Your fertility may seem like a given or a matter of luck, but you should never leave it entirely to chance. Roughly 1 in 10 women have a hard time getting and staying pregnant (OASH), but there are things you can do right now to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

7 Steps You Can Take Right Now To Increase the Chances of Getting Pregnant

While some factors may be out of your control, several practical steps couples can take when planning to conceive increase your chances of getting pregnant sooner rather than later.

This is why we recommend that couples start preparing their bodies for pregnancy before they’re ready to start trying. And, yes – we meant bodies – plural. The male partner’s body matters, too, when it comes to increasing your fertility chances.

So sit down with your partner and start planning to integrate these lifestyle tips into your daily life.

1. Create meal plans that focus on anti-inflammatory foods

Inflammation is involved in virtually every health issue that compromises fertility, from endometriosis and PMOS (two of the most common causes of female infertility) to low sperm count and metabolic health conditions that negatively impact conception.

We recommend starting to eat like you’re already pregnant (minus the extra 300-ish calories, which you don’t need during the first trimester anyway) because the same diet that supports pregnancy supports couples planning to conceive. The foods recommended during pregnancy are all considered anti-inflammatory, and pregnancy diets eliminate or minimize processed sugars and foods that contribute to inflammation or increase health risks.

2. Schedule a pre-conception appointment with your OB/GYN

It’s helpful for your OB/GYN to know you’re planning to get pregnant because it affects what they ask and their overall focus on your reproductive health.

Please let them know:

• If you ever experience irregular periods (that should be investigated, as it impacts ovulation).
• About heavier-than-normal or very painful periods (you could have endometriosis).
• If you’ve ever had an STD or if you haven’t been tested in a while (it’s always good to have a clean bill of health in the STD world, as many of them negatively impact fertility if left unaddressed).
• Genetic carrier screening can be done at this time if recommended by your provider.

Your OB/GYN should provide you with personalized recommendations based on your medical and reproductive health history.

3. Start using a fertility tracking app

Fertility tracking apps have become one of the best free and essential tools for women trying to get pregnant. After a few months of logging your physical symptoms and other details throughout your menstrual cycle, fertility tracking apps can accurately predict ovulation. That becomes essential for timing sexual intercourse accordingly.

4. Time sexual intercourse correctly (don’t wait until you ovulate)

Conceiving doesn’t happen the way they show it on TV. On screen, we see women who test for ovulation and then scramble to have sex immediately after it happens. In real life, that may already be too late, which is why fertility specialists give different instructions.

Healthy female eggs are viable for between 12 and 24 hours. Healthy male sperm are viable for five to seven days (some super sperm live even longer!). Therefore, couples planning to conceive should have sex every day or at least every other day for five to six days leading up to ovulation, as well as on ovulation day. This maximizes the number of sperm available to fertilize the freshly released egg.

5. Have your partner test his sperm

Unfortunately, the bulk of the focus is placed on women when a couple can’t conceive. In truth, the infertility factors are split 50/50 between men and women. While we know there are now at-home sperm tests out there, we highly recommend scheduling the test through your GP so it’s collected accurately and tested in a high-quality lab.

Out-of-pocket costs to test sperm at a legitimate lab typically cost between $300 and $500, but most health insurance companies pick up a significant portion of this tab. These tests are cheaper than the diagnostic tests for women, many of which are more invasive. If your partner’s sperm are healthy, that’s great information. If his sperm count is low, or if there are motility issues (how well the sperm move), that can change how you move forward.

5. Stop drinking for now (along with smoking and taking recreational drugs)

Alcohol impacts fertility rates as well as fetal health. It also impacts male sperm count. Once you’re ready to get pregnant, both of you should cut out alcohol, cigarettes, and any recreational drugs. All of these have been associated with fertility issues, so why risk it? Cleaning up your act now improves your chances of getting pregnant and gives you a clean slate once you become a parent.

6. Establish healthy sleep habits

Sleep is essential to every aspect of human health and well-being, including fertility. Healthy sleep (7 to 9 hours per night) helps to regulate:

• Hormone balance.
• Metabolism and blood sugar.
• Moods and stress levels.
• Circadian rhythm.
• Inflammation.
• And more.

If you work a night or swing shift, see if you can shift your schedule. Multiple studies correlate night-shift work with female infertility and higher-risk pregnancy outcomes.

Harvard’s post, Adopt Good Sleep Habits, can help get you off to a good start.

7. See a fertility specialist sooner rather than later

There are very clear guidelines for when a couple should seek support from a fertility specialist, based on age and length of trying to conceive.

• If you’re under 35: If you’ve done everything listed above and have tried to conceive for 12 consecutive months without success, it’s time to visit a fertility specialist.
• If you’re 35-38: Women in this age bracket should schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist after honoring healthy lifestyle tips and trying to get pregnant for 6 consecutive months.
• If you’re 40+: If you are older than 40, seek support from a fertility specialist after 3 months.

Even if you do have to pursue fertility treatment, your dedication to following these healthy lifestyle tips for conceiving increases your chances of fertility treatment success.

Schedule a Pre-Conception Consultation with Northwest Women’s Clinic

Are you ready to start trying to conceive? The team at NWWC is excited to get you started on the right path. Schedule a pre-conception consultation so we can customize your fertility plan and timeline with your age and medical/reproductive history.

Have you been trying to conceive without success and worrying that something might be wrong? Don’t waste another minute of potentially unnecessary stress. Contact us to schedule an appointment so we can learn more about your journey.