Are you trying to get pregnant ?
In an ideal world you and your body should be fully prepared for pregnancy - before conception - there are aspects of your lifestyle that
may affect you getting pregnant, factors that you may or may not be aware of. pregnancy preparation is very important if you
are trying to get pregnant. Diet and lifestyle choices play an important role in pregnancy Proper pregnancy preparation before trying to get pregnant will increase your
chances of conceiving and may also decrease the risk of pregnancy complications. In preparing for pregnancy you will also learn more about your body and family history, not to mention have a greater
understanding of your monthly cycle, the best time to conceive and a lot more besides.
Learn how to predict ovulation
If you are having difficulty conceiving then part of your trying to get pregnant preparation should be keeping a record of your
menstrual cycle for several months - this will help you to work out when you are at your most fertile (typically around 14 days after
the first day of your last period). Write down how many days your period and emnstrual cycle lasted.
Cervical mucus test
If you are wondering when ovulation occurs then there is a simple check you can perform. It doesn't require any ovulation test kits, doesn't cost money and
is a part of natural family planning - the test is a cervical mucas test - about 2 weeks after the start of your last period you should expect to ovulate - around this time, when you
go to the bathroom - keep alert for a vaginal discharge. The vaginal discharge you are looking for is a cervical mucus which is a stretchy, usually white discharge. If you take some between your fingers
it should be kid of rubbery and stretchy.
Basal body temperature (BBT) test
The other test is a called a basal body temperature test - again this test is used in
natural family planning - just before ovulation a woman’s basal body temperature rises slightly by about 0.5 degrees F - you take your basal temperature by
using a vaginal thermometer in the morning (just after waking up and before eating or drinking) - you are most fertile a few days before the temperature
rises and on the day when the temperature rises.
Ovulation predictors:
You
can buy these kits from a drug store or click on the amazon link to the left - they predict fertility by measuring the level of luteinising hormone
in the urine.
Preparing your body for trying to get pregnant
Diet:
Its true to say that your fertility can depend a lot on what you eat - both man and woman need a healthy balanced diet to produce healthy sperm
and eggs.
Weight:
Keep your body weight as close to your ideal weight as you can - pre-pregnancy weight can have an important influence on pregnancy -
women whose weight falls is not ideal can have an increased risk of missing periods (called amenorrhoea) and infertility - if you are
underweight you should examine your diet and eat and exercise and try increase your weight - if you are overweight prior to pregnancy
you should strive to reduce your weight on a sensible weight loss and exercise program - its important that your body gets the right nourishment
so you can't starve yourself - it could be in your best interests to visit your doctor and develop a weight loss plan specifically with your plan
of 'trying to get pregnant' in mind - avoid crash diets - any woman who crash diets is strongly advised against becoming pregnant.
Prenatal supplements:
Start taking folic acid or prenatal supplements that include folic acid - medical research shows that taking extra folic acid
for 12 weeks before conception and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy can help to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida - folic acid supplements are widely available.
Exercise and stress reduction:
Ideally you should engage in regular exercise - exercise if known to reduce stress and its becoming generally accepted that stress influences reproduction - stress may affect fertility, your predisposition to miscarriage and induce premature labor -
regular, gentle exercise will improve blood flow and oxygen circulation in the body, help build muscle and fitness and most of all help you to relax.
Infections in a woman who is trying to get pregnant:
Any woman who is trying to get pregnant should make sure that she has had her MMR (measles, mumps and rebella) shot -
any infection, of the urinary, reproductive or respiratory tracts should be completely gone and any sexually transmitted
disease in either partner, should be treated before conception is even attempted.
What does smoking mean to a woman who is trying to get pregnant ?:
Smoking reduces fertility in both men and women. It is a very damaging addiction and can be very harmful to your unborn baby.
Giving up alcohol before trying to get pregnant:
Stop drinking alcohol - and this applies to both men and women ! - research clearly indicates that drinking alcohol decreases sperm count, increase the amount of abnormal sperm
and a reduces the amount of mobile sperm - alcohol can also affect a man’s fertility by changing the way testosterone is produced - as far as women are concerned,
studies show that women who drink heavily may actually stop ovulating and miss periods and take longer to conceive - alcohol consumption during pregnancy can
damage your baby and women who drink every day have a much higher risk of miscarriage.
Drug use and abuse before trying to get pregnant:
Marijuana (hash or hashish) can lower two key hormone levels in men (FSH and LH) that are used in sperm production - male cocaine users have a lower sperm count, more immobile sperm and more
abnormal sperm than non cocaine users. For woman trying to get pregnant, marijuana use can lead to irregular periods, reduced fertility and can even stop
ovulation occuring altogether. Ecstasy has been linked to foetal abnormalities and hard drugs such as heroin can damage the chromosomes in the
sperm and egg also leading to foetal abnormalities.
Its important that you discuss any medications you are taking with your doctor - many drugs are have an adverse effect on pregnancy and with some drugs its really
unknown what level of influence they have on a woman before conception, when a woman is trying to become pregnant - all medication should be screened both by you and
your doctor - this includes all over-the-counter medications such as cold and flu remedies, antacids and laxatives, painkillers, and psychotrophic drugs (tranquillisers
or antidepressants), prescribed or otherwise.