Learning about your own individual chances of becoming pregnant can help you make informed choices. That’s why you can turn to the pregnancy chance calculator to gain insight into your fertility and understand what lifestyle changes might be beneficial for reproductive success.
Let’s look over how this helpful tool works, as well as the factors that indicate one’s likelihood of conceiving.
Three Major Detrimental Factors Used by the Pregnancy Chance Calculator
The calculator uses three main inputs – age, weight, and BMI – together with other lifestyle factors like working hours per week, if you smoke or drink, to generate an estimate regarding someone’s ability to become pregnant within a timeframe – a year.
Age
Age plays a major role here; as women age, the number and quality of eggs in their ovaries decline, making it more challenging to conceive. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Gynecologic Practice, the decline in fertility starts to accelerate at age 37. This is because women are born with a finite number of eggs, and as they age, the remaining eggs may have genetic abnormalities or be of lower quality, making them less likely to result in a healthy pregnancy.
The quality of a woman’s eggs is also affected by the aging process, leading to a decrease in the chances of conceiving naturally. As a woman approaches menopause, her body’s production of hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, also changes, further reducing fertility.
For example, a 30-year-old woman may conceive far more easily than someone approaching 40, even if all else remains constant between them both. The younger woman’s eggs are likely to be of higher quality and quantity, making them more likely to result in a robust pregnancy.
The same holds true for a woman’s body weight and body mass index (BMI): Studies have shown that women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of fertility problems, including difficulty, ovulating and conceiving. Excess weight can lead to hormonal imbalances, and increased levels of estrogen, which can interfere with the reproductive system’s normal functioning.
On the other hand, being underweight can also negatively affect fertility by disrupting hormone levels and disrupting the menstrual cycle. Women with low body weight and BMI may experience irregular ovulation, and it may be challenging for them to conceive naturally. Thus, maintaining healthy body weight and BMI is essential for optimal fertility outcomes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 as ideal for overall health, and this range is also considered optimal for fertility. Women who are outside this range, either over or under, may experience difficulties in conceiving.
Apart from age and body weight, a person’s lifestyle can also have a significant impact on their fertility.
Work schedules and stress:
Women with irregular menstrual cycles may have trouble ovulating and getting pregnant. This is especially true for those who work for longer hours. High amounts of stress can also cause hormone abnormalities, which can impair the reproductive system’s ability to function normally.
Smoking:
Smoking can lower a woman’s eggs quality over time and her chances of getting pregnant each month. Also, it raises her chance of ectopic pregnancy and loss. It doesn’t stop there, a woman who smokes has as low as a 30% chance than a woman who does not smoke in an IVF(In Vitro Fertilization).
Drinking Alcohol:
Excessive drinking can alter a woman’s hormonal balance and prevent ovulation, and it can harm both the quantity and quality of a man’s sperm.
How to Use the Pregnancy Chance Calculator?
Using this information, all you need is to answer a few questions provided in each distinct area box and your chances will be predicted.
Do note that, the higher the score, the higher your chance of getting pregnant.
First,
select your age. The calculator has from ages 20 to 40+ and an option for below 20 as well. Carefully select your appropriate age. A total score in percentages for this section will appear immediately below it.
The next stage in the calculator is weight & BMI.
In this section, there are two methods you can go for. First is the metric unit, and the other is the imperial. You’ll need to choose your height in centimeters if you are going for the metric unit and feet and inches if it’s the Imperial unit. Whichever you are familiar with, make sure to cross-check to be sure it’s correct.
Input your weight as well in the box provided before proceeding to the last section. Your results in percentage for this section will be provided also by the calculator.
This is just to show your progress in each section and how the breakdown is done before finalizing your results.
Lastly, the lifestyle section.
At this stage, there are basically questions you must provide correct answers to.
Pregnancy Chance Calculator
First is how long you work per week. You can choose your answer by either selecting less than 40 hours per week or more than 40 hours per week.
After your careful consideration, answer the following question which is on your fertile window. If you are not aware of your fertile window, there’s no reason to fret. Simply, choose the correct answer as this does not in any way affect your chances.
Next is a question on whether you smoke. In like manner, simply choose between a yes or no.
Lastly, answer the alcoholic question and you’re good to go.
We do not use your data of any sort. Make sure to note that your data is secure.
After answering the questions and filling in the calculator correctly, your chances in percentage should be with you immediately.
Do not Leave Your Chances to Chance
In addition to making some lifestyle changes, learning how to track your peak fertility and high fertility periods can immensely contribute to your chances of getting pregnant. Having a good lifestyle and understanding your body better will help you increase your chance of pregnancy.
