How To Conceive Twins October 21, 2009

This is my third post on the topic conception and fertility and perhaps also the most interesting and thought-provoking, I’ve explained the tips on how to conceive a boy and how to conceive a girl, now we move on to something more difficult, something I too haven’t had the chance to test out, at least not just yet. As you all know, I just love giving tips, it’s really a great feeling when you give someone hope. The corners of their mouths point upward slightly, giving a hint of a curious smile, the apples of their cheeks become more prominent and sometimes even light up a sweet shade of pink, and the outer corners of their eyes wrinkling up just a little bit as their faces light up…….yes, I know you are smiling because I’m smiling too as I write this post. And if I made you smile, don’t forget to leave a comment and more importantly share this article with someone else, spread the word, spread the love!

Having twins apparently is the in thing right now, it is the rave! As more and more women are getting married and starting their family at a later age, more and more are wishing they can complete their families as soon as possible. For those of you who have always had this secret wish,  for those of you who are ready physically, mentally and more importantly financially….well I say, why not? For the purpose of this article, I shall concentrate more on how to conceive twins naturally. As many of you know, even though I am a doctor I will always prefer the natural way to do things, taking medications to induce hyperovulation states are not without its’ side effects.

Wait Till You’re Older. I think it’s really great to know as most of us are fretting about our biological clock ticking (though it might just be me as I just turned 35 a few weeks back…aarrgghh), there’s at least one good thing I can tell you about getting older. Your chances of conceiving twins is higher! Older mothers are more likely to conceive twins than their younger counterparts. It is thought that the body accelerates ovulation as the biological clock starts ticking faster. My suggestion is to get pregnant at the age of 35-40. It is interesting to note that 17% of mothers over age 45 have multiples. Wait five more years and the odds rise to one in nine! However, the risks of pregnancy at this age is also increased; older mothers have a higher rate of miscarriage and are more likely to experience problems such as gestational diabetes during their pregnancy; in addition, their babies are at higher risk for chromosomal abnormalities.

Eat Lots Of  Yams. There is a little-known place many call ” The Land Of Twins”, it’s a sleepy old town named Igbo-Ora located in the southwest region of Nigeria. Central to the Yoruba people’s diet is cassava root, a type of wild yam. Research into multiple births carried out at Lagos’s University Teaching Hospital has suggested that a high level of a chemical found in the Yoruba women and the peelings of the cassava root could account for the high level of multiple births. Yams is thought to be high in three substances that are very helpful to fertility. First, arginine, which is an amino acid that is very helpful in increasing fertility. Reproductive endocronologists have been known to use arginine to help more mature women increase their egg quality. Second, aspartic acid. Arginine is synthesized from this nutrient also. Then, glutamic acid which is a component of folate. With nutrient credentials like that, you’re bound to be moving in the right direction!

Eat Dairy Products. A 2006 study found that women who consume dairy are five times as likely to have twins. Perhaps because they come from growth-hormone-treated cows, dairy products increase your chances of conceiving twins. So, get your fill of milk, yogurt and those delectable cheeses right now…yummm!

Take Folic Acid. It is recommended that you start taking folic acid 3 months prior to conception. This supplement does more than prevent neural birth defects like spina bifida; it also greatly increases your chances of conceiving twins! You can also get more of this fabulous B-vitamin by eating plenty of dark green leafies.  If you’re aged 35 or over, adding a digestive enzyme will also help to enhance your absorption of this very essential vitamin. We lose our digestive capabilities as we age, which can decrease our levels of certain nutrients that are imperative in getting a successful pregnancy off the ground, so adding an enzyme could never hurt.

Gain Weight. A study published by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology linked the rising rate of multiple births with the rise in overweight mothers. According to the article: “Women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more are significantly more likely to have dizygotic twins (fraternal twins, each formed from a separate egg and sperm) than are women with lower BMIs. This may be due to the increased estrogen levels which helps aid in the follicular development of more than a single ovum. With more than one dominantely mature ovum there is a good possibility of more than one egg being released.

Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding. I’ve always stressed to my patients that only exclusive breastfeeding on demand prevents a woman from ovulating. Exclusive means the baby is only fed breastmilk , the baby is not fed any water or any formula or any baby food for that matter. Breastfeeding on demand means the baby must be fed every single time he demands it. Having said that, plenty of mothers of twins can disprove that theory. Some research has also supported the theory that the chance of twins or multiples is increased if a woman conceives while breastfeeding.

