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Boost your chances of getting pregnant

Boost your chances of getting pregnant

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Average rating: 4 out of 5 star rating

Can you think yourself pregnant?

'It was such a blow to learn we had a one-in-a-million chance of getting pregnant naturally,' says Amanda Howe, 34, from London. 'We were told there were problems with my ovaries and my husband's sperm. We even blew all our savings on three cycles of IVF - and got nowhere.'

When the prospect of being made redundant distracted Amanda's thoughts, she missed her period and found she was pregnant. Now she's mum to Lily, 3, and Jo, 18 months. 'Each time I've stopped thinking about it, I've got pregnant,' she says. 'I'm convinced that's what made it happen.' So is it just coincidence, or can obsessing about getting pregnant play a role in preventing it?

Coincidence or science?

Obstetrician Dr Donald Gibb is the founder of The Birth Company, a pregnancy and childbirth clinic in London's Harley Street that adopts an holistic approach. He believes that stress and fatigue caused by hectic lives and demanding jobs can affect people's ability to conceive naturally. He also thinks that the stress of IVF treatment can further hinder chances of conception.

'Fertility is controlled by part of the brain called the hypothalamus,' he explains. 'Severe anxiety can affect the hypothalamus and prevent it from sending out the signals that trigger ovulation. When a woman stops worrying, the mechanism can start to work again.'

Many women turn to alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and hypnotherapy, to boost fertility. But do they work? And if so, what evidence is there to prove it?

Read on:Alternative therapies

By Beatrix Clarke

Average rating:

4 out of 5 star rating

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Please leave a comment, tip or story in the box below

MassageMeLondon, about 1 month

We have noticed that many of our clients tell us that there are many positive benefits in a massage and we have many partners who do a massage session together and have had a improvement in their limbo. This is specially the case with older couples. A water massage is one of the best options. I do suggest that you get hold of a good massage therapist who can help all of you.

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vijaykumar, about 1 month

Hi, I am Vijay. My wife nithya married for last three years and we dont have a child. We have been consulting our family doctor for no avail. He insist us two be patience, but after two years we are desperate have a child. My wife is having to concieve.

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nannyg, about 1 month

Don't know if this will help but I take an organic herb Maca as a natural HRT and its great as its a natural adaptogen. My daughter started having hot sweats at night so she took some of my Maca and she is now at 43 pregnant! Maca was used by the Incas to make their sheep more fertile so I can only presume it adapted to what hormone was lacking in my daughter and she is now pregnant.

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Amanda, about 1 month

I am 26 yrs and my husband is 33yrs , We have been trying for a baby for a year now , We are not getting any younger , I 've never been on any kind of contraceptive and most recently used Clomid with no luck , if you out there and have tips please help.

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biyi, 2 months

after embroy transfer in ivf does it help to lie down a while ?

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jade, 3 months

me and my partner have been trying for a baby for 1 year and 3 months, and stil no joy....im 20 years old and get really down every month when me period arrives, i dont no what else 2 do 2 help it along....but reading the comments on here i see im nt alone...and wish u all the best of luck..xx

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naomi, 3 months

me and my partner have been trying but in august 2008 was my last injection and i had my first period at the end of june 09 and then another 2 weeks later i am desperate for a child and was wondering if anyone had some usful tips x

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jasmine , 3 months

I am 31years and my husband is 33, we have been trying to get prego for 2years... (am 25days circle. Recently we made love during my ovulation which is from 17th to 21th july 2009 and i do take Prenetal Vitamins (sundown naturals) now, few days ago am having some mood swing, slight pain at below my abdomen(expecially in the night), feeling dizzy, throw up lastnite..tired and slow in my movement as if there is a load down my stomach. am not expecting my period till 3rd of August, could it be am pregnant? pls i love to hear from anyone. thanks

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anika, 4 months

I trying to conceive for over 4 years and nothing.i read everything and anything,doctor said don't stress and will happen one day its not true i don't stress i was stress before but now i just try and i used to idea.after some time i understand i have hormone imbalance and till they be OK its no chance i ever be pregnant.so i try and you girls try.if i get pregnant i will tel you.

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Tangie, 4 months

Me and my hubby been together for 4yrs and marry for a month now. We are both 22yrs old. We got pregnant the first time we had uprotected sex when we were 19yrs old. But i lost it at 8wks. Now we are 22 and we have been trying for six months now but still no luck. Now he is scare that I can't have kids. What is going on why haven't we still gotten pregnant yet.

