Pregnancy is a matter of chance. It does not always
happen even if the egg and sperm are in the right
place at the right time, and the length of time it
takes varies from couple to couple. Some get lucky
and conceive in the first month; others will still
be trying a year later without any luck, but that
doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong. However,
there are problems, which cannot be solved by simply
following the tips outlined below. These points are
meant to guide you on conception issues and prepare
you for a healthy pregnancy. Once you have made up
your mind to have a baby, you should work on maximizing
your chances of becoming pregnant.
Fertility Facts
For normal fertile couples
trying to conceive, the success rate in any given
month is about 20 percent.
- About 57 percent will conceive within three
months.
- About 75 percent will conceive within six months.
- About 90 percent of couples within one year.
Infertility affects men and women almost equally.
In both sexes, fertility declines with age, but this
problem is more pronounced in women. Fertility declines
after age 50 in men. Conversely fertility starts to
decline around age 30 in women:
- Women aged 15 to 24, 4 percent have difficulty
becoming pregnant.
- Women aged 24 to 34, 13 percent have difficulty
conceiving.
- By age 40, 34 percent of women have conception
problems.
- By age 45, 87 percent of women are infertile.
Sex at the right time
Timing is everything. The best time to make a baby
is just before ovulation. The average length of a
woman's fertility cycle is 28 days, counting Day 1
as the first day of period and the beginning of the
next period as the last day. If you have a regular
28-day cycle, you can predict ovulation to occur middle
of the cycle around Day 14. Many women have different
cycle lengths, which makes calculating the mid- point
difficult..
Assuming there are no fertility problems, it may still
take several months to conceive. Intercourse may not
occur at the moment of ovulation, but there is a four-day
window when sexual activity is likely to result in
pregnancy. Your most fertile time is about 12 to 15
days before the beginning of the next menstrual period.
Ovulation occurs when a mature egg is released. The
time around ovulation is the most optimal time to
have intercourse in order to enhance the chance for
pregnancy.
Maximize your chances
Apart from timing, you should
also consider the following to work out your 'fertile'
period.
Temperature
After ovulation, a woman's
'rest' body temperature or 'basal' temperature rises
by around 0.2°C, and keeps at this level until
menstruation begins. To notice this rise, you need
to record your temperature every morning on a special
chart when you wake up, before going to the bathroom,
before having your morning beverage or before starting
on any other activity. The idea is to not let your
temperature rise. When you have discovered a pattern,
you should have sex on the days just before your temperature
is due to rise. This should be your most fertile time.
Keeping temperature charts can only estimate when
your most fertile time might be, and indicate whether
you're having intercourse near ovulation.
Cervical mucus
Mucus in the cervix is produced
continuously but its appearance changes according
to the hormone levels throughout the monthly cycle.
In the early part of the cycle, the mucus is thick
and sticky, making it difficult for sperm to get through.
As ovulation approaches, the mucus thins and becomes
clear. This allows easy passage of sperm through the
cervix. After ovulation, the mucus becomes thick again.
By observing your mucus pattern you will be able to
determine when the mucus is thin and time intercourse
accordingly.
More sex
The more often you have sex
(around the right time), the more likely you are of
having sex during your fertile period. According to
experts, one of the most common causes of infertility
is infrequent sex at the appropriate time of the cycle.
Put your fears to rest - your partner will not 'run
out' of sperm. Sperm counts are slightly lower if
a man engages in frequent sex, but since each ejaculation
contains millions of sperm this will not affect his
chances at impregnation.
Predictor Kits
You can buy over the counter
ovulation kits, which measure the changing levels
of hormones in the body and help work out the best
time for intercourse and conception.
Male contribution
The best temperature for sperm production is 2-3°C
below the temperature of the rest of the body. That
is why the testes are outside the body. Wearing tight
pants can raise the temperature of the testes and
lower sperm production, so wearing boxer shorts is
worth a thought. Sperm can live up to 72 hours within
the female reproductive tract
Your health and your spouse's
health
A healthy and active lifestyle also promotes your
chances at conceiving (more details to this below)
-
Eat a varied diet with plenty
of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein-rich
food such as fish, poultry or pulses, and whole
grains
-
Avoid smoking, or cut down
if you find it impossible to give up
- Limit alcohol intake
-
Take regular exercise at
least thrice a week for 20 - 30 minutes. Try
walking, swimming or cycling
- Get adequate rest and relaxation. Avoid high
stress levels
What are our chances?
The chances of getting pregnant in each cycle vary
according to a wide range of factors, but perhaps
the most important one is the woman's age.
- For a woman aged 20-25, the chances of conceiving
are around 25 per cent for each cycle (that is
a one in four chance)
- For a woman aged 30-35, the chances reduces
to 15 per cent, and thereafter continues to decline
with increasing age
- It will take a couple in their early twenties
an average of five cycles to conceive
- Women in their early thirties will get pregnant,
on average, after nine cycles
- One in ten couples will take more than a year
to succeed in conceiving
When should we go to the
doctor?
Don't throw in the towel yet. Most GPs will advise
you not to worry if you have been having regular sexual
intercourse without contraception for at least a year.
