If you are on the baby trail and tracking periods and ovulation and fertile days like there is no tomorrow, you might be interested to know that as well as viable eggs and super-swimmer sperm, there are also some other factors that, in fact, can influence how quickly you get pregnant.
Yes, your cycle and age are both very important factors explains doctor and women's health expert Jennifer Wider to
Glamour magazine, but if you are really trying to optimize your chances of this happening sooner rather than later, know that these five seemingly innocent things can also make an impact:
1. His TV habit
What? This one is weird, but true: According to
a study in the
American Journal of Epidemiology, men who watch five hours of TV or more per day have a lower sperm count than guys who don't watch TV at all.
2. Your stress levels
We all know stress is not exactly good for us, but just how bad it is when it comes to trying for a baby might surprise you: A
study in the
Annals of Epidemiology found that women who reported above-average stress levels were
45 percent less likely to conceive.
3. His love of steaming hot baths
The sperm count of men in
a study in the Brazilian Society of Urology journal increased after they avoided hot baths and jacuzzis for three to six months. Cold showers it is, then.
4. His surfing habit
If your man loves nothing more than to surf the internet and chill out with Netflix on the sofa, be aware that by putting the computer on his lap, he can disrupt – and even damage – what is lurking underneath.
A
Fertility and Sterility study examined sperm samples placed underneath laptops, and 25 percent of the sperm stopped swimming, while only 14 percent of sperm placed safely away from laptops did.
5. The cleaning chemicals in your house
If trying for a baby is on your mind, you might want to take a look at what you use to clean your house with. Why? Because according to
one study published in
Environmental Health Perspectives, pesticides, pollutants, and other chemicals can decrease your chances of getting pregnant by up to
29 percent.
Found this interesting? For more articles on fertility, make sure you are our friend over on Pinterest too.
