_tenantMAX.

2. Aim to have sexual intercourse on your partner's two most fertile days. The ovaries only release one ovum per cycle, on average on the fourteenth day of the woman's cycle. The ovum only lives for 24 hours after it has been released from the ovaries. The optimal moment for sexual intercourse to fertilise this ovum is the day before, the day of ovulation itself or the day after. It is recommended that you use an ovulation test in order to be able to target precisely the period of ovulation.

3. Make love often : Regular sexual intercourse (2 to 3 times per week) improves the chances of fertilisation and therefore of your partner getting pregnant. Sperm's motility increases with the rhythm of ejaculation and decreases with an abstinence of more than 5 days. It is recommended to have sexual intercourse every 2 days beginning 5 days before the date of ovulation and ending 2 days afterwards. Note that having sex several times a day lowers the concentration of sperm and can therefore reduce the chances of fertilising the ovum.

4. Avoid heat : Sperm hates heat. The optimum temperature for the testicles to produce sperm is 32°C, which is to say slightly less than body temperature. This is why the testicles hang away from the body in the scrotum. If you increase the temperature of the testicles by only one degree, spermatozoa start dying by the million. It is therefore recommended to avoid anything that might overheat the testicles, e.g. tight underpants, hot baths, saunas

5. Stop drinking alcohol : Alcohol reduces the level of the hormones that are essential for the production of sperm. Not only does alcohol consumption reduce the quantity of sperm, it also increases the quantity of abnormal spermatozoa. You must therefore stop drinking alcohol completely for three months, i.e. the time it takes for a new stock of sperm to mature. Several studies have shown that sperm whose quality has greatly deteriorated in most cases returns to normal levels after such a period of abstinence.

6. Stop smoking : Nicotine and carbon monoxide increase the levels of free radicals in the body and have a seriously harmful effect on the fertilising qualities of sperm. Smoking increases the rate of oxidative lesions of sperm DNA by 250%. Smoking also has a negative effect on sperm count, motility and shape.

7. The sooner the better : The probability that a couple will conceive in less than 6 months is reduced by 2% every year once the man has passed the age of 24. A 25-year-old man therefore has twice as much chance of fertilising his partner in less than a year than a 35-year-old man. And of course the use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and hashish is to be avoided at all cost of you wish to have a child.

This advice does not replace your doctor's opinion.