Fertility MOT

Tips for getting pregnant

1. Clean up

Eating and living healthily will help. As well as cutting out cigarettes and excessive alcohol, keep your caffeine intake down. Also be careful if you are taking any alternative remedies or vitamin supplements. Watch what you eat, avoiding raw or undercooked meat, raw eggs & soft cheeses. Also check with your chemist if you're about to take any over the counter medication and start taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day to decrease the  risk of neural-tube defects such as spina bifida once you do conceive.

2. Shape up

Whether you are overweight or underweight, this can effect your chances of conception as well as the health of your baby should you conceive. The chances of you conceiving are significantly reduced if you are overweight or obese.

3. Gen up

Familiarise yourself with your menstrual cycle. Ovulation usually happens around 14 days before the first day of your next period.  Get to know how your body works. To maximise your most fertile time, have sex regularly from about 4 days before you ovulate. Sperm can live for several days inside the body so making love before ovulation occurs gives it time to travel up the Fallopian tubes.

4. Relax

It's difficult, but try not to get obsessed with what you're trying to achieve. Don't to limit your sex life to the days around ovulation, as will take the spontaneity and fun out of your relationship. Chill out and aim to have sex on alternate days without religiously checking your calendar. Meanwhile, ignore the myths associated with conceiving... such as post coital handstands!

5. Be patient

For every 100 young couples having sex two to three times a week, about 30 will conceive within one month, 60 within six months and 85 will have conceived within one year. Getting pregnant can take time but doesn't mean that you have any major medical problem that will prevent you conceiving.

However, if you are still trying after 18 months, further investigations via your GP or Fertility MOT would be advised.