It is always exciting as the calendar ticks over and a fresh new year starts. Our lives are full of new possibilities and adventures for the year ahead.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is trying for a baby in 2022, there are a few things you might like to focus on to ensure you and your partner are in the best possible condition for a healthy pregnancy and baby.
It is also important to know when the best time to conceive is and what is realistic with how long it can take to sometimes achieve a pregnancy. So here are some tips from City Fertility for you to consider:
Get your lifestyle in check
There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can implement to maximise your chances of conception and give your baby the best start in life. When trying to conceive, the reproductive health of both the male and female is equally important. Both partners should ensure they are maintaining a healthy weight by exercising and eating well. Stress levels should be kept low, caffeine and alcohol intake limited. It is also helpful to ensure you are taking the recommended pre-pregnancy vitamin supplements such as folic acid.
Know when the best time to conceive is
The days leading up to ovulation (when the egg is released from the ovary) are the most fertile ones in the menstrual cycle. You have a greater chance of conceiving if you time having intercourse one to three days before ovulation or every two days around it.
The first step in pinpointing when you are ovulating is to determine when your fertile window is. In order to work this out, you will need to know the length of your menstrual cycle (which can vary from 25 to 35 days or longer). This can be calculated by counting the number of days from the first day of your last period to the first day of bleeding in your next one. Subtract 14 days from the end of your current cycle to determine when you are most likely to ovulate.
If your cycles are irregular or your cycle length varies from month to month, it will be difficult to calculate your ovulation date. In this case, you may want to consider seeking further advice from your GP or a fertility specialist for other ovulation signs to look out for.
Know your chances
It is important for couples to understand that even if they are doing everything right to conceive, it may still take a while to fall pregnant. As a general rule, our statistics show that 60 per cent of fertile couples will conceive within six months and 80 per cent within 12 months. These rates are different for women over 38 as ovarian reserve and egg quality are declining more rapidly.
Don’t leave seeking help too long
If you have not achieved a pregnancy after a year (or six months if you are over 35) of unprotected intercourse, you should seek medical advice from your GP or a specialist.
There are also other instances where you might want to seek earlier fertility advice. These include early menopause, polycystic ovaries, irregular or non-existent menstruation, past history of endometriosis, when either you are or your partner is a current or past cancer patient or when the male partner has had a vasectomy.
For more information on preconception tips, visit our Preconception Care page.
We wish you a very happy and fertile 2022!
