Getting pregnant after the age of 40 can be simple for some women and very frustrating for others. Despite what we see on TV and in the movies, it is possible for a woman to get pregnant at an "Advanced Maternal Age" without fertility drugs and treatments. However, if fertility treatments are required, many women have found them to be a satisfying and successful experience. While the viability of a woman's eggs decreases at later ages, there are benefits to having children at an older age including being a more patient parent than younger counterparts, being more financially secure and enjoying the process of parenting more.
Instructions
Prepare Your Body
1. Stop taking birth control pills or other hormone-based methods. If you are ready to get pregnant, this might seem obvious, but some women keep taking them even if they are interested, thinking that getting pregnant will happen right away. If you aren't ready to be pregnant right away, but want to prepare your body for the process, get off birth control pills and use barrier methods of contraception. Your body needs time to readjust to being without the hormones and you could go through several irregular cycles before ovulating regularly.
2. Take folic acid and prenatal vitamins. Women who want to get pregnant can prepare their bodies by optimizing their vitamin intake. Folic acid in particular can help prevent neural tube defects (like spina bifida) from developing in utero.
3. Stop smoking, drinking and taking drugs. When trying to get pregnant you want your body to be at its maximum health. Smoking can not only contribute to your inability to get pregnant but can also cause miscarriage, pre-term delivery and low birth weight. If you are taking prescription drugs, you should consult with a doctor before trying to conceive.
4. Get your weight under control. Whether over or under weight, you'll want to make sure you are around where you should be so that you don't risk further complications. Being overweight can lead to gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia and other conditions, while being underweight can lead to low birth weight, high blood pressure and premature delivery.
5. Determine when you ovulate. Use an ovulation predictor kit to figure out just what time of the month is best for you to conceive. You can also chart your basal body temperature and determine your ovulation window this way. Having intercourse when you ovulate (often) will give you the best odds towards conceiving.
Tags: being more, birth control, birth control pills, birth weight, blood pressure