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For some this is true: Don't drink the water you'll get pregnant! For a growing number the ability to fall pregnant is a long and ardious process with many roller coaster rides of emotions and pregnancy test kits. The angst felt by woman who see their friends/relatives/work mates fall pregnant within a drop of a hat is indescribable. They keep saying to themselves: 'When will it be my turn?'

Just because you haven't conceived doesn't mean you cant or wont be able to fall pregnant naturally- sure there are some medical reasons that might inhibit it but one thing is for certain you need to put your body in the best healthy state possible.

Did you know: 

~Around four per cent of all children born in Australia are the result of IVF -- that's the equivalent one child in every average sized classroom.

~The success rates of IVF significantly drops from 35 per cent in patients under 30 years old to just eight per cent for women over 40 years of age.

~A quarter of Australian women undergoing IVF are over the age of 40.

This leaves many to ask how can I place my body in the best possible space to fall pregnant?

We have compiled some tips, foods and ideas to help you on your way:

1. Healthy weight

Being overweight or underweight can affect your chances of conceiving. Too much or too little body fat can make you have irregular periods or stop them completely, which can affect your ability to conceive.

+Your weight is healthy if your body mass index is between 20 and 25.

+Women whose BMI is more than 30 or under 19 may have problems conceiving.

+If your partner's BMI is more than 30, his fertility is likely to be lower than normal.

     2. Exercise

Studies of the effects of exercise on fertility have found that vigorous exercise reduces the risk of ovulation problems and that moderate exercise decreases the risk of miscarriage and increases the chance of having a baby among women who undergo ART(Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex condition which is associated with infertility. Women with PCOS often have irregular or no periods because they rarely ovulate. For overweight and obese women with PCOS regular exercise can increase the frequency of ovulation which leads to more regular menstrual cycles. As ovulation becomes more frequent, the chance of conceiving increases. While studies show that exercise boosts female fertility it is important to note that a large amount of very high intensity exercise may actually reduce fertility and the chance of having a baby with ART. So, it’s a good idea to avoid very high intensity exercise while trying for a baby.

There is also a link between smoking and poorer quality sperm, although the effect on male fertility isn't certain. But stopping smoking will improve your partner's general health.

There's no clear evidence of a link between caffeine, which is found in drinks such as coffee, tea and cola, and fertility problems. Though it is recommended to keep the caffeine at a lower level. There is also some prescription drugs and illicit substances that will interfere with the ability to fall pregnant.

     4. Food

+Following a low-carb diet may improve hormone levels associated with fertility, especially among women with PCOS.

+To boost fertility levels, avoid foods high in trans fats. Eat foods rich in healthy fats instead, such as extra virgin olive oil.

+Some studies suggest that eating more calories at breakfast and less at your evening meal can improve fertility.

+Taking an antioxidant supplement or eating antioxidant-rich foods can improve fertility rates, especially among men with infertility.

+Eating a diet high in refined carbs can raise insulin levels, which may increase the risk of infertility and make it harder to get pregnant.

+Eating more protein from vegetable sources, instead of animal sources, may improve fertility levels in women.

+Replacing low-fat dairy products with high-fat versions may help improve fertility and increase your chances of getting pregnant.

+Consuming iron supplements and non-heme iron from plant-based food sources may decrease the risk of ovulatory infertility.

    5. Relax

The last piece of the puzzle that we are sharing is the impact that the stress or worry will have on conception. We know of several examples of woman who were so stressed/anxious/uptight about the whole process and when they gave up and stopped trying so hard- guess what they FELL PREGNANT!

As your stress levels increase, your chances of getting pregnant decrease. This is likely due to the hormonal changes that occur when you feel stressed. Having a stressful job and working long hours can also increase the time it takes you to become pregnant.

In fact, stress, anxiety and depression affect around 30% of women who attend fertility clinics.

Receiving support and counselling may reduce anxiety and depression levels, therefore increasing your chances of becoming pregnant.

Our next article on fertility is going to be on the small percent of woman who conceive fine in the first pregnancy and then struggle with their second (second infertility). This actually accounts for a whopping 50% of infertility cases.

The above information has been collated from a range of sources and research papers.

The sense of smell is very important. Did you know that this sense often gets affected due to depression? Many observe during pregnancy that their sense of smell heightens often making nausea worse so why is it that many suffer a loss of smell in the postanatal stage due to postnatal depression or other mental illness post baby?

"Personally, my husband did not believe me that my sense of smell had gotten so bad due to my postnatal depression and anxiety. Unfortunately now many smells go unnoticed or the degree of the smell needs to be greater in order to sense it..."

