While some couples have no problems getting pregnant, others may need a bit of help. Although nine out of ten couples will successfully conceive a baby within a year of trying without doing anything special, according to the March of Dimes, there are some things that can be done to increase the likelihood of conceiving sooner rather than later.
Get Healthy
Drinking alcohol, smoking and doing drugs are not healthy for anyone, but especially not for women trying to get pregnant. These things not only interfere with fertility itself, explains the Australian government's Better Health Channel website, but will also harm the developing baby if conception does occur. When a couple has made the decision to try to conceive a child, the Mayo Clinic recommends that both the man and woman should be as healthy as possible by exercising regularly, eating nutritious foods, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding stress and taking a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin.
Have Sex Right Before Ovulation
Proper timing is essential in allowing a sperm to fertilize an egg. While sperm can live days inside of the woman's uterus, the egg only survives approximately 12 to 24 hours, explains the American Pregnancy Association. Having sexual intercourse right before ovulation will increase the likelihood of fertilization. Ovulation can be predicted in several ways. The woman can monitor changes in her body, especially changes to her cervix and cervical mucus. Cervical fluid will change from thick and sticky to stretchy, clear mucus that resembles egg whites, while the cervix itself will get higher and softer. Some women also have swollen and tender breasts, slight cramping and an increase in libido as ovulation approaches. All women will experience a rise in their basal body temperature--the temperature of the body before getting out of bed in the morning--after ovulation. Charting the patterns of the basal body temperature during menstrual cycles can also help a woman predict ovulation. Using ovulation predictor kits, which are available online and in many drugstores, can also be useful.
See a Doctor
Although many couples will be able to successfully conceive a baby on their own with no additional intervention, those who have difficulty should discuss their fertility issues with a doctor. Irregular periods, hormonal imbalances, damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, low sperm count or low sperm motility are just some examples of things that may interfere with conception. Fortunately, these problems can frequently be corrected with medical intervention. Couples under the age of 35 should consider talking to a doctor after a year of trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully, while those over 35 may want to consult a doctor after trying unsuccessfully for six months.
