Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or just planning for the future, it is important to identify your health-related risk factors and talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you may have. Early detection and treatment of problems that may affect fertility are often critical in achieving successful pregnancy outcomes later.

Here are factors that may affect your ability to ovulate, conceive, or carry a pregnancy to term:

Body fat – excessive or very low body fat can be a factor in conception problems or pregnancy complications.
A Chronic diseases such as lupus, diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, or asthma, and/or the drugs used to treat them can lead to a harder time conceiving and may affect your pregnancy and need to be closely monitored by your healthcare provider.
Abnormal Pap smears that have resulted in surgical treatment such as cryosurgery or cone biopsy should be discussed with your doctor, preferably prior to becoming pregnant.
If your mother took DES while she was pregnant with you, speak to your doctor, this fact may affect size or shape of your uterus.
Hormonal imbalance such as periods exceeding six days, unusually short or long cycles, irregular cycles, very heavy periods, excessive facial hair, breast discharge, or acne on face, neck, and back should all be discussed with your OBGYN to pinpoint and / or eliminate possible risks.
History of multiple miscarriages is information your doctor most likely already knows about unless it is a new doctor to you, in which case you should discuss your history in full and plan together for a successful pregnancy in the future.
Environmental factors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, or exposure to workplace hazards or toxins are all known as potential risks before and during pregnancy. Do your best to eliminate or at the very least minimize your exposure.

It is important to do your best to lead a healthy lifestyle for a good quality of life throughout your entire life, but when trying to conceive/planning a pregnancy, it is even more important to care for your body properly for it is going to be where your baby grows for nine months.

So you and your partner-in-crime decided it is time to expand the family. Congratulations! While you think and act on that notion, there are a few things you want to take care of simultaneously to prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy.

• Control your weight. Get as close to your ideal weight as possible. Obesity and/or underweight can affect your baby’s health as well as your chances to conceive.
• This is the time to quit smoking. Avoiding secondhand smoke is important as well, and this is not the time to take chances. Smoking can cause birth defects, premature birth and low birth weight. It also increases risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and asthma.
• Stop drinking alcohol. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause serious birth defects and learning disabilities.
• Quit recreational drugs. They all have an adverse effect on your baby – some can cause permanent brain damage and/or severe birth defects.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about prescription medications you are taking. Some drugs for heart disorders, blood thinners and some medications for depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders are not to be taken while pregnant.
• Start taking prenatal vitamins, including folic acid, calcium and other nutrients. They are important to a healthy pregnancy and baby, and are recommended three months before conception.
• Talk to your OBGYN about genetic testing you may need to consider depending on ethnicity and family health history.
• Find out your HIV status. HIV-positive women can spare their babies from contracting the disease if they are aware of their HIV status before delivery.

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• Ovulation

“I have a child, therefore I know I am fertile and should have no problems getting pregnant again.” Isn’t that right?

Well, it isn’t. Secondary infertility is found in about 20% of women and is most common among women who have waited with pregnancy till their 30’s or 40’s, when fertility declines. Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children. Causes for secondary infertility may be similar to those of primary infertility (childless couple who are unable to conceive).

There are a variety of reasons why secondary infertility may occur.  Since your last pregnancy, you or your partner may have had an infection, gained some weight, or started eating fewer healthy foods. These minor changes in your lifestyle can have grave repercussions on your reproductive health. Also your egg quality may have begun to decrease (natural process as you get older) or your partner’s sperm may not be what it once was during his youthful years. Abnormalities with sperm and ejaculation are frequently cited as causes of secondary infertility.

Luckily, there is a lot you can do to increase your chances to conceive for the second, third (or more) time. First, you should start taking prenatal vitamins. Folic acid and iron have been proven to improve fertility. Knowing when you are ovulating is crucial. If your cycle is regular, (28-30 days) have sex on days 10-14 (start the count on the first day of your period). Using an ovulation kit can be beneficial to zero in on the exact days you are ovulating.

