Ready to take
the plunge?

In other words, are you ready trying to conceive?

After all, getting pregnant is not as easy as most people imagine.

On average, a couple having regular, unprotected intercourse has only a 20% to 25% chance each month of getting pregnant. It takes half of all couples more than six months to conceive!

Yet most people prepare their cars for a weekend trip better than they prepare their bodies for a pregnancy. It makes sense to stack these odds in your favor by making sure you have the best chance to make a baby before you begin trying. That means the first questions you may want to answer are: "What needs to happen for us to get pregnant and how can I check each part to make sure it's working?"

So first things first. Preconception care or knowing how you need to take care of yourself before you conceive is important! It can have a significant impact on you and your baby's health.

You need to meet with your doctor who is experienced in this specialty before pregnancy. It usually consists of an assessment of the health of both potential parents, although a greater emphasis is usually placed on that of the mother. And it may also involve doing some tests.

A

Your weight

  • The time to reach your ideal weight is before you conceive. Weight loss is not recommended while pregnant.
  • Obesity puts your pregnancy in a high-risk category, increasing your chances for gestational diabetes.
  • Underweight women sometimes have irregular or no ovulation, making it extremely difficult to get pregnant, and during pregnancy they have a higher risk of delivering a low birth-weight baby.
B

Your diet

  • You'll need to be at your dietary best to provide the nutrients both of you will need.
  • Try not to have more than 300 mg of caffeine per day. That's equal to two cups of coffee, three cups of tea, or two glasses of caffeinated soda.
  • Be sure you add a folic acid supplement of at least 400 micrograms a day as soon as you think about the possibility of getting pregnant. Folic acid is essential in preventing fetal malformations such as neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, and fetal cardiac problems. This protection applies to the very early stages of pregnancy, so it's vital to start the folic acid supplement at least one to two months before you conceive.
C

Your exercise routine

  • Make any revisions to your current physical activity, or discuss activities to add to your day that are both safe and helpful in preparing you for the big workout called labor and delivery.

D

Your home and workspaces

  • Now is the time to remove hazards to you and your future child, such as lead paint, asbestos, and harmful chemicals.
E

Your lifestyle

  • If you smoke, quit immediately. There are few changes you can make that so dramatically increase your and your family's health outlook than stopping smoking. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor for help quitting. This goes for your partner, too. Illegal drug use should cease, too. It's also safest to stop alcohol consumption as soon as you start trying to conceive.
  • It is also recommended to do a semen analysis before you begin trying to conceive. Knowing ahead of time that his sperm is OK -enough healthy sperms that are able to move well through your cervix -- gives you peace of mind, or if there is a problem you can address it before spending a long time trying to conceive.
  • It's perfectly safe to start trying to conceive as soon as you stop the pill.. No adverse pregnancy outcome is expected even if you happen to get pregnant the day after stopping the pill. However, after you stop the pill, it's not unusual for ovulation, and therefore your period, to take some time to return. If your menstrual period doesn't return, or if it continues to remain very irregular for several months, that may be a sign that you haven't started ovulating regularly yet. It's usually suggested that you see your doctor if your period hasn't come about three to four months after stopping the pill..

When you're done, remember there are some other questions to consider:

Are You Physically Prepared?

Are You Emotionally Prepared?

Are you Financially prepared?

Is your Home Prepared with suitable infrastructure for the baby?