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sam, 5 months

hey, ive been married for 3 years. im 20 and my husband is 21. We have been trying for a baby for 2 years. We were over the moon when i found out i was pregnant a couple of months ago. unfortunately, i had a late mis-carriage. i lost my beautiful daughter at 22 weeks and 3 days. this happend last month. Now im just scared and worried about me conceiving again. I just keep thinking that i wont be able to get pregnant again. please help me :-[ thankyou

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Lillie, 5 months

hi me and my husband have been together for 5years going on 6 and I have not been on any form of birth control im am overweight but now I have been losing weight I have lost 40pounds so far and is tryin please pray for me......

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anonymous, 6 months

Eliza, You have only been trying for three weeks and your upset you haven't gotten pregnant??? Some of these women have been trying for years on end! Your being completley ridiculous and it upsets me to hear someone like you complain after only trying for a few weeks! Patience is a virtue! And perhaps having anal sex is where your going wrong? Do you also think that oral sex can make you get pregnant??

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alana, 8 months

i am a 23 yr old woman with endometriosis and cysts on my ovaries, i have been tryin for 4years with my partner for a baby and im currently goin through the 1st stages of ivf....im currently on clomid as apparently im not ovulating. any1 been on this as need advice?

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becca, 8 months

hey i have been try for a baby for 6 weeks still havnt got pregnant would be because i had a baby and i lost it at 8weeks last year i don't know could you help me plz thanks

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ann humphreys, 8 months

hi i have 2 children by a previos partner but cant concive with my new one weve been together fof 5 years now and been trying ever since,im 24 and nothing seens to work i have had 6 months of fertility drugs but no joy.and allso i have one fallopian tube that is blocked any asdvice on what i can do next or where to yurn xxx

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Sam Hayles, 8 months

I spent a year trying to get pregnant and got nothing, then when i didnt expect it i got pregnant but lost it at 6 weeks. Now im paranoid that i wont ever get pregnant again and cant help wondering why i lost my baby, if anyone else has been through this id love to hear from you :)

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ebony, 8 months

me and my partner have been trying for a baby for 12 months, we have a 4 yr old daughter already. before trying for a baby i had the implant (implanon) in, since trying i have suffered 3 miscarriages within this yr. is the a possiblity the implant has something to do with the miscarriages? also when does implanon totally leave your body? thanks for your advice and hopefully i will be to carry a baby to term, thank you

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saskia, 8 months

im 27yrs old have a beautiful daughter who is now6yrs old. but one thing is bothering me and her is when am i gonna have my no2?? i have been pregnant before maybe twice and have made the wrong choice and terminated them both. which i regret everyday since. now i really want one it wont seem to happen am i being punnished by god?? or can i no longer concieve as a result of my terminations? please help someone as it is depressing me very much. p.s good luck all you mums to be its the best thing a woman can do in her lifetime!!!!

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naiomi, 9 months

i am 19 years old and i really want a baby, however my boyfriend doesnt want 1 yet but i cant help thinkin about it all the time, i no we will have 1 when e wants to bt i cant wait. we have sex everyday near enough and it doesnt seem to be working. we hav taalked about it and he said if it happens it happens so i just want it to happen but i dont no what to do. help me!!!!!!

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louise, 9 months

Me and my fiance have been trying for 4/5 months but seems like ages. Ijust want our family to start.

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NICOLA SHIELS, 12 months

my partner and i had been been trying for a year and a half then i fell,but we lost it when i was 8 weeks pregnant nowall i can think of is getting pregnant and gutted when it hasnt happened.

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elle, 12 months

i am trying to get pregnant but am worried at the fact that i have used lots of different contraceptive methods but have been off them for about a year but its still not happening . any tips or advice?????? x

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Pumeza, about 1 year

I am disperate in need of a baby please help me my lovely son is now 2 years I need his brother or sister, please help!

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ellie, about 1 year

my partner and i have been trying to conceive for a year now,it is so frustrating as i already have a three year old and didnt even have to try for him it was a complete surprise,i just dont know what to do as am so down when i get my period and people around me are getting pregnant left right and centre!we are going to get checked soon so hopefully something will come out of that

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DEL, about 1 year

TIP DURE IN INTERCOURSE PLACE PILLOW UNDER BOTTOM AND AFTER RAISE LEGS UP EVEN IF ONLY A LITTLE FOR 20 MINS HELPS SPERM TO SWIM UP INCREASING YOUR CHANCES ALLSO AS YOU ARE COMING TO END OF PERIODS START TAKING TEMP ALLTHOUGH IT WILL VERY SILTY WHEN IT RISE 0.2 -0.4 YOU ARE AT PECK OF OVULATION GOOD LUCK!!