Age is a factor when getting pregnant. If you’re 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for more than six months, speak to your OBGYN, who will most likely run some tests to see what the root of the problem is. Avoid Antihistamines and vitamin C supplements. They dry out the cervical fluid that helps sperm find its way to your egg.  Lubricants can block sperm’s path and should also be avoided. Stress, though hard to control, should be minimized and some ways to overcome stress is to do something fun, laugh, take a relaxing hot bath, pamper yourself to a massage or go on a getaway weekend with your partner. Whatever calms you down, do it!

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When trying to conceive, we usually assume all we need to do is, well, have sex. Isn’t that so? Well, it turns out that there are some things we should NOT be doing, for they may decrease or even diminish the changes of becoming pregnant.

Ironically, stress can keep you from getting pregnant. But how can you not be stressed when all you can think about is pregnancy and the fact that you are still not pregnant? What a paradox! What can you do? Rather than forcing yourself to relax, try watching a comedy show, a funny movie or a silly sitcom that makes you laugh every day.  As they saying goes, laughter can be the best medicine.

Getting pregnant is not just a woman’s problem. Male fertility factors contribute to approximately 40% of all infertility cases. For men, many medications to control a chronic condition can have a harmful effect on fertility. Have your partner check the facts and side effects of medications he is using and if they decrease his fertility, he may want to consider temporarily stopping those meds or find different alternatives that do not cause infertility.  Before making those decisions, you should consult your physician.

Using the wrong lubrication when you are having intercourse can spoil your chances of getting pregnant. Most store-bought lubricants, Vaseline and KY jell damage the quality of sperm. If you are using any of the above lubricants, you may be reducing your chances to conceive by about 50%. Instead, you can use egg white or Pre-Seed as lubricants, or increase your natural lubrication with foreplay.

Vitamin C can be used to increase or decrease your fertility depending on the dosage. With small intakes of vitamin C, you can actually increase the amount of cervical fluid, which is important for transporting the sperm to your cervix and on to your uterus, where it will eventually meet up with your egg. Too much Vitamin C can dry up the cervical fluid. A proper dose is around 500mg-1000mg a day.

Good luck!

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• Infertility

Planning on getting pregnant? Keep in mind; it can take longer than you think. Yes, there are couples who are very fertile and will conceive on the first try, or get pregnant after having sex only once, but the chances of this scenario are slimmer than you may think.

We are taught to never have unprotected sex, in order to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Although, it is a good way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases, it leads to misconceptions of the actual chances of conception. Here are some facts you may want to take into consideration while planning to conceive. Don’t be discouraged, but have patience.

After getting off birth control pills it can (but doesn’t have to) take a little while before you become pregnant. Some healthcare providers say that your body needs to ‘clean itself out off the hormones’, while others say there is no truth to this statement. Regardless of which of the two you choose to believe, be aware that you may not conceive the month following termination of your birth control pills. This is not an indication for a problem. Take your time and continue trying.

Stress is a major factor in delayed conception. When trying to get pregnant, try to avoid stress in your life. If you exercise, continue to do so, or find another way to relax. Stressing over the coveted pregnancy that does not happen can delay it as well. Plan a romantic getaway for two and try to ‘let it happen’ rather than force it on.

To get pregnant faster, you certainly need to have frequent sex, preferably before you ovulate (after which it is too late for this month. But no worries, there is always next month). Sperm can live for three to five days in your body, which means you can have sex even several days before you ovulate and still conceive.

To increase your chances of conception, start having sex every day (or every other day) on the 10^th day of your cycle (start counting on the first day of your period). Try to keep stress levels in your life low, especially does related to whether or not you become pregnant, but also at work, home, etc. Eat healthy and exercise and do not get discouraged if it takes longer than desired. Most couples will achieve a pregnancy within the first 12-18 months. After 12 months, you can speak to your ob/gyn about other options for you and your partner.

Best of luck! And stay positive. Attitude does make a difference!