What are the Benefits of Drinking Water When Trying to Conceive?

Water is necessary for the proper functioning of the whole body. Keep reading to learn about the specific benefits of drinking water while trying to conceive.

By OBGYN and fertility expert, Dr. Kenosha Gleaton

Are you trying to conceive (TTC) soon and hoping to boost your fertility? Proper hydration can provide a lot of benefits to your health overall and may even be helpful when trying to get pregnant.

How much water should I drink when trying to get pregnant?

The body is made up of anywhere between 50 to 70% water, so it’s extremely important that we’re drinking enough water to prevent dehydration and support overall bodily function. It’s recommended that pregnant women drink between eight to twelve cups of water a day to aid in digestion and circulate nutrients throughout the body. For women TTC, stick to drinking at least eight cups of water a day while keeping in mind your climate, physical activity level, and overall health.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals that have been dissolved in water and work to balance chemicals in the body. Without electrolytes, the body would have a difficult time transporting and utilizing all the water we drink. Nearly every cell and fluid in the body contains electrolytes! A few minerals you may recognize are magnesium, sodium, chloride, and potassium. We obtain electrolytes through some fluids, balanced diets, and in some cases, multivitamins or stand alone supplements. Natalist Hydration & Energy Electrolyte Drink Packets are a great way to get your daily dose of electrolytes in while supporting energy levels!

How is water beneficial when trying to get pregnant?

Staying hydrated is important throughout your pregnancy journey, from trying to get pregnant to breastfeeding and healing postpartum. Aside from water's basic functions of regulating body temperature, hydrating our mucous membranes, transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, and more, water’s effects on the body can be especially beneficial for TTC.

Supports organ and cellular function

Water is vital for healthy organ function, including our reproductive organs. In order to support fertility, menstrual cycle regularity and proper functioning of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries is required. Research shows that an imbalance of electrolytes may result in changes to follicular fluid, restricting growth and hindering ovulation.

Supports male fertility

Hydration is also important for male fertility. Research shows that when men are dehydrated, they may be more likely to have low quality erections, low semen volume, and an increased chance of prostate infections. Data also shows that an electrolyte imbalance may be associated with a decrease in sperm motility and capacitation.

Encourages cervical mucus production

Cervical mucus plays a large role in conception, as fertile cervical mucus properties allow sperm to live and swim into the uterus to find and fertilize an egg. Hydration is important for the production of cervical mucus, and dehydration has actually been linked to vaginal dryness and a higher risk of infections. Research also shows that mucus hydration may be correlated with sperm penetrability.

What else benefits me when TTC?

Staying hydrated isn’t the only thing you should prioritize when trying to get pregnant. There are a lot of tips and tricks that can improve your chances of getting pregnant and may even help boost your fertility.

Dietary choices

There is no specific “fertility diet” that has been established to help with fertility, but research does suggest that consuming a diet high in fish, legumes, vegetables, and vegetable oils, similar to the Mediterranean diet, improved pregnancy outcomes in couples going through fertility treatments. Low fat, low sugar diets may help with weight loss and supporting hormonal balance to aid in ovulation.

The main idea here is to prioritize vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits, and try to limit a lot of processed, sugary foods.

Tracking ovulation

A very important factor when trying to conceive is ensuring that you’re ovulating regularly and having sex during your fertile window. Ovulation tests can help you identify when you’re ovulating, and an ovulation tracker can help you identify your fertile window. Having sex during this period is going to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Testing for Early Pregnancy

Finding your fertile window along with taking an early pregnancy test is equally important. This is where our hCG level test strips, also known as early pregnancy test strips, come into play. These strips can detect human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), commonly known as the pregnancy hormone, with over 99% accuracy, even as early as three days before the expected day of a missed period.

Take a prenatal vitamin

It’s been shown that prenatal vitamins reduce the risk of anemia, neural tube defects, negative fetal outcomes, and miscarriage. Taking a prenatal every day is a great way to prepare your body for pregnancy even if you’re months away from actively trying to get pregnant. There are also many stand alone supplements that can support fertility. Vitamin D has been shown to improve conception rates and live birth rates, not to mention that vitamin D deficiency may affect as high as 50% of the population and up to 80% in African Americans. Another useful supplement is CoQ10; research shows that supplementation of CoQ10 may improve sperm parameters and egg quality.

Fertility friendly lube

When you’re timing sex around ovulation, getting pregnant can start to feel like work. Fertility lubricants are a special class of lubricants that are cleared by the FDA for use when trying to conceive. This includes a sperm friendly pH, viscosity, and osmolality that all mimic fertile cervical mucus. Fertility lube is a great way to spice things up in the bedroom while encouraging pregnancy.

Natalist has a huge collection of articles to answer all of your questions about getting pregnant!

Key Takeaways

• The body is made up of anywhere between 50 to 70% water.

• Women who are TTC should try to drink at least eight cups of water a day.

• Electrolytes are minerals that have been dissolved in water and help the body utilize water.

• Magnesium, potassium, choline, and sodium are a few key electrolytes.

• Water is useful when TTC as it may support sperm health, semen volume, healthy organ function, and cervical mucus production.

• Cervical mucus is necessary for allowing sperm to survive in the vagina long enough to swim to the uterus and fertilize an egg.

• Dehydration may cause vaginal dryness, low semen volume, and poor quality erections.

• When trying to get pregnant, it’s also important to eat a balanced diet, track ovulation, and take a prenatal vitamin.

Sources:

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
• https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/how-much-water-should-i-drink-during-pregnancy
• https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/water-essential-to-your-body
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9312130/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8812443/
• https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/sperm-capacitation
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9288332/
• https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(09)04338-6/fulltext
• https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2007/11000/Diet_and_Lifestyle_in_the_Prevention_of_Ovulatory.17.aspx
• https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/01/prepregnancy-counseling
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6210343/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4568976/