“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”
~Elizabeth Stone
Welcome to the PediaWise Preconception Primer! Here you can find answers to your most burning questions about how to prep for pregnancy and how to maximize your chances of getting pregnant. In this Primer, we’ll discuss:
Get Wise About These Topics Below…
The Top 10 Tips to Help You Prep for a Healthy Pregnancy
1. Stop Your Birth Control Ahead of Time.
If you’ve been using birth control for a while (like since high school), it may take a few cycles for your body to start ovulating (to release eggs from your ovaries) in a predictable pattern.
Get Wise about birth control and your fertility.
2. Start Taking a Prenatal Vitamin That Contains at Least 400 Micrograms (mcg) of Folic Acid.
Insider Info: ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) says the average pregnant woman should take a prenatal vitamin that contains at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid per dose.1 Some doctors and organizations (like the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) recommend higher daily doses of folic acid for the average pregnant woman. And women with certain risk factors—such as carrying more than one baby, taking anti-seizure medications, or having previously given birth to a baby with a neural tube defect—should take even higher amounts of folic acid. Talk to your doctor to determine the right dose for you.
3. Think About Your Eating and Exercise Habits.
Know what Foods & Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy. Check out our Pregnancy PediaGuide for answers to these questions and more!
4. Review Your Family History.
If any hereditary diseases run in your family (or in your partner’s family), consider seeing a geneticist prior to getting pregnant. In addition, ask your doctor if there are any inherited diseases that you and your partner are more likely to pass on to your baby based on your (respective) ethnicities.
5. Make a List of the Medications That You’re Taking (Including Supplements!).
Why? Because some medications (and supplements) are off limits during pregnancy.
6. Get a Handle on Any Chronic Medical Issues That You Have.
If you have a chronic medical condition (such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, a thyroid issue, or a mental health problem), try to get it under control before you get pregnant.
Why? Because the disease (and the medications that you’re taking for it) could affect your pregnancy. Things don’t have to be perfect, but it’s important for your OB/GYN and your regular doctor to be on the same page.
7. Lay Off the Booze, Nicotine, and Drugs.
Secondhand smoke counts, too. You may want to cut down on caffeine as well. I know, sorry!
A Word About Secondhand Smoke: Research shows that exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancies (pregnancies outside the uterus) and miscarriages.2 Secondhand smoke can also cause babies to have low birth weights.
A Word About Caffeine: The jury is still out on the effects of caffeine on fertility and on the developing baby.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG), therefore, recommends that pregnant women and women trying to conceive limit their caffeine intake to 200 milligrams (mg) per day.3 This is the equivalent of two 8-ounce cups of coffee (depending on how strongly they’re brewed).
PediaTip: If you’re in the habit of crushing a ton of caffeine, wean down slowly to prevent rebound headaches.
Remember too, that coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine. There’s caffeine (to a lesser degree) in tea, (certain) soft drinks, and chocolate.
8. Make Sure That Your Immunizations Are Up to Date.
Your OB/GYN will likely recommend the flu shot (if it’s flu season), the COVID vaccine (or booster), and the Tdap vaccine (between 28-32 weeks). Tdap protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. They may also recommend the new RSV vaccine during RSV season.
9. Figure Out Your “Fertile Window” (The Time of Month When You’re Most Fertile). Get Wise About How to Do This Below.
10. Have Sex!
Note: If you’re going the IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) route, Get Wise about it here.
Bonus Tip: Be kind to yourself. Women often have a lurking fear that they won’t be able to get pregnant, especially if it’s taking them a while to conceive. That’s just where the mind tends to go. Instead of following these thoughts, try stress-reducing practices such as yoga and acupuncture (which actually help improve fertility).4
The Science Behind Getting Pregnant
When trying to get pregnant, it helps to understand the science behind how it works.
In a Nutshell
In high school, they made it seem like we could get pregnant if someone merely sneezed on us, but there’s actually an intricate process that has to take place in order to become pregnant.
For a pregnancy to occur, a sperm needs to fertilize an egg.
How Does This Happen?
- Midway through your menstrual cycle, one of your ovaries releases an egg. This is known as ovulation.
- Millions of sperm (40-150 million swimmers) rush towards the egg, trying to be the first to reach it. This is truly survival of the fittest.
- The lucky winner (if there is one) fertilizes the egg in the fallopian tube (the tube joining the ovary and the uterus) and you’re off to the races.
- When the egg is fertilized, it starts producing hormones that lead to pregnancy symptoms right around the time of your expected period.
- If the egg isn’t fertilized, it simply passes out of your body with your next period, and you experience the usual PMS symptoms.
Finding Your Fertile Window
An important part of trying to get pregnant is figuring out when to have sex. Ideally, you’ll want to have sex during your “fertile window.”
