Planning a Pregnancy

"Advice every woman deserves from their doctor... If you and your partner are planning to start a family here are some general tips to maximise your chance of conceiving."

Optimising Pre-pregnancy health

Some simple tips to help you and your partner maximise your chances of conceiving include:

• Healthy diet;
• Regular intercourse 2-3 times per week;
• Stop smoking and recreational drug use;
• Alcohol in moderation;
• Regular moderate exercise e.g. walking, social tennis;
• A daily intake of 500 ug folic acid (3 months pre conception and during first trimester of pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects);
• Appropriate weight (i.e. Body Mass Index as a guide) Evidence suggests that fertility improves drastically if a woman with a high BMI can achieve a 5% reduction in weight;
• Multi-vitamins (maybe of benefit to overall health);
• Blood tests check for rubella and chicken pox status, blood group, Rh factor, Hep B & Hep C;
• General practitioner review of current medications and implications for pregnancy;
• As a female, understand your menstrual cycle — the most fertile time is between days 12 - 16 of a regular monthly cycle.

Understanding your menstrual cycle to optimise chance of pregnancy

Every woman's cycle is individual and may vary from month to month. The key to achieving a pregnancy is knowing your pregnancy window, the time within the month when your body will release an egg (ovulate) ready for fertilisation via intercourse.

The time from the start of your period to ovulation (when hormones in your body trigger the release of an egg) varies from woman to woman. On average ovulation occurs about 9-15 days after the day your period starts (however it can range between 9 and 18 days depending on the length of your cycle).

New research suggests that intercourse 2 days before ovulation gives the best chance of pregnancy.

» Download the "Planning a Pregnancy" leaflet