Trying to Conceive in Your 30s? Here's How to Increase Fertility

Increasing fertility in your 30s requires prudent health management. Regular check-ups, stress management, good nutrition, and exercise can all improve reproductive health. Lifestyle adjustments such as better sleep, food, and mental health are also important. If spontaneous conception is unsuccessful, fertility treatments such as egg freezing and IVF are available.

Pregatips
Age is an important factor in fertility, and we've all heard of the infamous biological clock. In other (more technical) words, your biological clock represents your ovarian reserve. This is the quantity of eggs you have left and, more importantly, the quality of those eggs. Unfortunately, both of these qualities weaken with age, particularly beyond the mid-30s.



That is not to imply that you cannot have a healthy and even simple pregnancy in your 30s; nonetheless, it is important to remember that as you get older, it becomes more difficult to become pregnant and maintain the pregnancy.

Fortunately, there are several forms of fertility treatments, such as egg freezing and IVF, that can help those who are having problems conceiving naturally.

When you're trying to conceive in your 30s, whether you're utilising fertility treatments or attempting to get pregnant naturally, every bit counts. Your lifestyle choices, nutrition, menstrual cycle awareness, and mental health can all have a significant impact on your fertility journey in your 30s and beyond.


Medical Considerations And Checkups

Increasing fertility naturally in your 30s starts with a proactive understanding of your reproductive health. Regular , including hormone and fertility tests, can help you determine whether any underlying issues are influencing your reproductive health and address any potential pregnancy barriers.

Many healthcare professionals recommend that you see a fertility specialist after trying to conceive for a year without success, but you don't have to wait that long.

While some couples have little trouble conceiving, one in every six heterosexual couples has fertility issues. Knowing your body from the inside out allows you to seek help and advice faster.

When it comes to getting pregnant in your thirties, timing is important. Taking responsibility for your reproductive health through regular check-ups and fertility testing provides you with the knowledge you need to increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.

You may also want to obtain a pelvic ultrasound scan to determine your Antral Follicle Count (AFC). This provides a clear and accurate view of your remaining ovarian reserve.


Lifestyle Adjustments That Improve Fertility

Despite prevalent misunderstandings, you can make a variety of lifestyle adjustments to improve your fertility and reproductive health. While some factors of fertility are beyond our control, you can take steps to increase your chances of becoming pregnant in your 30s, both with and without fertility treatments.

Lifestyle modifications can naturally increase your fertility. Choosing a well-balanced and nutritionally dense diet, engaging in regular physical activity, controlling stress, and getting enough sleep can all help with fertility.


Physical Exercise Can Increase Fertility

Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week is essential for maintaining overall health—both physical and mental.

Broken down, that might be five 30-minute workouts each week. This can range from a brisk walk to a gym session, yoga, swimming, or any other form of activity that works for you.

Physical activity for 30-60 minutes each day has been demonstrated to lessen the risk of anovulatory infertility (infertility caused by an ovulation issue). Exercise not only balances your hormones, but it can also improve your mood, help you handle stress, and increase your energy.

However, being underweight or engaging in strenuous physical activity (more than 60 minutes per day) paired with maintaining a calorie-deficit diet can have a harmful influence on fertility. This can cause hormonal imbalances, including irregular periods and ovulation.

Your menstrual cycle is dependent on a delicate hormone balance, and being too light or too heavy might put them out of sync, reducing your chances of conceiving.


Stress Management Strategies for Fertility

Stress can also disrupt your hormonal balance, resulting in irregular periods and ovulation. It may also influence your desire to be intimate and reduce your sex drive.

Manage stress to increase fertility in your 30s by identifying effective coping strategies for you. Relaxation techniques such as breathwork, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can help you relax.

If you feel that self-help tactics are not effective, you can always seek professional assistance.


The Relationship Between Sleep And Fertility

It is suggested that you receive 7-10 hours of sleep per night, regardless of your health concerns. Sleep is related to improved overall health outcomes, including reproductive health.

A lack of sleep can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. This can have an impact on your hormones, which in turn affect your menstrual cycle and fertility.

To establish a healthy sleep habit, turn off all screens two hours before bedtime and follow a wind-down ritual that may include a hot bath, calming tea, stretching, or nighttime yoga. Try to stick to a schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, to control your sleep-wake cycle.

It's normally easier to fall asleep in a calm, dark, and chilly atmosphere, but experiment with different sleep settings to determine which one works best for you.

Morning sunshine has also been shown to increase sleep quality. Exposure to sunlight for 10-30 minutes in the initial hour of waking and again in the afternoon as the sun sets will help to balance your body's internal sleep-wake cycle.

More physical activity and a well-balanced diet will also help to improve your mood and energy levels, making it easier to manage stress and get enough sleep.


