9 Things to Know Before Getting Pregnant
Pregnancy is a very exciting time for women, but it can also become stressful when you hear different information from other mothers. Before getting pregnant, it is important to know the truth about the best ways to prepare and have a healthy pregnancy.
Here are 10 things to know before getting pregnant.
1. OVULATION IS Not the SAME DAY EVERY MONTH
The first thing to know before getting pregnant is that ovulation is not going to be at the same time or day each month. Having sex during ovulation will grant the highest probability that you will get pregnant because your hormones peak at this time and your egg is in the fallopian tube ready for conception, so tracking it is important. Ovulation is dependent on many factors like hormone levels, when your last period was, nutrition, and stress levels. Usually, ovulation occurs around halfway between 2 consecutive menstruations, but it is not the same month to month. Fortunately, you can use many methods to track ovulation each month by checking body temperature, cervical position, cervical fluid, and ovulation test strips. It is optimal to use a combination of methods for the best accuracy.
Source: NIH
2. SEX ON OVULATION DAY Doesn’t GUARANTEE PREGNANCY
Another one of the things to know before getting pregnant is that sex on ovulation day does not always guarantee pregnancy. This is because the sperm can survive in the uterus for up to 2 or 3 days and in the extremes, for up to 6 days. Due to this, if you had sex 2 or 3 days before ovulation, you can still get pregnant. The caveat here is when you have sex after ovulation, you will have a harder time getting pregnant because the sperm will die by the time your next ovulation occurs. Rule of thumb, earlier intercourse is better than later intercourse.
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3. MORE SEX DOES NOT EQUAL MORE CHANCE OF PREGNANCY
Having sex more often does not ensure a higher chance of pregnancy, making this one of the things to know before getting pregnant. Pregnancy can only occur if the sperm meets with the egg in the fallopian tube during ovulation, so having sex not during or close to ovulation will not cause pregnancy. Though pregnancy relies on timing, it is not everything. Other physiological markers play a role in pregnancy like stress, nutrient deficiencies, sleep, male fertility, and more. Many times, having sex more with your partner than usual can create higher stress and anxiety before getting pregnant.
Source: NIH
4. FERTILITY AGE IS REAL
Knowing about fertility age and where you stand in that spectrum is important before getting pregnant. Based on the evidence it is clear that fertility decreases as women age. This doesn’t mean that pregnancy is impossible as you get older, it just makes it more difficult. With age, egg count and quality decrease, and overall estrogen and progesterone levels decline. These factors cause fertility to decrease with age. Overall, at age 35 fertility takes a steeper decline, and at age 40 fertility declines even more. Remember this does not make pregnancy impossible, it may just take more time and medical assistance.
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5. LONGTERM BIRTH CONTROL doesn’t ruin fertility completely
If you have used birth control for a long period before getting pregnant, this does not completely ruin your chances of pregnancy. While many women may have a harder time getting pregnant after using hormonal birth control for so long, it is not an end-all-be-all. When you take hormonal birth control, ovulation is impaired, resulting in protection from pregnancy. During this time, your birth control method will supply artificial hormones to the body to keep other regulatory processes running. When you stop taking the pill, your body has to relearn how to produce its own hormones again and how to produce the right amount of each hormone. This relearning process can take some time which can result in decreased fertility after getting off the birth control. Chances of pregnancy right after stopping the use of birth control may be difficult, but after a few months of transitioning hormones will restore and fertility will increase again.
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6. NUTRITION PLAYS A large ROLE IN PREGNANCY
Before getting pregnant it is crucial to understand the role of nutrition in pregnancy. Food contains many nutrients that benefit hormone production and regulation before getting pregnant and during pregnancy. Amino acids are building blocks for many hormones and neurotransmitters. Fiber supports gut health resulting in better hormone regulation because estrogen is passed through the gut. Many B vitamins are crucial for hormone production and regulating stress levels. Omega 3 fatty acids promote cervical fluidity to increase sperm penetration into the uterus. Eggs are high in choline which promotes the placenta and fetal brain growth. Shellfish contains zinc which increases egg quality and decreases preterm birth, placenta inflammation, and risk of miscarriage.
Source: 22254027, NIH, 31394787, 7386123, 17099205
7. MALE FERTILITY IS Important too
Though there is a heavy focus on women’s health before getting pregnant, it is also important to recognize the state of fertility for men too. Though the woman contains the egg, the sperm still need to be able to fertilize it for full conception. In this fashion, both male and female fertility is important. Although men release 100 million sperm per ejaculation on average, if these sperm are not high quality enough to reach and penetrate the egg, pregnancy can not occur. Men need to be nutrient sufficient, have healthy blood markers, and have low stress just as women do.
8. PCOS Pregnancy is possible
Having polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) before getting pregnant does not mean that it is impossible. Those with PCOS usually have higher androgen levels which decrease estrogen and progesterone, the hormones we need to be high for fertility. Additionally, some women with PCOS also have cysts on their ovaries which restricts ovulation from occurring. PCOS is not an end all be all that you will not get pregnant, but you may have a harder time. There are natural ways to improve hormone levels like diet and exercise, and in other cases, there are surgeries and medications you can take to improve fertility and conception when you have PCOS.
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9. Don’t give up
Don’t get down on yourself for failed attempts before getting pregnant. Most couples do not get pregnant after the first, second, or third month of trying. More commonly after one year is the point where majority of couples become pregnant for the first time. If this doesn’t happen for you, it doesn’t mean you are automatically infertile. This just means you may need to dig deeper into some root causes of your lifestyle that need to be adjusted to improve fertility and consult with a physician if necessary.
