If you’re looking for ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant, you might want to consider some natural fertility treatments.
Of course, most complementary and alternative therapies still aren’t as well studied as traditional fertility boosters — so they do come with caveats. But as long as you try them with the guidance of your practitioner, these natural remedies may give your chances of getting pregnant a lift.
Hypnosis
If images of a magician’s act come to mind when you think of hypnosis, it’s time to reframe how you think about this form of trained concentration. Hypnosis is used to treat a range of conditions, such as anxiety, eating disorders, and, yes, fertility.
Some experts think hypnosis can enhance fertility by promoting relaxation, which may help prime the body for baby-making — especially if stress or anxiety has been standing in the way of your pregnancy plans.
How does stress interfere with fertility? It creates a fight-or-flight response that tells the body to release hormones such as cortisol, which in turn upsets the hormonal balance needed for ovulation, fertilization and the implantation of an egg.
It follows, then, that decreasing stress through hypnosis could boost fertility. But scientific research hasn’t yet established a link between hypnosis and increased fertility. If hypnosis sounds like something you might want to try, you can learn the technique with a therapist.
The caveats: Since there’s been little scientific research on hypnosis for fertility, it’s unclear whether it’ll be effective. However, it won’t harm you or your chances of getting pregnant. The worst-case scenario? You commit time and money getting spellbound without a positive payoff.
Yoga
Yoga is a 5,000 year-old practice that combines physical postures (asanas) with breathing techniques and meditation. Research shows that yoga can help boost fertility rates among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART),[1] possibly by lowering stress and the hormone cortisol, which can interfere with fertility.
