If you are hoping to have children in the future, it's important to be proactive about your fertility. While some things that are beyond your control like your age and medical conditions may negatively impact your fertility, other factors are definitely within your control. Here are five ways you can protect your fertility and boost your chances of having a family:

Manage Your Weight

Being either very underweight or very overweight can negatively impact your fertility by causing problems with ovulation. Maintaining a healthy weight not only helps improve your overall health, but can also make it easier to get pregnant as well as to have a healthy pregnancy. Doctors recommend a Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 19 and 24 for optimal health and fertility.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Many expectant moms are sure to eat a healthy diet while pregnant, in order to help their baby get the best start in life. But it's actually important to start eating a healthy diet long before you conceive, in order to help boost your overall health as well as your fertility. A nutrient and mineral-rich diet made mostly of unprocessed, whole foods, can help get your body in tip-top shape for conceiving a baby and having a healthy pregnancy.

Avoid Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Untreated sexually transmitted diseases, especially chlamydia, can ruin fertility. Practicing safe sex is the best way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, but if you suspect there's a chance you've been exposed to one it's important to get screened by your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner the STD is treated, the less impact it will have on your fertility.

Limit Drinking

Everyone knows that drinking while pregnant is a terrible idea, but heavy drinking can also negatively affect your fertility. If you are hoping to become pregnant in the near future, it's best to limit alcohol to no more than a couple of drinks per week.

Keep Stress in Check

While worrying about your fertility might make you anxious, anxiety and stress can actually be detrimental to your fertility. Doctors have noted that stress can be linked to at least 30% of infertility cases. Regularly engaging in stress-busting activities like deep breathing, exercise, and meditation, will keep your stress levels low and therefore boost your fertility.

By following these tips, you will be doing what you can to help protect and boost your fertility in healthy ways. To learn more, speak with someone like Florham Park OB/GYN Dr. Donald Chervenak MD.