TTC (Trying to Conceive)? Funny how the words Tick Tock Clock have the same abbreviation as Trying to Conceive.
Then think tick, tock, and not just about your biological clock but also your circadian clock. Think tick, tock about the seemingly important ingredients of your life – your career, finding the right partner and choosing the right time to conceive. Tick, tock, alarm clock – don’t be yet another intelligent woman who falls prey to common fertility misconceptions.
Follow these tips to increase the chances of getting pregnant.
Most of us appreciate that timing is important and when it comes to fertility, it is especially true.
This article looks at:
- The biological clock of the average woman
- How our circadian clocks can be affected adversely for optimum fertility
- Learning from the animal kingdom
- Consider And Respect Your Biological Clock
These days we hear of women in their 60s giving birth, however many of the much older mothers* who have successful pregnancies do so with donor eggs.
*Much older mothers are considered to be from early 40s onwards by the medical community.
All females are born with their ovarian reserve. A woman’s ovarian reserve starts off at around 2 million eggs, yet only an average of 450 eggs will mature fully over her lifetime.
By Age 30
Imagine that the average 30 year old woman will only have 12% of her original stock of eggs left?
By Age 40
During the ten years that pass between the ages of 30 and 40, the picture becomes even bleaker with only 3% of the average 40 year old woman’s eggs remaining.
You may look fantastic, feel great, eat the best foods and exercise regularly; however none of these will guarantee your fertility success at any age, especially the older you get. They may help, but they are not a guarantee.
- Be Aware Of A Your Circadian Clock (Circadian Rhythm/Body Clock)
The circadian rhythm is what most people refer to as their body clock. Women, men, plants, animals, cyanobacteria and fungi all have a circadian rhythm. It is endogenously generated, runs over about a 24 hour cycle and can be modulated by external influences, called zeitgebers, like light and temperature. Circadian rhythms play a very important role and are linked to various biological activities, such as hormone production and cell regeneration.
An expert and author on the subject, states on one of his blogs:
“Timely prediction of seasonal periods of weather conditions, food availability or predator activity is crucial for survival of many species. Although not the only parameter, the changing length of the photoperiod (‘daylength’) is the most predictive environmental cue for the seasonal timing of physiology and behaviour, most notably for timing of migration, hibernation and reproduction.”
Consider the delicate balance of your circadian rhythm and how it can be easily thrown out of balance, an easy example being jet lag.
Get out in nature more often, or at least in natural light as much as possible. It will help keep or regulate your circadian rhythm’s delicate balance.
- Learn From Circadian Rhythm and Animal Reproduction
If we consider the animal kingdom, we know that animals have been successful in developing processes which lead to the optimal timing of their reproductive function. This takes into account that the best time to give birth for them is during mild weather and when there is an abundance of food available.
So birth will take place from spring to early summertime, and smaller species which have shorter gestation periods and bigger species which have longer gestation periods, will all “organise” their circadian clocks accordingly.
Animals live by their instinct. Start to be true to your instinct about what is really good for your system. Eat foods that are natural, that don’t make you feel sluggish or heavy, and eat a variety of foods to get varied nutrients. Spend time with people that you enjoy, you know instinctively if you feel uncomfortable around certain people. Use your body: walk, cycle, find ways to do things in the fresh air.