What’s That? Your fertile window is the time of the month you ovulate (i.e. when you release an egg from your ovary).
How Do I Find My Fertile Window?
The first step in finding your fertile window is determining how long your menstrual cycle is. This will give you a sense of when you ovulate (since ovulation typically occurs halfway through a woman’s cycle).
PediaTip: You can use an app like the Life-Period Tracker Calendar to figure out the length of your cycle.
Reality Check: Because the length of your cycle may vary (by a day or two) each month, you’ll want to track your cycle for a few months to see the overall trend.
PediaTrivia:
- On average, a woman’s menstrual cycle lasts 28-35 days (this includes the whole shebang – bleeding days, ovulation, etc.).
- The first day of your menstrual cycle is the first day of bleeding (spotting counts, too).
- As mentioned above, ovulation typically occurs halfway through a woman’s cycle. This means that women with a 28-day cycle will usually ovulate on Day 14 and women with a 32-day cycle will ovulate around Day 16.
Once You Have a General Idea of When You Ovulate, Be on the Lookout for Signs of Ovulation.
These Include:
- Cervical Mucus Changes: Your cervical mucus (vaginal discharge) will become clearer, wetter, and more slippery around the time you ovulate. Sorry, I know, TMI. When it looks like uncooked egg whites, you’ll know that you’re ovulating (ahh-sorry again!).
- Temperature Changes (aka It’s Getting Hot in Herre): There’s always a rise in body temperature after a woman ovulates. Because of this, some women use a thermometer to monitor their “basal body temperatures.” Once they get a sense of their personal pattern, they have sex before the rise in temperature occurs. Get Wise about how to measure your Basal Body Temperature.
PediaTip: If basal body temperature monitoring seems like too much trouble, try an ovulation predictor kit. Ovulation predictor kits can be pricey, but they’re accurate and easy to use.
How Do I Use an Ovulation Predictor Kit?
Ovulation predictor kits aren’t all that different from home pregnancy tests. You simply pee on the “stick” provided first thing in the morning (around the time you think you’re ovulating). The test will tell you if you’re in your fertile window.
How Do Ovulation Predictor Kits Work?
They detect luteinizing hormone (LH), a hormone that surges 36-48 hours before you ovulate.
Putting It All Together
- If you’re trying to get pregnant, you’ll want to have sex (intercourse) during your fertile window (when you’re ovulating).
- Once your egg is released, it must be fertilized by a sperm within 12-24 hours or there won’t be a pregnancy.
- Although the egg doesn’t survive for long, the sperm can live up to 6 days in your body. Therefore, you’re most likely to get pregnant either on the day of ovulation OR during the 5 days leading up to it.
“Trying to Get Pregnant” Sex
Once you’ve figured out your fertile window, it’s time to have sex. Having sex with the intention of getting pregnant is pretty much the same as having sex for the fun of it, except for a few minor tweaks.
Here’s the Lowdown on “Trying to Get Pregnant” Sex…
1. There’s No Optimal Time of Day to Have Sex.
2. There’s No Ideal Sex Position Either. It does, however, help to lie on your back after sex (for 10-15 minutes).
Why? Because this position allows the sperm to pool in your vagina, giving them a leg up in the race to the egg.
FYI: The supine (lying on the back) position is what’s important, not keeping your legs up in the air (unless you’re working on strengthening your core at the same time).
3. Don’t Use Lubes.
Why Not? Because they can change the pH balance in the vagina and slow the sperm down.
4. Avoid Oral Sex Before Intercourse.
Why? Because the saliva from oral sex can confuse the sperm and make them sluggish. Who Knew?!
5. Turn Up the Sexual Heat in the Bedroom But Avoid Frying the Sperm. Studies show that prolonged excessive heat can slow down sperm production. Therefore, encourage your partner to protect the family jewels by taking a breather from heating pads, hot tubs, electric blankets, and saunas. He should refrain from putting a laptop on his lap as well (it’s ok to use one on a desk, though).
Common Question: Should My Partner Wear Boxers or Briefs?
Answer: Researchers say underwear choice doesn’t matter in terms of sperm production.
6. Relax and Have Fun. Remember this is sex, not a science experiment. If fertilization doesn’t occur this cycle, you’ll have your period and can try again the next cycle.
Double Take: PMS symptoms and pregnancy symptoms can mimic each other (think: spotting, cramping, bloating, and mood swings). This is where a pregnancy test comes in handy.
When Can I Take a Pregnancy Test? Pregnancy tests will typically show a positive result 2 weeks after fertilization has occurred. This is around the time of your expected period (and about 4 weeks after the first day of your last period).
The Bottom Line
Find your fertile window, have sex, and use the tips above to boost your chances of having a healthy pregnancy.
Good Luck and (Try to) Enjoy the Ride!
