Conception

Conceiving a child in the summer: why could it be easier?

Why might it be easier to conceive a child in the summer? How does the heat, the summer season, the moments of vacation affect fertility?

There are three main factors that can favor conception, the relaxation concomitant to periods of work break, the increase of melatonin for the longer hours of light (melatonin regulates the menstrual cycle), and vitamin D which improves oocyte quality.

Meanwhile we conducted a survey on the months in which our female readers conceived and this was it. the result:

Below is the interview with Dr. Daniela Galliano, doctor, surgeon, gynecologist, director of the IVI Center in Rome .

Why is summer one of the best times to conceive a child?

There is no doubt that the stress that accumulates during the working weeks can make you feel tired, can reduce the desire for intimacy with your partner. Therefore, temporarily detaching from the usual everyday life, to experience the summer holidays, can represent a moment of relaxation, in which the need to be together increases. Attention because it is not only anthropological and social reasons that push experts to support the thesis of summer as the season favorable to conception, but also scientific reasons.

According to Dr. Galliano, “ Vitamin D plays a vital role for women. In summer, as the days lengthen and the hours of light increase, the levels of this precious vitamin rise, resulting in an improvement in the quality of female ova. In addition, the consequent increase in the level of melatonin determines a natural regulation of the menstrual cycle. So for couples who are looking for a child, it will not only be much easier to calculate the time of ovulation but also more accurate .

Furthermore, the summer period is also essential for relieving stress , one of the main enemies of fertility. It is important to dedicate time to yourself, allowing yourself the right rest and recovering a natural sleep-wake cycle, not cadenced by the pressing rhythms of everyday life ”.

How has the coronavirus emergency affected couples?

“ Even if the spread of Covid-19 has led to the emergence of numerous fears and concerns for the future” , explains Dr. Galliano, “ in parallel the health emergency has generated a desire for rebirth for many couples who, meeting during the lockdown, they rediscovered themselves and discovered a strong desire for parenthood. The forced cohabitation of recent months has also prompted some women who suspected a fertility problem to confront each other, to finally face the problem and to turn to specialist doctors, once the PMA activities have reopened. Our IVI data, collected from the reopening in June to today, demonstrate in fact how the first visits are increasing compared to last year. A fact that partly reassures us, considering how the Istat Demographic Balance 2019 confirms that we are in the presence of the strongest demographic decline since the Unification of Italy. We hope that this will be the beginning of a recovery of the country, also from a demographic point of view .

Can PMA treatments also be beneficial in the summer?

“ For those undergoing assisted reproduction treatment, summer can be a season in which relaxation and the serenity of free time can be useful for tackling the treatment in the best possible way, with some precautions. For example, after embryo transfer it is advisable to avoid situations in which the body temperature may rise, such as going to the sauna or tanning. Also beware of dehydration and sports involving sudden movements. And no alcohol or drugs, without first consulting a doctor. 

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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