Get Pregnant On the Pill. Birth control pills are usually thought to be 99.9 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. However, that .01 percent often results in a double whammy — multiples. Sometimes pregnancy occurs when the pill isn’t taken consistently; in other cases, the hormonal mix of a particular drug type simply doesn’t provide enough coverage to completely prevent ovulation. In either case, playing around with hormones can lead to hyperovulation, increasing the chances of multiples.

Have A Big Family. The more kids you have, the more likely you are to conceive twins in a subsequent pregnancy. No one knows the magic limit that triggers a multiple pregnancy, so you’ll just have to keep trying until it happens.

Have More Twins. Once you have had a multiple pregnancy, you are significantly more likely to conceive — and deliver — twins again! Some estimates suggest that mothers of twins are four times more likely to have twins again than a woman who has never been pregnant, or who only had a singleton.

Have A Family History of Twins. If fraternal twins run in a female’s family, her odds of conceiving twins are much greater! The gene for hyperovulation may be passed down from generation to generation. It’s a myth that twins skip a generation. Often the gene will be passed down to a male member of the family, then he will in turn pass it down to one of his daughters who will then have twins.

Conceive in July. More twins are conceived in July, and the least in January. The theory is that it’s due to the effect of the length of daylight on the secretion of Follicle Stimulating Hormone.

Seek Fertility Assistance. (I’m only mentioning this for completion, I strongly prefer and recommend the natural ways stated above.)  Reproductive technology has dramatically increased the multiple birth rate. Drugs that stimulate ovulation can lead to a multiple pregnancy, but multiples can also result from in vitro fertilization. It’s not just that multiple embryos are implanted in the mother, but there is also an unexplained increase in the number of monozygotic twins among IVF patients. No ethical doctor would provide treatment if it wasn’t warranted, so fertility assistance should only be sought out when necessary.

Get Lucky. I have to admit I had a lot of fun reading and writing up this topic. Who wouldn’t like it if your doctor gives you good news about turning 35. I’m also telling you to take more of that cheese you love so much. Have a hearty meal and gain some weight.  Have sex in July!  At the end of the day my advice is to have lots of fun trying and lets all pray that you get lucky and maybe ….just maybe 9 months from now, someone will thank me.

How To Conceive A Baby Girl September 10, 2009

This is a continuation of my previous post “How To Conceive A Baby Boy”, the second post in a three part series, this topic is equally fascinating and is sure to get some minds wandering, some faces smiling and hopefully some labour room bustling….9 months from now.

What determines the sex of the baby is the sperm that succeeds in fertilizing the egg/ovum. The egg contains an X chromosome from the mother and the sperm may contain either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome from the father. If a Y sperm reaches the egg first and fertilizes it, then we will get a boy. If an X sperm wins the race instead and reaches the egg first and fertilizes it, then we get a girl. In order to conceive a girl, we have to make sure that we fix the race so that the X sperm will have a higher chance of winning.

As compared to the Y sperm, the X sperm is larger and heavier, it swims a lot slower but it can last longer especially in an acidic environment. Meanwhile the Y sperm is smaller, lighter and swims a lot faster, however it doesn’t last as long especially in acidic and harsh conditions.

Because the X sperm swims at a slower pace, the best time for intercourse is 2-4 days prior to ovulation, as this will give ample time for the X sperm to reach the egg and fertilize it. This also gives an advantage to the X sperm as the X sperm has a much longer life span and is able to withstand harsh and acidic conditions longer, whereas the Y sperm would have died off much earlier. However, if intercourse is done on the day of ovulation, the Y sperm which swims a lot faster, will be the first to reach the egg.

The depth of penetration is another factor that we need to consider.  A shallow penetration which deposits the sperm furthest away from the cervical opening will mean a longer route and this will favour the slow swimming, yet resilient X sperm. Instead a deeper penetration gives the Y sperm a higher chance of winning the race.

The X sperm is more resilient and last longer than the Y sperm especially in an acidic environment. One way to increase acidity in the vaginal canal is by vaginal douching. Douching with an acidic fluid such as a mixture of water and vinegar 30 minutes before intercourse will therefore increase our chances of conceiving a girl. Commercial preparations for douching such as “Summer’s Eve’s – Water and Vinegar” are available at most pharmacies.

