You have probably always heard that it is important to stay hydrated. Well, this is true for more than just the reasons you may suspect. Hydration actually can play a role when it comes to men and women’s fertility and their ability to conceive.
Why Hydration is Important
Most recommend that you drink eight glasses of water a day. Water is vital to maintain basic body functions. The body is made up of about 55- 60 % of water. This will help to improve fertility and to help make your future baby healthier. For a newborn baby, their body is made up of about 78% water.
When it comes to getting pregnant it is important to be healthy overall. Your body must produce a healthy egg in order to get optimum fertility. If you are malnourished or dehydrated you may notice that your body could not even ovulate at all. Making sure that you are hydrated helps to ensure that the nutrients your body needs can be processed and properly transported.
Being dehydrated can lead to a decreased sperm quality and less volume of semen for men. For women, dehydration can result in poor egg health and less cervical mucus secretion. Both of which are vital for transportation of sperm to the fallopian tubes. When it comes to dehydration within the female body the reproductive system is the first to suffer because it is not vital to overall health. Drinking water will help to improve your overall health, and therefore increase your fertility.
Water and Implantation
Once an egg is fertilized, it then has to travel to the uterus in order to succeed with implantation. The endometrium, lining of the uterus, needs to become thick, and provide cushion and nourishment for the embryo to thrive and grow. Many fertilized eggs do not successfully implant, which results in an early miscarriage. These early miscarriages are often mistaken for periods. In order for implantation to properly occur, water plays a huge part. It also helps to ensure the health of your uterus.
Once you do become pregnant, your blood volume increases. Your hormones will need to be transported to different body parts and harmful toxins must be flushed out. Water is the key to transporting these hormones throughout the body. By drinking plenty of water, you can ensure that your baby has adequate water from the moment of conception. This will help to carry the nutrients to the placenta and to help with overall fetal development. Water is vital for a developing baby’s survival.
How Much Water Should you Drink
The daily recommended water intake for a woman is 2.2 liters, about 9 cups. For a man it is recommended to drink 3 liters, about 12 cups. This can all vary when it comes to your age, activity level, the food and fluid that you consume, and the weather outside.
One easy way to tell if you are well hydrated is the color of your urine. If your urine is straw-colored, light, then you are well hydrated. If your urine is a dark color this can indicate dehydration. Colorless urine indicates that you are drinking too much water and that you may want to decrease the amount a little.
Dehydration
On top of dark colored urine, if you notice the following symptoms you may be suffering from dehydration:
- Dry lips
- Tiredness
- Dry skin
- Irritability
- Headaches
If you are dehydrated it is important to start drinking water right away to help reverse this process.
Hydration is Important
With this busy world, it can be hard to make sure that you drink enough water throughout the day. However, you should try to make sure that you make time for hydration. This is especially important if you are trying to conceive. Being properly hydrated will not only help to improve your overall health, but the health of your potential child.