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Step 1
The first thing anyone who is thinking about getting pregnant should do is visit their doctor. You should visit your primary care physician to ensure that your blood counts are normal, and you are at a healthy weight. You should also visit your gyno to make sure you do not have any conditions that would make getting pregnant difficult such as STD's, Polycystic Ovary syndrome or Endometriosis. If you are over 35 and are worried about your chances of conceiving, your gyno can also do tests to find out how many eggs you have left and measure your hormone levels at certain points of your cycle. Their findings will be able to tell you if you have time to wait or need to get started ASAP.
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Step 2
Stop smoking. Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy, and also makes your eggs age faster than normal. By quitting this bad habit, your fertility level will return to normal in about a year.
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Step 3
Take care of your teeth and gums. Many studies have shown a correlation between women's oral health and reproduction. In the studies, women who had trouble conceiving had higher levels of gum disease, bleeding gums and inflammation.
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Step 4
Start taking a multivitamin, and make sure it contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and 40 milligrams of iron. These two supplements in particular, improve fertility.
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Step 5
Limit your intake of refined, processed carbs. When you eat foods that make your blood sugar spike, your body produces more insulin which in turn, leads to a higher amount of testosterone in your body. This can interfere with ovulation, so make sure to get more fruits and veggies, as well as proteins into your diet.
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Step 6
Make sure to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day and maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can lead to irregular periods and ovulation disorders.
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Step 7
Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Studies show that having one to five alcoholic drinks per week while you're trying to get pregnant can lower your chances of conceiving by as much as 50%. Some studies also show that consuming more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day can increase your risk of getting endometriosis or having fallopian tube issues.
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Step 8
If you're planning on getting pregnant in the next couple of months, consider switching your hormonal birth control method like the pill or Depo Provera to a barrier method such as condoms or a diaphragm. Once you stop a hormonal birth control method, it may take a few cycles to start ovulating regularly again.
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Step 9
Reduce stress. When you get stressed out, sometimes your body can skip ovulation one month, or depending on how stressed you are, you could start skipping your periods all together. Try to reduce the stress in your life before conceiving for the best results.