Consuming a more acidic diet is also recommended, this includes oat, corn, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, olive, plum, prune, beans such as soy, lentils, red beans, dairy products such as butter, cheese, ice-cream, peanut butter, cashew nut, walnut, red meat, sardines, coffee and carbonated drinks like coca-cola.

Alkaline foods should be consumed less, this includes vegetables such as alfalfa, spirulina, brocolli, spinach, cabbage, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, onion, salad, mushroom, sweet potato, pumpkin and tomato. It also includes fruits such as apple, pear, banana, dates, raisins, dried fig, watermelon, honeydew, fresh coconut, strawberry, almond, chestnut and citrus fruits. Curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, herbs, mineral water, fruit and vegetable juice are also alkaline. Even though the citrus fruits may taste sour but they have an alkalinizing effect on the body.You don’t have to consume food from just the acidic group, just make sure that you consume more acidic food than you do the alkaline ones.

If you have enjoyed reading these tips, don’t forget to share with your friends and be sure to wait for my third and final part in this series, “How To Conceive Twins”. On a final note, I wish you all the very best of luck and have lots of fun trying.

How To Conceive A Baby Boy September 7, 2009

This is one very popular topic and one that I have studied for many years. Yes, I have personally tried it and as I write this article, I can’t help but smile proudly as  I glance over my laptop and see my son, jumping up and down and twirling around doing his aeroplane dance.  As with all medical treatment or advice, there are no guarantees but these tips I am about to explain do have some some scientific basis. I will try to explain the theory behind it and hopefully by the time you finish reading  this article you will have a bright, hopeful smile , one which I’ve seen many times on the faces of my patients as they walk out of my consultation room. Whether it works or not, it is a different matter. At the very least, they go home with a smile on their face and a sense of hope in their hearts. And it’s moments like this that I cherish and treasure the most as a general practitioner.

What determines the sex of the baby is the sperm that succeeds in fertilizing the egg/ovum. The egg contains an X chromosome from the mother and the sperm may contain either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome from the father. If an X sperm reaches the egg first and fertilizes it, then we will get a girl. If a Y sperm wins the race instead and reaches the egg first and fertilizes it, then we get a boy. In order to conceive a boy, we have to make sure that we fix the race so that the Y sperm will have a higher chance of winning.

As compared to the X sperm, the Y sperm is smaller, lighter and swims a lot faster, however it doesn’t last as long especially in acidic and harsh conditions. Meanwhile the X sperm is not only larger and heavier, it swims a lot slower but it can last longer especially in an acidic environment.

Because the Y sperm swims really fast, we can use this to our advantage. We should time the intercourse on the day of ovulation and refrain from having it 2-4 days prior to ovulation. If intercourse is done on the day of ovulation, then when the sperm is finally released into the vagina, the Y sperm will swim faster and will be the first to reach the egg that’s already ready and waiting to be fertilized. Instead, if we were to have intercourse 2-4 days before ovulation, then the X sperm which moves really slow will reach the egg, whereas the Y sperm would have died off much earlier.

The depth of penetration is another factor that we need to consider. The deeper the penetration, the nearer the sperm is deposited to the cervical opening, the shorter the distance, the higher the chances of the Y sperm winning the race. A shallow penetration will however favour the slow swimming, yet resilient X sperm.

The Y sperm doesn’t last long in an acidic environment and thrives in a more alkaline environment. One way to increase alkalinity is by vaginal douching. Douching with an alkaline fluid such as a mixture of water and bicarbonate of soda 30 minutes before intercourse will therefore increase our chances of conceiving a boy.

Consuming a more alkaline diet is also recommended, this includes vegetables such as alfalfa, spirulina, brocolli, spinach, cabbage, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, onion, salad, mushroom, sweet potato, pumpkin and tomato. It also includes fruits such as apple, pear, banana, dates, raisins, dried fig, watermelon, honeydew, fresh coconut, strawberry, almond, chestnut and citrus fruits. Curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, herbs, mineral water, fruit and vegetable juice are also alkaline. Even though the citrus fruits may taste sour but they have an alkalinizing effect on the body.

Acidic foods should be consumed less, this includes oat, corn, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, olive, plum, prune, beans such as soy, lentils, red beans, dairy products such as butter, cheese, ice-cream, peanut butter, cashew nut, walnut, red meat, sardines, coffee and carbonated drinks like coca-cola. You don’t have to consume food from just the alkaline group, just make sure that you consume more alkaline food than you do the acidic ones. On a final note, I wish you all the best, good luck and have lots of fun trying.