Guest blog by Ainsley Lawrence, a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest.
The journey of trying to conceive is a very personal one. It can be a rollercoaster of emotions, and you might feel like you’re responsible for every little detail in your menstrual when it comes to boosting your chances of getting pregnant. While the natural fertility rate is only 20%, it can be extremely frustrating when it feels like you’ve tried everything and still haven’t conceived.
Thankfully, you don’t have to shoulder that burden alone. In addition to working closely with a doctor or specialist, you can utilize technology to assist in your trying-to-conceive (TTC) journey.
Technology has become incredibly advanced and personal over the last several years, and it’s accessible for almost anyone trying to conceive. Not only will it help to take some of the demands and pressure off of things like scheduling, but it can help you to reduce your stress levels while you’re on this journey, so you’re more likely to conceive naturally.
If you’re not already using health technology for TTC to your advantage, let’s cover a few ways it can help when you’re trying to conceive.
Pinpointing Peak Ovulation
Wearable technology has seen a rise in popularity over the last decade, especially thanks to devices like the Apple Watch and Fitbit. While many people wear this kind of tech to track workouts, make calls, or check text messages, there are also many healthcare monitoring applications within them that can (and should) be utilized for your TTC journey, including:
- Heart Rate monitoring
- Fall detection
- Blood oxygen levels
- Irregular heart rhythm
The Apple Watch, in particular, can also track your cycle as long as you turn on period and fertility notifications using the Health app on your phone. If you have a different type of smartwatch, it can likely be linked to a variety of ovulation apps. Other great ovulation apps and fertility trackers that we find helpful are:
Smartwatches and other types of wearable technology fit perfectly into the personal aspect of trying to conceive. Instead of having to keep track of everything on your own, technology does it for you, allowing you to relax a bit more and offering peace of mind that you’ll know exactly when you’re ovulating and where you are within your cycle.
Other types of advanced technology, including highly-accurate thermometers, can help you pinpoint when you’re the most fertile. Again, it takes the guesswork out of planning and scheduling, so you’re more likely to try to conceive at the ideal times.
A Better Way to Connect
If you’re having trouble conceiving, it’s easy to feel lonely and helpless. Working with a doctor or specialist you trust is important throughout the journey. However, it’s not always easy to find a doctor that meets your needs or someone you feel comfortable with. Technology has bridged that gap, allowing women trying to conceive to connect as often as necessary with a healthcare specialist they trust – through telehealth services.
Telehealth isn’t something new, but it saw a huge spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, providers across the globe are still using it to connect with patients and provide more personalized care. You can use FemTech (or female technology) in multiple ways when it comes to working with a provider. For example, if you’re using wearable technology to track your ovulation or temperature, it’s easy to send that data to your doctor, even if they’re in a completely different part of the country. Or you can use apps like Fertility Answers to privately ask your TTC questions to over 300 leading fertility doctors, embryologists, psychologists, etc. to get a second (or third) opinion on questions you have about your journey.
When it comes to actually visiting with an OBGYN via video chat, they can talk to you about your progress, what you’re feeling, and help you come up with a schedule and strategy to try to conceive naturally. Obviously, things like IVF and other hands-on treatment solutions can’t be done virtually, but sometimes simply staying connected to a provider can make a big difference in how you feel along your journey.
Improving Your Quality of Life
We don’t often think of technology and relaxation as things that go hand-in-hand. But, when you’re trying to conceive, there’s no denying there’s a lot of stress and uncertainty involved – and yes, tech can help with that.
While stress doesn’t directly cause infertility, it can make it more difficult to get pregnant. Unfortunately, when you’re trying to conceive and having struggles, it can often feel like a vicious cycle. The more unsuccessful your journey, the more stressed you’re likely to become.
Technology can help by guiding you in various ways to relax. Online meditation tools, including those provided by Circle+Bloom, can help you let go of the “what ifs” and uncertainties that might be plaguing your mind. Meditation isn’t easy for everyone, but technology can help to guide you through it, allowing you to fully relax without focusing on the struggles you’ve been facing.
You can also reduce stress through things like yoga, stretching, or deep breathing exercises. These relaxation tools are widely available online. Combining yoga and meditation is an effective way to help you on your fertility journey – no matter what path you’re on. Fertile Hope Yoga is an on-demand life-changing online mental health platform to help women navigate the stress of trying to conceive or going through IVF, using brain-based mind/body science practices such as yoga and life coaching. Circle+Bloom and Fertile Hope Yoga are happy to offer a 2-month membership to Fertile Hope for FREE to help support women on their TTC journey.
Yes, TTC is personal, but using technology to your advantage can help to take some of the weight off of your shoulders. Consider some of these options as you continue your fertility journey, and take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.
Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book.
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