So here is why?

Depression, schizophrenia and seasonal affective disorder all suppress the sense of smell. The olfactory bulbs is the part of the brain that gives us our sense of smell. Researchers have found that the more severely depressed a person was, the smaller their olfactory bulb.  Therefore this suggests that depression may cloud, but not damage, a person's sense of smell. The reduced brain response to odours found in depressed persons may be tied to problems in two closely connected parts of the brain that play an important role in processing emotional information and smell, known as the orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala.

The effects were present whether or not an individual was taking antidepressant drugs.

It has also been noted that once the depression has been successfully treated the sense of smell/response to smells returned back to their normal levels.

The world has gone into a panic over the Caronavirus- there is NO toilet paper on supermarket shelves, people are panic buying their staples and don’t even mention HAND SANTISER...

So should pregnant woman be worried?

Pregnant women tend to have more serious flu infections than people the same age who aren't pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s because pregnancy changes the immune system somewhat and lung capacity decreases as a woman’s pregnancy progresses. Though this doesn’t mean that pregnant women will experience coronavirus more severely. There are just not enough studies on pregnant women and coronavirus for experts to say.

“There were some reports of women who are pregnant that have been published, but they're very small numbers,” Adalja said.

Basically what this means is that pregnant women are as at risk for coronavirus as any one else whose immune system is currently compromised and should take precautions as such.

While this might sound worrisome, the experts recommend that pregnant women follow the same smart behaviors that everyone should practice.

“This is a virus that doesn’t have a vaccine or any kind of treatment so the best protection is really just common sense hygiene that you would use during flu season anyway,” Adalja said.

Wash your hands, avoid sick people

This means frequent and proper hand washing. Pregnant women (and all people) should use soap and warm water and rub their hands — including their palms, wrists and between fingers — together vigorously for 20 seconds or about the length of “Happy Birthday.”

“Wash your hands, avoid sick individuals, if you are sick cover your cough,” Adalja said.

While influenza is a different virus than coronavirus, pregnant women should get a flu shot if they have not already received one. It will protect them from getting the flu, which can be more serious in pregnant women. And, fewer flu infections means that doctors can focus their resources and energy on helping patients with coronavirus.

“The more people that are vaccinated against influenza, the less of a burden we're going to have in our hospitals,” Adalja said. “We need to have room to take care of patients that may have the novel coronavirus.”

Do you need a mask if you're pregnant? Nope

Pregnant women do not need to buy masks to protect themselves. Only N95 respirators are effective and a mask prevents you from spreading coronavirus.

"If you put a mask on if you’re sick, that prevents you from spreading the germs to other people,” Dan McGee a pediatric specialist at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, told TODAY Parents. “But to go out in public wearing a mask, especially the flimsy lightweight surgical mask you see people wearing, it's not going to prevent the virus from coming in contact with you.”

There is still little known about the virus and how it effects each age and individual. 

So the news is a mask isn’t going to protect you- increasing your personal hygiene standards will! 

Info from TODAY and Pop sugar news site

Did you know:

PANDA - Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia supports women, men and families across Australia affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and in the first year of parenthood. PANDA operates Australia’s only National Helpline for individuals and their families to recover from perinatal anxiety and depression, a serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting or new mums and one in ten expecting or new dads.

PANDA operates Australia’s only National Helpline that supports families affected by perinatal anxiety and depression and postnatal psychosis. Our daily contact with women, men and families affected by these illnesses gives us extraordinary insight into the complex rollercoaster journey experienced by many expecting and new many parents. We have developed a unique understanding of perinatal mental illness across the country and are committed to sharing this expertise to improve emotional and mental health outcomes for expecting and new parents and their children.

They offer a number of different supports including:

National Helpline

Providing the only National Helpline dedicated to perinatal mental health, PANDA is driven by the lived experience of people affected by perinatal anxiety and depression. PANDA responds to the needs of families across Australia who are expecting a baby or in the first year after the baby’s birth, from major cities to rural and remote areas. The Helpline offers support, information, counselling and referral to expecting and new mothers and fathers and their families and friends. Our team also provides health professionals.

Community Champions Program

PANDA’s Community Champions program is a national network of volunteers who champion PANDA’s mission to support families in a positive transition to early parenthood. Along with raising community awareness about perinatal anxiety and depression, our Community Champions also promote PANDA’s specialist perinatal services and support PANDA’s community fundraising activities.

PANDA National Helpline

(Mon to Fri, 9am - 7.30pm AEST/AEDT)

Call 1300 726 306