Attempting a pregnancy can be an overwhelming process at times. There are many variables that can affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant, and the stress of “trying” can often lead to a strain in even the most successful and supportive relationships. So what’s a woman to do? To start, there are some basic things that women can do to ensure that they are best-prepared for pregnancy, as well as ways to help achieve a pregnancy faster.
First, see your OB-GYN! Make sure you are up to date on your annual exam, and then schedule an appointment to sit down and discuss getting pregnant. Review your medications and make sure that there are no changes that need to be made prior to a pregnancy. Many medications for common medical problems, including some antidepressants, antibiotics, cholesterol-lowering medications, blood pressure medications, and anxiety medications may need to be changed prior to becoming pregnant. Discuss concerns regarding genetic risks, especially if you are over the age of 35. Ask about testing for possible genetic conditions, including cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, and other inherited disorders. If you have a family history of genetic conditions or serious medical problems, be sure to bring this up as well. Your doctor may recommend blood testing to ensure that you are up to date on your vaccinations as well, and might suggest getting the rubella or TDAP vaccine prior to pregnancy. Your OB-GYN might also recommend increasing your exercise or getting to a more ideal weight before attempting pregnancy as well. Last (and most crucial), discuss the different options for prenatal vitamins, and review the best choice for you with your doctor. Ideally, you should be on a prenatal vitamin for at least one full month prior to attempting pregnancy, to make sure that your levels of folic acid are adequate before you become pregnant.
Your OB-GYN will likely offer advice on different methods to help you achieve pregnancy as well. These methods of timing intercourse to the most fertile time of your cycle range from a simple method of counting your cycle days to the more complex, ovulation predictor testing.
To count your cycle, you should count the first day of your period as Day #1. For most women, the average cycle length is between 26-30 days, and this method should be fairly effective. The best time in your cycle to become pregnant is between Days 11-17 of your cycle, and I typically recommend timing intercourse every other day during that time; that is, on Days 11, 13,15, and 17. There are smart-phone apps available to aid in this method as well, many of which are free.
An intermediate method of timing is basal body temperature monitoring. This method involves taking your temperature every morning immediately on waking before getting out of bed. These temperatures should be taken with a digital thermometer, and should be recorded on a graph. Around the time of ovulation, you should notice a rise in baseline body temperature, and this will indicate your most fertile time – have intercourse at this point. This temperature rise is typically only about 0.5 degrees Farenheit, and this method is very dependent on how it is performed.
The most accurate over-the-counter method available to aid in attempting pregnancy is ovulation predictor kit testing. There are many commercially available kits, all of which test for the surge in lutenizing hormone, or LH, that occurs 24-36 hours before ovulation. These kits come with detailed instructions, and should be used as directed in the packaging. The color change or positive test occurs with the LH surge, and this is the ideal time to have intercourse to achieve a pregnancy.
The average rate of pregnancy, for an ideal couple, is only about 20% per cycle, meaning that it can take several months to become pregnant, even under the best conditions. Don’t be disappointed if you aren’t pregnant in the first cycle – or even the first few cycles. Keep trying, and if you aren’t pregnant after 6-8 months, contact your physician for further evaluation.
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