Congratulations on starting out on your TTC journey - we are incredibly excited for you! However, we know those first few steps can be a bit confusing and lead to a number of questions. Don’t worry - it is completely normal! That’s why we created a fertility 101 guide to provide a one-stop shop for tips on where to start, how to maximize your chance at becoming pregnant, and how OvuSense can support you. Keep reading to learn more and embark on your exciting new journey. 

Tracking Your Cycle 

One of the first things you may start doing when beginning your TTC journey is tracking your cycle. Knowing when you ovulate can help time conception, but also gives you valuable insight into your body and overall health. Understanding when you're due to ovulate, as well as whether you're ovulating at all, is crucial information when you're looking for ways to get pregnant. 

The newest addition to the suite of ovulation monitoring solutions is OvuFirst - the most accurate skin sensor available on the market. OvuFirst is perfect if you’re interested in learning more about your cycle or just starting your fertility journey. It works for women that want to monitor their ovulation and cycles in a convenient, non-invasive way, or for women who are beginning their journey to start or grow their family. It also works for women who have PCOS, or ovulate irregularly. 

Women can wear the OvuFirst sensor on their arm or wrist overnight in a convenient and non-invasive way and it will confirm a woman’s fertile window with over 90% accuracy. OvuFirst uses the OvuSense App to download data and provide women with a full 8-day fertile window at the start of their next cycle. We have your back!

Start the Conversation 

Typically, another great first step towards supporting fertility early on begins with opening the floor for discussion between you and your partner, family, and doctor. Regardless of your prior knowledge about pregnancy, making sure you have as much information about starting a family as possible can help make the process a little easier. 

Consider beginning with a conversation with your mom or another female loved-one who might have insight into any family history surrounding pregnancy. Here are some questions to help open the dialogue:

  • What was your experience with trying to conceive?
  • Has there been any family history of infertility or pregnancy complications?
  • Do you know of any history of underlying conditions, such as PCOS?

These conversations can help guide discussions with your doctor. For example, many women have no idea about the role a thyroid can play in fertility—so identifying any problems or imbalances prior to trying to actively conceive is important for your future pregnancy journey.

Nutrition

Good diet and nutrition are important parts of your fertility journey not only for what they prevent, but what they provide. Whether they come from foods themselves or in the form of supplements, certain vitamins and nutrients can go a long way towards helping your fertility and pregnancy prospects. 

One of the most important nutrients to incorporate into your diet when trying to conceive is folic acid. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), even those who take dietary supplements may not get sufficient folic acid and women should obtain 400 mcg of folate per day between dietary supplements and fortified foods. Some foods with high levels of folate include spinach, liver, asparagus, and brussels sprouts.

Zinc, and Vitamins B, C and D are also important nutrients when trying to conceive. Experts recommend that women intake 8 mg of zinc daily to support normal growth and development during pregnancy. Good sources of zinc include oysters, red meat, and poultry.

A healthy and balanced diet, often in combination with other lifestyle changes and a doctor’s guidance, can be an important step to help give you the best chance of successfully getting and staying pregnant. Visit our blog for more supplements and medications you may consider discussing with your doctor. 

Sleep

While it is still mostly unknown how sleep can definitivity affect your ability to conceive, there are some things that you can try to improve your chances of getting pregnant if you’ve noticed you’ve been having trouble sleeping lately. 

Get A Solid Rest

While it is recommended that people sleep an average of 8 hours, this may vary from person to person. A lack of sleep may affect your levels of stress hormones, limiting your ability to conceive. For example, women going through IVF who sleep less than seven hours a night were 15% less likely to conceive than those who sleep seven to eight hours a night. 

Avoid Sleeping In 

Oversleeping is often linked to other behaviors that can have an impact on fertility, including skipping meals and going to sleep late. It’s important to try to keep your sleep schedule consistent by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. 

Limit Any Distractions 

When you start to wind down for the night, avoid stressful activities that can leave your mind racing, affecting your ability to enter a relaxing and peaceful sleep. You should also limit your exposure to blue light that may emit from your phone, tablet, computer, or television before bed. Not only can it affect your sleep cycle, but blue light suppresses melatonin, a sleep hormone that plays a role in protecting your eggs. 

Moving Your Journey Forward 

Now that you’re armed with the information you need when you’re just starting out, you can be confident and comfortable moving forward. OvuSense and OvuFirst are here to help you feel empowered during this new and exciting time. If you want to learn more about how the most accurate skin sensor on the market can help you, or to learn about the extended family of solutions visit our blog today! It’s time to get baby dancing!