Maximise your chances of conceiving naturally
Once you’ve decided it’s time to start your family, it can be daunting if it doesn’t happen as quickly as you expect. In fact, the average fertile couple has just a 20% chance of conceiving in any given month of unprotected sexual intercourse.
There are two ways to significantly improve your chances of falling pregnant naturally:
- Understand your pregnancy window, and have sexual intercourse one or two days before ovulation. Regular intercourse, two to three times a week, will boost your chances further. Calculate your pregnancy window...
- Improve the health, diet and lifestyle of both partners.
Tips for a healthy lifestyle
Before you even start trying for a baby, it’s important to consider your lifestyle and health.
Both partners need to:
- make sure they eat a healthy diet
- maintain a healthy weight
- stop smoking and any recreational drug use
- only drink alcohol in moderation
- exercise regularly.
Women should also:
- take 500 ug of folic acid each day
- take multi-vitamins for general health
- visit the GP for antenatal blood tests, including checks for rubella and chicken pox status, blood group, Rh factor, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
- review current medications and any implications for pregnancy with a GP
- understand your menstrual cycle.
What if it still doesn’t work?
If you are over 35 and you haven’t fallen pregnant after six months, talk to your GP and ask for a referral to a Queensland Fertility Group fertility specialist. If you are under the age of 35, we would normally recommend that you speak to your GP if you haven't fallen pregnant within a year. Of course, these are guidelines only and if you are concerned at all, please call us on 1800 111 483.
We can then investigate any cause or problems, and help you make the best decision about your recommended treatment. For some couples, many infertility tests can be bulk billed – and almost all are carried out in our clinics for your convenience.
To find out more about what might be involved, register for one of our free fertility seminars.
More about Preparing Your Body for Pregnancy...
Advice about Trying to Conceive...
Understanding Complementary Therapies for Pregnancy...
