Although she’s over the age of 40, TV and movie actress Tasha Smith wants a baby–now! The outspoken actress shared that she wants to have a child with her husband of nearly five years.
“I’m working on it, honey. As a matter of fact, I’ll be ovulating soon. I countdown my days of travel during that time of ovulation. I get home or stay home,” she shared. “When you’re 42, you gotta pee on the stick! I’m taking it honey around the clock.”
READ: Pregnancy After 35: 11 Health Tips
Even though she hasn’t birthed any biological children (yet), Smith is a mother to her husband’s five kids. And it’s not far fetched that she can’t have children at a later age. As a matter of fact, more and more women are waiting until later to have children.
If you’re looking to wait, here’s three tips to stay fertile after age 40:
Take Your Vitamins
Research from Dr. Jorge Chavarro, author of “The Fertility Diet”, shows that women who took iron supplements were 40 percent less likely to have fertility problems. So be sure to look for a vitamin with at least 40 milligrams of iron and 400 micrograms of folic acid, and get in the habit of taking them every morning. This appears to improve fertility by stimulating ovulation and giving an embryo essential procreation.
Practice Safe Sex
Safe sex, including using condoms, can be a crucial factor in your future ability to get pregnant. If you contract an STD such as gonorrhea or chlamydia and it goes untreated, that can lead to a serious condition called pelvic inflammatory disease, which can scar the fallopian tubes, causing infertility. Please be sure that you and your partner get tested.
READ: Kerry Washington: 5 Health Tips For First-Time Moms
See Your Doctor
This should seem like a no-brainer, but many forget this crucial part. If you want to stay in top physical shape, get fertility-sapping health issues—like diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, etc—under control with your doctor’s help. A doctor can diagnose and treat STDs, as well as devise a healthy diet and exercise plan to ensure your baby comes out happy and healthy.
For more articles on women’s health, visit the BlackDoctor.org Women’s Health center.