After a year without success investigation is necessary.
Further if any of the following apply to you and your
partner, you could ask your GP to arrange sperm and
ovulation checks after six months of trying with no
outcome:
- You are over 30 and feel that 'time is running
out'
- You suspect that you might be having problems
with ovulation (perhaps because of very long or
irregular cycles)
- If either of you has had a sexually transmitted
disease
- If you have had abdominal or pelvic surgery
Pre-pregnancy checklist
Planning for a baby can take up to a year in normal
situations. On your part you have to ensure your body
is prepared for this demanding change. In a nutshell
ask yourself these questions:
Alcohol: Are you drinking in moderation
or going overboard?
Drugs and medication: Are you only
taking drugs that have been prescribed by your doctor
who is aware of your plans to conceive?
Work environment: Have you checked on the
safety issues at work? Is changing jobs conducive
while trying to conceive?
Contraceptives: Are you using any form of
contraception?
Stress: Do you know infertility is caused
by high stress levels? Are you doing your part by
eliminating the many stresses in your life as you
possibly can?
Your GP: Do you feel you share a
good relationship with your doctor? Are you aware
that a poor relationship can impact on your health?
Vitamins and minerals: Are you taking
a folic acid supplement?
Rubella: Has your GP checked your immunity
to German measles?
Exercise: Are you keeping fit with regular,
gentle exercises?
Smoking: Have you made attempts to quit,
or at least cut down?
Diet: Are you following a sensible
diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, cereals and
protein? Are you limiting junk food?
Healthy lifestyle and Habits
Diet
- Your food intake becomes all the more important
when trying to have a baby. Eating a variety of
healthy meals and snacks becomes a must.
- Aim for at least five portions a day of fruits
and vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried or in juice
form)
- Incorporate plenty of starchy foods such as
bread, pasta, rice and potatoes into your diet
- Include protein foods such as lean meat and
chicken, fish, eggs and pulses (beans and lentils).
These foods will also supply you with iron (see
below)
- Try eating fish at least twice a week including
some oily fish. But don't have more than two portions
of oily fish a week.
- Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt
contain calcium an integral part of your diet
- Cut down on fatty and sugary foods such as cakes
and biscuits. This will help keep your weight
in check.
- Healthy snacking is important. Examples you
might want to consider are sandwiches filled with
chicken, cottage cheese or egg; low-fat yogurts;
vegetable and bean soups or fruit including fresh,
canned in juice or dried fruit such as raisins
or apricots.
- Pregnant women can become deficient in iron
so make sure build up your iron stores with iron
rich foods. Have vitamin C rich foods such as
cut fruit or vegetables, or a glass of fresh fruit
juice, with any iron-rich meals to help in iron
absorption. Good sources of iron are red meat,
pulses, dried fruits, whole-wheat bread, green
vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals.
Vitamins - Folic Acid
Before conceiving you should start on 400 microgram
(mcg) of folic acid supplement per day. This vitamin
is mandatory from the time you stop using contraception
until the 12th week of pregnancy. This vitamin helps
prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
If you plan on taking a multivitamin ensure the folic
acid contained is 400mcg. Check to ensure vitamin
A or fish liver oils is not present in your supplement.
(Ask your doctor to recommend a suitable multivitamin).
Additionally you can also consume folate the natural
form of folic acid found in green vegetables, brown
rice and fortified bread and breakfast cereals.
Vitamins - Vitamin
A
Make sure you consume vitamin A in moderation. Foods
rich in vitamin A such as liver and liver products,
supplements containing vitamin A or fish liver oils
(which contain high levels of vitamin A) should not
be taken in excess. Some vitamin A is required but
too much during pregnancy could harm your unborn baby.
Ask your doctor if you would like more information.
If you are a fan of tuna fish limit your diet to four
medium-size cans of tuna a week. The levels of mercury
found in this fish can harm a fetus developing nervous
system.
Alcohol
You should limit your intake to no more than 1 or
2 units of alcohol twice a week at the most. (A unit
is half a pint of standard strength beer. A glass
of wine is about 2 units while alcopops is about 1.5
units)
Smoking
You and / or your partner should quit it altogether.
Its as simple as that!
Caffeine
Caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee and colas)is not
linked to fertility problems. However, pregnant women
should limit their intake of caffeine because more
than 300 mg of caffeine per day has been linked to
miscarriage and low birth weight. When trying to conceive
you could start to wean yourself from caffeine so
you get used to a lower intake before you become pregnant.
FYI, 300 mg of
caffeine is roughly equivalent to:
- 3 mugs of instant coffee (100mg each)
- 4 cups of instant coffee (75mg each)
- 3 cups of brewed coffee (100mg each)
- 6 cups of tea (50mg each)
- 8 cans of cola (up to 40mg each)
- 4 cans of 'energy' drink (up to 80mg each)
- 8 (50g) bars of plain chocolate (up to 50mg
each). Caffeine in milk chocolate is about half
that of plain chocolate.
More information
For more information on planning a pregnancy, speak
to your health care provider.