by Holle Abee

Created on: September 15, 2009   Last Updated: September 17, 2009

Fertility rates have sharply declined in the U.S. since the Baby-Boomer era. Today, thousands of couples have trouble conceiving. Several factors are most likely involved, including pollution, diet, stress, and general lifestyle.

Getting pregnant is actually a fairly complicated process, and it's not as easy as most people think. Several key elements are involved, and proper timing is crucial to success. Most experts agree that in about 30% of cases, the problem is with the female, and in another 30%, the problem lies in the sperm. For the rest, the problem is unknown.

Before you give up and head to the fertility clinic, there are a number of things you can do on your own to increase your chances of conception:

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Women and men who are overweight often have a hormone imbalance that inhibits their fertility. In addition, women and men who are too thin often have hormone issues, also. In fact, women who are ultra-thin might stop ovulating altogether due a lack of estrogen. 2. Know your cycle. This is perhaps the most important thing you can do in your quest for conceiving. Women are most fertile the five days before ovulation and the 24 hours after the egg has been released. Learn to identify ovulation by taking your temperature, checking cervical mucus, and being alert to ovulation pain. The best way to identify ovulation is by using an Ovulation Predictor Kit, which identifies a specific hormone in your urine. 3. Be strong with B12. Vitamin B12 helps maintain a healthy sperm count and sperm motility. This vitamin is especially important for men with a sperm count of less than 20 million per milliliter. Guys, you'll need 1,000 micrograms a day in supplement form or from your diet. Good natural sources of B12 include beef, eggs, milk, and shellfish. 4. Think zinc. This trace mineral is found everywhere in the human body, and it's essential for a healthy sperm count, a healthy testosterone level, and a healthy prostate. It also increases the sperms' motility, so they can "swim the distance." Zinc can be taken as a supplement, and it's often part of a multi-vitamin. Natural sources include beef, lamb, turkey, crabmeat, pork, salmon, chicken, oysters, and lobster. 30mg twice a day is optimum. 5. Don't smoke. Male smokers typically have lower sperm counts. Female smokers tend to produce fewer viable eggs, and women who are heavy smokers can even experience early menopause. Once you get pregnant, ladies, you'll have to quit the habit, anyway,

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