Most couples desire to have a child after a few years of marriage. And nothing is more frustrating than not being able to accomplish what you really yearn for. In this case, infertility that causes a reduced capacity to conceive can get extremely stressful and unnerving.

Infertility should not be confused with sterility, which occurs when the eggs or the sperm are not fertile and incapable of producing offspring. Infertility is diagnosed if conception does not take place after a year of unprotected intercourse.

And even if infertility is diagnosed, there is not reason to fret or get agitated about the condition. Modern science has developed to a large extent to provide various treatments that can ensure conception even in couples that are infertile.

However, the first approach to infertility should be to try and maximize fertility since not all cases require medical or surgical treatments. There are various conditions that can cause infertility that range from stress and anxiety to physiological disorders. Fertility levels can be increased by ensuring that certain aspects of your life are kept under control and managed well. Though there is no guarantee on the effectiveness of these suggestions they do not have any side effects. On the contrary, they are practices that will ensure that you stay healthy and fit otherwise.

- Get the timing right - make use of tools available for calculating the days when you will be most fertile. This can be done by observing your menstrual cycle for a few months and then arriving at the days when you are most likely to conceive. However, if your cycle is more than 35 days or less than 21 days, this option may not be able to provide accurate days on which you should have sex with your partner. - Manage your diet better - Though no specific food will increase fertility per se, eating healthy can keep your weight under control. This is important since it has been researched and observed that about 12% of the infertility cases result from obesity or undernourishment. Inculcate habits like eating fruits for desert, reducing or eliminating the intake of alcohol, quitting smoking and reducing the intake of caffeine. Make sure that you don't end up loosing weight if you are already undernourished. But this does not mean that you fill yourself with junk food either. It is eating right that matters! - Exercise each day - Estrogen is a hormone that can affect fertility levels. And 30% of the estrogen comes from fat cells. It is therefore, natural that excess or inadequate levels of estrogen can cause hormonal imbalances that can result in infertility. Moderate levels of exercise should be maintained to ensure that excess fat is burnt. Even if you are not overweight, exercising can keep you fit and stress-free, increasing your chances of conception further. - Learn to relax - Relaxing and not worrying about conception is easier said than done. But it has been observed in many cases that when the couple actually gives up trying too hard to conceive is when they are actually able to produce the expected results. You could put in effort to relax by enrolling in a yoga or meditation class. Alternately, you could evaluate training in breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and the like. Though stress does not cause infertility, stress can rob the body of essential nutrients, harm the immune system and cause depression. - Choose the right sexual positions - The chances of conceiving are best when the sperm is deposited closest to the cervix. Though this is not so important in fertile women, those who have issues with conception could do well to ensure that the sperm does land closer to the cervix. Avoid positions like sitting, standing or the woman on top. Attempts should be made to reduce the amount of sperm that leaks out after the intercourse and you could do this by positioning the woman's hip in a manner that allows the sperm to travel inwards. The missionary position allows the deepest penetration and places the sperm closest to the cervix. Additionally, a pillow can be kept under the woman's hip after intercourse to allow time for the sperm to reach the cervix. Entering from behind can also prove to be a good position that can enhance chances of conception. The side position is also an option.

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