Helpful & Supportive Infertility Forums

12 BLOGS AND PODCASTS

Suggested and created by the #infertility community

You are not alone in your journey. Thousands of people from around the world share their experience in some form, online. You may find value in these different sites with content created by those experiencing infertility.

1. Triumphs and Trials. www.triumphsandtrials.com Written and curated by Melissa, married with one child, struggling with infertility for nine years.
2. Happiness Glass. www.happinessglass.com Infertility and fitness blog by Mallory, infertility warrior and enthusiast for solving problems.
3. Life Abundant. www.lifeabundant-blog.com Active blog by Jessi, with posts about her treatment and experience.
4. Smart Fertility Choices. www.smartfertilitychoices.com Resources and podcast by Kym, who both interviews guests and shares her own experience.
5. The Delinquent Stork. www.thedelinquentstork.blogspot.com By Karen, RESOLVE’s 2015 award for blog of the year.
6. Then Comes Family. http://www.thencomesfamily.com/community/#category-2 Online forum for couples and individuals coping with infertility.
7. Hope and Hopscotch. http://www.hopeandhopscotch.com/personal/ First person journal.
8. Beat Infertility Podcast. https://beatinfertility.co/ Heather interviews both people dealing with infertility and experts in the field.
9. RESOLVE Podcasts. http://www.resolve.org/resources/resolve-s-podcasts.html Archive of all of the podcasts from the National Infertility Association, with topics ranging from adoption to third party reproduction.
10. Don’t Count Your Eggs. http://dontcountyoureggs.typepad.com//blog/ About the journey on “Infertility Island”.
11. Waiting for Baby Bird. www.waitingforbabybird.com Faith-based infertility support blog by Elisha.
12. Sincerely Emma. www.sincerelyskin.ca/emma Blog that includes discussion on loss and secondary infertility.

The Virginia Center for Reproduction does not contribute to, regularly check, or in any way endorse the viewpoints of these sites. This is simply a list of infertility blogs that others have found valuable.

How to Improve your Fertility

So you’ve decided to travel the journey of trying to conceive? Congratulations! Here are the top 5 things the Virginia Center for Reproduction recommends you do to boost your fertility and get pregnant sooner!

1) Eat a Balanced Diet

Your diet is very important when you are trying to get pregnant. Choose whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon). Also, avoid foods consisting of trans fats. For more information about a healthy fertility diet, click HERE 

2) Avoid Pesticides

Pesticides are chemicals used to kill bugs and weeds that threaten crops. However, studies are revealing that the men who ate the most pesticide-treated foods had both lower sperm count and lower sperm quality. It is believed there is a decrease in male fertility but pesticides could also impact female fertility by hindering ovarian function and causing inconsistent menstrual cycles.  When you are trying to conceive, it is best to eat organic fruits and vegetables 

3) Watch your drinks

Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol can impact a woman’s fertility. Relax, moderate amounts of caffeine is ok! Experts believe that if you keep your caffeine intake to less than 250 milligrams a day (one to two eight ounce cups of coffee) your fertility will not be affected. As for alcohol, studies find mixed results. Alcohol is known to alter estrogen and progesterone levels. Excessive alcohol consumption can restrict a woman’s ovulation and cause abnormalities with the endometrial lining. We recommend stopping ANY alcohol intake before you start planning to conceive.

4) Stay Calm

Trying to conceive can be stressful and even cause conflict with your partner. Cortisol (the stress hormone) can negatively impact your reproductive system. Be sure your life is balanced; you have a stress relief activity, monitor your emotions and have FUN trying to get pregnant

5) Know your cycle

Track your ovulation by the calendar method-assuming ovulation occurs 14 days before your menstrual cycle is due or using an ovulation predictor kit. Pregnancy is most likely to occur with intercourse within three days before ovulation

If you find difficulty in the process of trying to conceive we welcome you to partner with the Virginia Center for Reproduction Medicine. We would be honored to help you achieve your dream!