5 weird ways to help you conceive

From food to furniture placement, methods for aiding conception are varied. Photo / iStock

According to a recent study by Japanese and US researchers, unnatural light has been added to the long, sometimes strange, list of causes stopping women from getting pregnant.

With one in seven couples having trouble conceiving, various methods have been touted as being effective in helping up chances of conception.

Here are five surprising ideas.

1. Check your Feng Shui blockages

A pregnancy site suggests the placement of your furniture could be hindering your efforts and says to look for blockages in your home that may be stopping the free-flow of energy. It also suggests placing fertility 'symbols' around the bedroom - apparently a picture of a pomegranate will do the trick - and minimising interfering energies from laptops and cell phones.

2. Eat pineapple

Pineapple is said to aid conception because it's rich in an anti-inflammatory enzyme which can help embryos implant into the uterine lining. Eating pineapple has also been advised for pregnant women who are overdue.

3. Keep your socks on

On the website mom.me, one woman shared her story of being advised to wear socks during sex to help conceive. While this sounds like an unlikely fix, another site suggests it could be effective. Poor circulation can hinder fertility in men and women, so the idea of warmer feet to keep blood flowing may have some merit.

4. Egg white lubricant

The idea of inserting raw egg white down there before trying for a baby is noted on several pregnancy sites. The logic behind this is twofold: The egg white will act as a lubricant and mimic the ideal environment conception.

5. Drink baboon urine

If you could get hold of it, tribes in Zimbabwe swear by a not-so-appetising concoction of baboon urine and beer to help couples conceive. It's thought the hormonal content in the urine boosts fertility.

- nzherald.co.nz