Steps for a healthy birth

There are many reasons why a woman may struggle, as Gabrielle Union, Christie Brinkley and Courteney Cox did, to become pregnant and/ or carry the fetus full term. Around 14% of women age 30 to 35 struggle with that (it’s called fecundity) — and the older you are, the greater the challenge.

Well, a new study reveals that you can increase your chance of conceiving and giving birth if you eliminate some or all of six risk factors: an unhealthy BMI, an unhealthy diet, nonuse of folic acid supplements, smoking, alcohol intake (more than one drink a week), and being an older age.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that the more risk factors you eliminate, the greater your chance of conceiving and carrying full term, and if you have only one or none of them, you reduce your risk of non-conception by 34%.

So if you’re struggling to have a child, write down which risk factors apply to you. Then make a plan to eliminate them.

1. Talk to your doctor about how to get started.

2. For additional help with healthy eating go to myplate. gov and read “What to Eat

When.”

3. For weight loss, consider a healthy eating plan and emotional support from groups like Overeaters Anonymous and Weight Watchers, and adopt a plan to increase your metabolic rate by walking 10,000 steps a day and doing core resistance training.

4. For help with smoking, check out www.smokefree. gov. To overcome alcohol abuse, consider an AA meeting and call SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-435.

Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic.