How to Get Pregnant

Getting pregnant seems like it should be easy, but sometimes it takes longer and is more
difficult than you'd expect. On top of proper timing, there are also a few important
practices that will significantly boost your odds of conceiving. The information on this
page will walk you through all of the best ways to help you achieve pregnancy.

 Disclaimer

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact
your doctor before using the information presented here.

 Inroduction
o So many people put such great effort into avoiding pregnancy that it seems like
the moment you try getting pregnant you should instantly succeed. Unfortunately,
for many people it's not that easy. Read on to learn the things you can do (besides
the obvious!) to get pregnant.
 Step 1: Before You Start Trying
o Before you begin trying to achieve pregnancy, it's best to be in the top possible
health. You should also eliminate anything
in your life that could damage your fertility.

 Step 2: Learn When You're Most Fertile

o
o A woman isn't fertile every day of her cycle. A study by
the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
showed women can only get pregnant six days out of the
monthly cycle - the five days leading up to ovulation and
the day of ovulation itself [1]. If you and your partner are
only having sex once a week, you may be missing your
ovulation window!
o You may have learned in high school health class that
ovulation takes place 14 days after the start of your period,
but that's only for people who have a consistent 28-day
cycle, says the Mayo Clinic - and not even all of those
people ovulate at the same time [1]. By noting just a few pieces of information
 (your waking body temperature, cervical fluid characteristics, and cervical
information) on a calendar or chart, you can confidently predict when you will
ovulate, and have intercourse at the time when it is most likely to get you
pregnant [2].
 Materials You'll Need For Fertility Tracking
o In order to accurately determine when you are most fertile, you'll need a few
simple tools.
2. If you do not already own one, purchase a basal thermometer. A standard
thermometer is not precise enough for fertility charting.
3. Print out a fertility chart, or sign up for a fertility charting service online.
 Fertility UK has fertility charts that can be used with Microsoft Excel.
 You can print this free chart from Ovulation Calculator: Ovulation
Calculator.com.
 You can sign up for free fertility tracking software at Fertility Friend,
although payment is required to access the full-featured version.
 iVillage offers an online version of the Ovusoft fertility tracking software
that is very easy to use. It requires a paid subscription, although there is a
free trial available. It is available here on the iVillage Web site: iVillage
Fertility Planner

 Charting Your Basal Body Temperature

o A woman's temperature goes up between .4 and .8 degrees Fahrenheit on the day
of ovulation, says the Mayo Clinic [1]. A basal thermometer measures temperature
in one-one hundredth of a degree increments, making it precise enough for the
task.
2. Start taking your temperature the first day of your period.
3. Keep your basal thermometer next to your bed. If you get out of bed to get it, your
movements will increase your body temperature and your readings will not be
valid [2].
4. You must have at least three hours of uninterrupted sleep for the temperature
reading to be valid, says Revolution Health [3].
5. You should check your temperature around the same time every morning, says
WebMD [4].
6. As soon as you've taken your temperature, enter the information into that day's
area of your fertility chart [5].
7. You should see your temperature jump up significantly about halfway through the
month. This means you've just ovulated [6].
8. Your temperature should stay elevated until your next period begins, says
WebMD [[7].
9. Fertility UK has great examples of temperature charts.

 Detecting Changes In Your Cervical Fluid

o If you're female, you've probably noticed that your underwear gets a bit damp on
certain days. This is because of cyclical changes in your cervical mucus. The
amount and texture of your cervical fluid (also known as cervical mucus) changes
based on how close you are to ovulation, the US Department of Health and
 Human Services says [1]. At your most fertile point, your cervical fluid changes to
a consistency that helps sperm move toward the egg, says WebMD [2]. WebMD
says charting your cervical fluid is a very effective method of determining if
you're fertile [3]. It requires some comfort with your own body, but is easy to get
used to.
2. WebMD advises that you should check your cervical fluid every time you go to
the bathroom [4]. You can do this by running either a clean, dry finger or a piece
of toilet paper across your vaginal opening.
3. For several days after your period, you probably won't see any cervical fluid at
all, says the US Department of Health and Human Services [5].
4. When you start seeing cervical fluid, it will be tacky and thick, with a white or
creamy color, Registered General Nurse Jane Knight says [6]. It might remind you
a little of rubber cement.
5. Over the next several days, Knight says, it will become thinner and wetter, and
increase significantly in amount [7].
6. When you are fertile, your cervical fluid will look and feel like raw egg whites,
says Dr. Roger Harms [8]. It will also be very stretchy [9].
7. If you use douches or other feminine hygeine products, it will alter your cervical
fluid, making it difficult to judge if you are fertile, says the Mayo Clinic [10].
8. If you want to improve your cervical fluid, a study in Fertility and Sterility
suggests that 200mg of guaifenesin three times a day will make it thinner and
improve fertility [11]. Guaifenesin is the active ingredient in cough medicines such
as Robitussin.
 Detecting Changes In Your Cervix
o Your cervix changes position and density throughout your
cycle, says WebMD, becoming soft and wet when you are
fertile [1]. If you are comfortable with your body, you can
check your cervix daily throughout the month to identify
when you are most fertile.
1. Knight says your cervix will feel a bit like the tip of your
nose - firm and dry [2]. It should be easy to reach [3].
2. When you ovulate, it will be soft, wet, and a bit harder to
reach, says WebMD [4].
o The website The Garden of Fertility has a number of pictures of women's cervixes
at various points in the cycle.
 Reading Your Chart
o As you enter all this information into your chart, you will begin to see how it all
fits together. You'll develop a very clear picture of when you are fertile.
o For more information and resources on fertility awareness, see Mahalo's Natural
Family Planning page.
 Step 3: Make Sex Productive As Well As Fun
o Fertility specialists have advice on things you can do to ensure that intercourse is
more likely to result in pregnancy.
1. Dr. Donnica Moore says the missionary position is more likely to get a woman
pregnant [1].
 2. Don't use artificial lubricants or lubricative oils during sex; they can kill off
sperm, says WebMD [2].
3. Have sex frequently during your fertility window.
 If you have sex every day during your fertile
period, you have a 25 percent chance of getting
pregnant, according to Dr. Allen Wilcox [3].
 If you have sex every other day, your chances are
22 percent [4].
 If you have sex once per week, your chances of getting pregnant are only
10 percent [5].
4. If you have sex after you ovulate, you aren't likely to get pregnant, says WebMD
[6]
. Studies show that couples who got pregnant had sex on the day of ovulation or
the five days before ovulation [7]. (Don't let that stop you from having fun!)
5. Don't save sex only for the days that you're fertile. Use it or lose it About.com
recommends having sex frequently throughout the week in order to help you catch
your most fertile period[8].
6. Men should ejaculate at least once per day - even if it is a solo exercise. An
Australian study found that men who ejaculated daily had less DNA-damaged
sperm, because it is fresher and less damaged [9].
7. Don't douche after sex, Dr. Moore says [10]. You'll get rid of the cervical fluid that
the sperm need to help them on their journey to your womb [11].
 Step 4: Be Patient
o Even if you have sex at exactly the right time, Dr.
Brian D. Cowan says you only have a one in five
chance of becoming pregnant [1]. If you don't get
pregnant the very first time you try, it's not a sign
of disaster! The U.S. Department of Health &
Human Services recommends you try for the
following amount of time before seeing a fertility
specialist:
1. If you are under 35 and have been trying to get
pregnant for a year without success, see your doctor [2].
2. If you are 35 or over and have been trying to get pregnant for six months without
success, see your doctor [3].
3. If you or your partner have anything in your history that indicates you may have
problems with fertility, see your doctor [4].
 Step 5: When all else fails, see a doctor
o If you've been trying for a year (six months if you're 35 or over) without success,
it's time to see a doctor.
1. Bring your fertility charts with you when you see your doctor. With the
information in them, the doctor may be able to tell if the woman is ovulating, and
may be able to determine if she has a short luteal phase.
2. The doctor may test the man's sperm to determine if he has a low sperm count or
if his sperm does not have the power to penetrate the ovum, says the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services [1].
 3. The Mayo Clinic says the man may also undergo an ultrasound of his scrotum and
rectal area [2].
4. WebMD says a woman may have a blood test and ultrasound examinations to
determine if she is ovulating [3].
5. A woman may have a hysterosalpingography, which is an X-ray of the uterus
after the injection of fluid to determine if the fallopian tubes are blocked [4].
6. You may have blood or urine tests to determine that your hormone levels are
normal, WebMD says [5].
7. A woman might undergo ovarian reserve testing to determine if she has enough
healthy ovum to easily achieve pregnancy [6].
8. Genetic testing can determine if there are any genetic obstacles to fertility, says
Revolution Health [7].
 Fertility Health Tips for Men
o The male's role in successful conception is to have abundant, healthy sperm that
can successfully reach, penetrate and fertilize the female's egg. [1].
1. Keep Cool: According to the Mayo Clinic, high temperatures can lower sperm
production, making conception more difficult. Keep your scrotal temperature
down by wearing loose underwear, such as boxers, and avoiding long baths,
saunas and prolonged sitting.[2].
2. Take Vitamins: WebMD advises that men take vitamins such as E, C and zinc,
which increase the health and mobility of your sperm. [3]
3. Stop Smoking: According to Dr. Frederick Licciardi, men who smoke have
lower sperm counts [4].
 Bear in mind that your smoking can decrease your partner's fertility: even
secondhand smoke can make it more difficult for women to conceive, says
a study in the journal Human Reproduction [5].
4. Exercise Moderately: A reasonable amount of exercise enhances your physical
and reproductive health. But don't overdo it. According to WebMD, excessive
exercise reduces the amount of testosterone in your body and, consequently,
lowers your sperm count.[6]
5. Stop Recreational Drug Use: WebMD advises discontinuing the use of
substances such as alcohol and recreational drugs (including marijuana, cocaine
and amphetamines), which can compromise the quality and quantity of your
sperm. Some substances also lessen the male's sex drive. [7]
6. Avoid Toxins: Clear your work and living places of hazardous materials such as
heavy metals, pesticides and chemical solvents that, the Mayo Clinic warns, can
adversely affect the health of your sperm. [8].
7. Reverse Your Vasectomy: If you've had a vasectomy, you will need to have a
vasectomy reversal. According to the Mayo Clinic, it takes a few months for the
sperm to reappear in the semen after surgery and vasectomy reversal leads to
successful conception in 52% of men over the course of two years. [9]
 Fertility Health Tips for Women
0. Discontinue Birth Control: You must discontinue all birth control if you are
trying to have a baby [1].
 If you have an IUD, get it removed.
  If you are on the pill, stop taking it at the end of the current cycle. Dr.
Judith Reichman says your chances of getting pregnant after discontinuing
the Pill are about the same as that of someone who has never taken it [2].
 If you are on Depo-Provera, the American Academy of Family Physicians
says it will take about nine or ten months after discontinuing shots to get
pregnant [3].
1. Stop Smoking: According to Dr. Frederick Licciardi, women who smoke find it
harder to conceive. [4].
2. Reduce Stress: Dr. Alice Domar says that reducing stress will increase your
chances of conception [5].
3. Manage Weight: If you are underweight or overweight, try to bring your weight
to a level that is more appropriate for your body [6]. According to a study at the
University of South Carolina at Charleston, the majority of overweight and
underweight women with fertility problems were able to achieve pregnancy once
they reached their ideal weight [7].