If you’re trying to conceive it can be quite stressful. Most women rely on a healthy diet and regular exercise to increase their fertility, but others will go to any lengths to have a baby. Here are some wonderful ways to increase your chances of getting pregnant from around the world. We are slightly sceptical about their chances of success, however…
Weird and wacky ways around the world to boost your fertility
Sleep on the Dorset hills
If you nap on the 180ft grassy figure of the naked Cerne Abbas Giant it's believed you'll be able to conceive. According to the Office of National Statistics, the surrounding areas in South West England have the highest birth rates in the country.
Drink baboon urine
The high level of oestrogen in a baboon's urine is thought to stimulate fertility by preparing your ovaries to become more sperm-friendly. Tribal communities in Zimbabwe swear by urine with beer as a cocktail for parenthood. Mmm…
Get wet in Hungary
The Watering of the Girls festival in Holloko, Hungry, which dates back to the 2nd century AD, is believed to cleanse and empower women with the gift of fertility. Women dressed in traditional clothing flock the streets and get buckets of water thrown at them by local men. Pencil it in!
Beetle juice shots
Apparently, the poisonous juice of the Spanish fly is one of the world's oldest aphrodisiacs for natural fertility used by the Ancient Romans. It causes irritation and increases blood flow to your genital area, so your sexual desire will hit the rooftops. But the side effects include scratching, convulsions and the possibility of death.
Eat bird's nest soup
The Asian delicacy of eating a swiftlet bird's nest is thought to get you in the mood for love. The nests are made solely out of the bird's saliva - no twigs, branches or leaves. It's used as an infertility treatment by Chinese herbal practitioners - simply soak the nest overnight and add chicken stock. You may need some salt handy if you're trying this. It's said to have an acquired taste.
Stick your thumb in a Turkish hole
The Weeping Column in the Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul, is thought to bring you babies. Taken from the Temple of Artemis in Ancient Greece and placed in this museum, women place their thumb in the column's hole and rotate it to as close to 360 degrees as possible. If your thumb has been blessed with the healing holy water then luck is on your side!
Research commissioned by Holland & Barrett
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