Nutritional Supplements And Diets That Promote Fertility

The appropriate nutrition can help enhance fertility by regulating hormones, enhancing egg quality, and creating a healthy reproductive environment in which any fertilised egg, foetus, or baby can flourish. While there are no exact instructions for the ideal fertility diet, there are foods that can help you become more fertile. Some supplements are:
  • Vitamin D
  • Folic Acid and Folate
  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Fibre
  • Protein

Mediterranean Diet

A Mediterranean , that includes whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocado, can improve fertility. To make life easier, consider creating a fertility meal plan and grocery list.

The quantity of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the Mediterranean diet makes it high in antioxidants, which have been found to protect eggs from DNA damage and oxidative stress while also promoting implantation and pregnancy.


Healthy Food Tips For Increasing Fertility In Your 30s

Here are some healthy dietary guidelines if you're trying to get pregnant:

  • Choose whole grains such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, brown pasta, quinoa, oats, and buckwheat.
  • Eat at least five different fruits and vegetables each day. Aim for as many colour variations as feasible.
  • Limit ultra-processed foods such as ready dinners, chips, cakes, and sweets and instead opt for a whole foods diet. Challenge yourself to prepare all of your meals from scratch so you know precisely what's in them.
  • Adequate protein is essential for egg and sperm production, although plant-based proteins (chickpeas, lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, and quinoa) have been shown to be superior to animal protein in terms of fertility.
  • Some plant-based proteins are rich in fibre and iron. Both are vital before and during pregnancy. Low iron levels can make you weary or induce iron deficiency anaemia, which increases the risk of pregnancy problems.
  • Increase your fibre intake. It is critical to remember that your fibre-to-carbohydrate ratio is vital. Increased carbohydrate-to-fibre ratios can impair fertility.
  • Limit sugary foods such as cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks, energy drinks, and white rice. High sugar consumption might cause insulin spikes, which are connected with poor egg quality and sperm production, potentially affecting implantation.
  • Healthy fats like olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, and avocado are preferable to unhealthy saturated fats like bacon, sausage, butter, cheese, pastries and pies.
  • Diets that counter this manner of eating, such as the ketogenic diet, which is low in fruits, vegetables, and dairy but high in saturated fat, have been linked to an increased risk of spontaneous early miscarriage.


The Role of Mental Health

To increase your chances of getting pregnant in your 30s, manage any stress. Trying to conceive can be difficult, and the lifestyle and behavioural choices you make while stressed can have a negative influence on fertility, creating a negative feedback loop.

Everyday stress is unlikely to harm your fertility, but chronic stress may disturb hormonal balance and the menstrual cycle, reducing your chances of conceiving.

People suffering from infertility are more likely to experience depression, as one might expect. When you're feeling down or depressed, you're more likely to drink, eat less, smoke more, and have trouble sleeping, all of which can have an effect on your fertility.

Anxious and depressed people report having less sexual urges. If you have a male partner, a decline in libido may have an impact on your fertility because you are not having sex during your fertile window.

Stress can be managed through coping skills and relaxation practices. Yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness can help you feel calmer and force you to slow down, which is a pleasant change from when you're frequently worried and overthinking.

Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and visiting a support group have been shown to aid with stress management. If you're feeling down or frightened, talk to your family, friends, colleagues, or a fertility counsellor.

Stress has not been proven to impair fertility, yet couples trying to conceive experience more stress than those who do not. The association between mental health and fertility is difficult. We will never know how one influences the other. Seeking help from fertility counsellors and consultants is critical for individuals encountering difficulties.


When To Seek Professional Help With Fertility?

Catching hormonal abnormalities early is critical for increasing your chances of becoming pregnant. The earlier you detect potential reproductive concerns, the sooner you can begin intervention or therapy, if necessary.

Taking the initial step in your fertility journey by seeking professional advice is highly beneficial. A hormone and fertility test provides insight into your inner workings, revealing any potential concerns. Fertility testing can determine your egg reserve, detect early indicators of infertility, reveal hormonal abnormalities, and screen for up to 18 health issues.

If you have or suspect you have a reproductive health condition such as , endometriosis, or thyroid difficulties, you should consult a fertility expert or doctor as soon as possible.

While you can't control everything when it comes to fertility, there are many natural strategies to improve fertility in your 30s, whether or not you combine them with fertility treatments.

From tracking your menstrual cycle (particularly your reproductive window) to making good lifestyle choices, managing stress, and seeking professional guidance, your route to parenting in your 30s does not have to be random.


FAQs on How to Boost Your Fertility in Your 30s?


  1. What lifestyle habits should I avoid to improve my fertility?
    Alcohol, smoking, substance abuse, and excessive caffeine (more than 200 mg per day) can all have a negative impact on your fertility by disrupting your hormones. Hormone homeostasis is critical to fertility.
  2. Are there any special fertility therapies suggested for people in their thirties?
    Several fertility therapies are indicated for adults in their 30s, including: Egg freezing, Ovulation Induction, Intrauterine insemination (IUI), In vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Disclaimer: Medically approved by Dr Arun Madhab Boruah, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Apollo Fertility & Apollo Hospitals, Guwahati