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Sarah, about 1 year

Louise right after I was married we found out I had polycystic ovaries and I had surgery and had wedges cut into my ovaries so eggs could release. 7 yrs later we still had no children I went on a protien diet lost 40 pds and became pregnant. They say when you have polycystic ovaries that protien is the thing to stay with. 3 yrs. after our first we had a second son and I was on a prtien diet. Trying again. But that is what seems to work well. DON;T GIVE UP

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sueclark, about 1 year

i am trying to get pregnant but i am 42 been trying for twenty months would appreciate any help thankyou sueclark

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Samantha Lee, about 1 year

I have a 3 year old boy and he is lovely but i would really like to give him a brother or sister. We have been trying for about 2 years now and nothing seems to be happening. I have only had 2 periods in the last year - went to the doctors, who referred me to get checked out. They then said that iwas underweight. I have now put on 1 stone (back to normal weight) and still nothing happening and still no periods. Does anyone have any ideas? What could be wrong?

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louise, about 1 year

me and my partner have been trying to concieve for 2 years now but i have been diognosed with polyocitic ovaries i didnt want kids yet but since i found out this i have wanted them more than ever it is not playing on our minds constantly as we have both said it will happen when it happens i have been through loads of tests to find out the exact reason why im not conceiving and the reason being is my ovaries not releasing any eggs my fertility doctor has said to be giving me clomide in about 6 months i just wanted to know is there any thing i can do to help my ovaries release there eggs if any one can help that would be great thanks

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sar, about 1 year

me and my partner had a still born on christmas day and we wasnt trying and now we are trying i just cant get pregnant and every time i get my period i get so upset i dont want a baby to forget about my baby who died i just want the chance to be a good mum and it seems to be so unfair i see people who dont deserve kids and yet my partner and i have got so much love to give and a nice house and it just doesnt want to happen whhhhhhhhhhhy?

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Pam, about 1 year

My partner and I have been trying for almost 5 years now, after being under the hospital for the last 12 months our next step is IVF, really concerned that it wont work! I have been reading about alternate therapies has anyone tried reflexology or anything else? Has it worked for you?

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holly and patrick, about 1 year

my advice to u girls is to just go with the flow.like you have all said the more you think about it the more it proble wont happen. we cant wait to have our babies but we know that it will happen at the right time so, but you people out there who are desperate and cant wait much longer get your selves to massage classes and drink lots of herbal tea and anything that will get you relaxed, p.s one helpful tip is to keep evrything up there (if you get my drift(help the little sperms swim to the right plkace without to much hard work, xcx

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DIANE, about 1 year

ME AND MY PARTNER WAS TRYIG FR A BABY FOR 5 YEARS BUT NOTHING WAS HAPPNING UNTILL THAT IS WE STOPED TRYING AS IT WAS GETIG US DOWN AND THATS WHEN I GOT PREGNANT WITH OUR SECOND CHILD,WE HAD NO PROBLEMS CONCIVING OUR FIRT CHILD AS WE WASENT TRYING TOCONCIVE THERE FOR WE WASENT STRESSING AOUT BECOMING PREGNANT.WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR ANOTER CHID FOR 2 AND A HALF YEARS NOW,I DNT HAVE PERIODS AND NEVER REALY HAVE IS THERE ANY ONEWHO COULD HELPS????

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eliza rogers, about 1 year

me and my boyfriend have been trying for a baby for 3 weeks now and im getting really frustrated because its not working and i don't know what we are doing wrong my doctor told me to stop being so silly but im not being silly its stressing me out so much i think im infertile i mean.... 3 whole weeks??? for the first 2 weeks we had sex the normal way as you do but then we started to get very concerned as we weren't getting pregnant. So, now he has been screwing me up the ass because apparently you can conceive from up your bum. However, this STILL is NOT workinh]

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eliza, about 1 year

i neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed a baby!!!! please!!!

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helen, about 1 year

my partner and i have been trying to concieve for over 2 years now, and nothing has happened yet. it is frustrating for both of us, and sometimes i do think that us "thinking" about it all the time probably does stop it happening! we are both now booked in at the doctors to get our health checked out, so hopefully we will start getting somwehere now...?

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precious, about 1 year

i fond it very helpful.myself and my husband has been trying for sometime now,pls give me some advice that can help me.i had a still birth before and since then i have been trying.

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michelle, about 1 year

i fond it helpful,but me and my husband have been trying for years and nothing is happen could you give me some advice to help me to concive thamks

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