Pregnancy

Preparing for pregnancy
Your chances of getting pregnant are affected by your general state of health. It's important to take good care of yourself, which may mean:

Adopting a healthier diet

Start taking folic acid at least 3 months prior to conception

Taking prenatal vitamins

Getting regular exercise. Exercise can help reduce the elevated stress levels that many couples reach when trying to conceive.

Eliminating alcohol to prevent the risks of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Quit smoking

Women who smoke during pregnancy have a greater risk of complications during labor, a greater risk of giving birth prematurely and of having babies of low birth weight.

As well as stopping smoking and alcohol, there are a number of steps you can take to help to avoid harm to your developing baby:

See your doctor if you are taking medicines or other drugs for any reason

Avoid all medicines that are not essential

Do not take Ibuprofen

Avoid eating soft cheeses, pate, soft boiled eggs, cold prepared meats, cook-chilled foods and liver

Do not take Vitamin A tablets

Avoid X-rays including dental X-rays

Wear gloves for changing cat litter and gardening

Wash your hands thoroughly after handling uncooked meat

It is very important to check that you are immune to German Measles (Rubella) and Chicken Pox (Varicella) before you get pregnant. Prior to conception, find out if there are any hereditary problems in your family, such as Sickle Cell Anemia or Thalassemia. If hereditary problems do exist, make certain your doctor or midwife are aware before you stop using contraception.

Some sexually transmitted diseases (STD) can affect your fertility or be passed on to your baby. If you or your partner think that you might be at risk from an STD (including HIV) get tested!

Your partner
Your partner also needs to be as healthy as possible before you try to conceive. His health affects the number of sperm he produces and their quality. Giving up smoking and heavy drinking will maximize the chances of a healthy baby. Both smoking and heavy drinking reduce the number of sperm produced and sperm are more likely to be damaged.

Sperm are sensitive to heat. Tight jeans and underwear made from synthetic material may cause the temperature in the groin to become too high for healthy sperm to develop.

Conceiving
Conception is dependent upon a healthy egg being fertilized by a healthy sperm and becoming implanting in the womb. Ovulation is a woman's most fertile time of the month. Not every woman has a 28-day cycle, so understanding how your personal cycle works will help you determine your most fertile days. Fertilization usually occurs 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. Although some sperm may survive up to 7 days, an egg's life is considerably shorter.

If after 6 months you are not pregnant you might want to try to pinpoint the time when you ovulate more closely. If you don't get pregnant right away you are not unusual and it doesn't necessarily mean that you have a problem. Don't be ashamed or worried if you don't get pregnant after several months of trying. See your doctor or midwife for further information and help after trying for a year to conceive.

Other Resources

Washington's Tobacco Quit Line

Contact the Tobacco Quit Line toll-free at:
1-877-270-STOP (1-877-270-7867);(Espanol) 1-877-2NO-FUME (1-877-266-3863);(Hearing Impaired) TTY 1-877-777-6534

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Resolve: The National Infertility Association