Fertility Boosters

6 Things You Might Have Overlooked

By Gena Hymowech

You've stopped taking the pill. You've started going to an acupuncturist. And you've asked everyone from friends to relatives to strangers on the street for advice. Still, you haven't gotten pregnant.

Think there's nothing else you can do? Think again. Chances are, you've been overlooking some of the best ways to boost fertility.

Chlamydia can wreak havoc on fertility if untreated. This sexually transmitted disease (STD) is often asymptomatic, so you'll need to get tested regardless of how you feel.

Thyroid problems can also contribute to infertility. And like chlamydia, these too can appear without symptoms. Worse still, the traditional test – TSH – isn't always enough, according to Mary Shomon, patient advocate and author of the The Thyroid Guide to Fertility, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Success (2003). The best advice? Ask your doctor for a thyroid profile, says Shomon.

To increase your chances of getting pregnant, you should be having sex three days before, one day before and the day after ovulation occurs, says Dr. Jay S. Schinfeld, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Abington Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania.

And just when does ovulation happen? If you don't know, you're not alone, says Dr. Frederick Licciardi, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the NYU School of Medicine. "Some women think they ovulate when they get their period," he says. "And there are women who think they ovulate five days after their period stops." The truth? Most women ovulate two weeks before their menstrual period starts, or thereabouts. So tracking your cycle is a good idea.

There are other ways to determine ovulation. Charting your basal body temperature (BBT) can help. (You'll need a special thermometer to do this.) After ovulation, your temperature can rise 0.5 to 1.6 degrees. Keeping an eye out for abdominal pain is also wise: It signals ovulation in some women. You can also use an ovulation detection kit, available over the counter. (If you ovulate irregularly or not at all, you should consult your doctor.)

In addition to changing when you have sex, you might also want to change how

Want to see more?

• 10 Myths About Conceiving
• Upping the Odds: Doing Your Best to Conceive
• Worried About Conceiving? Simple Changes Can Increase Your Chances of Conception
• Seeds of Hope: Lubrication for Couples Trying to Conceive
• Trouble Conceiving? Getting the Right Medical Care
• Talk about it!