What is Pregnancy Planning?
Pregnancy is an exciting time for couples, but there are a lot of things you need to know and understand to have a successful conception. It can be overwhelming when you first learn about pregnancy planning but just know that starting early is the best way to ensure that you are prepared. Many of the topics covered here will help guide you to understand and balance your hormones. A successful and healthy pregnancy mostly relies on the state of your personal estrogen and progesterone levels. Without knowing how to track and balance these levels, it will take longer to achieve a successful pregnancy.
Nutrition is important because many foods we eat contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects which help reduce stress during pregnancy planning. Some foods even contain the building blocks for our hormones aiding in the production of stable levels.
Understanding ovulation is important because without ovulation you will not be able to conceive.
Knowing how to track ovulation is important as well because you need to time your intercourse around this period so that the sperm and egg can actually meet.
Here are 18 things to know when you are pregnancy planning:
Nutrition
1. PRENATAL MULTIVITAMIN
Prenatal multivitamins include a majority of the B vitamins that are crucial for a healthy pregnancy making them part of pregnancy planning. Specifically, one of the most important B vitamins is folate or vitamin B9. Studies found that folate intake in women was associated with a decline in ovulatory infertility. It is also a vital coenzyme in many metabolic functions which can assist with fertility. Additionally, it is advised to take methylated folate instead of folic acid.
Methylation is a common chemical process that happens in the body where a methyl group which is a carbon with three hydrogens, is added to another compound. Though it sounds like a simple process, methylation is vital for our DNA functioning allowing us to engage or disengage from certain genes. When the process is impaired, it can create a host of issues.
The gene MTHFR is responsible for making the enzyme Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, which is a regulatory enzyme for the metabolism of folate. As mentioned earlier, folate is an important nutrient that will aid in the detoxification of estrogen. Thus, when MTHFR is not working properly in methylation, this can be a factor for why you aren’t fertile.
Recommended brands:
-Full Circle Prenatal (8 capsules per day)
-Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal (8 capsules per day, iron-free formula)
-Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal Chewable (2 per day, iron-free formula)
-Thorne Basic Prenatal (3 per day, contains iron)
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2. OMEGA-3
Another part of nutrition pregnancy planning is knowing the importance of omega 3s. This type of polyunsaturated fatty acid has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce oxidative stress. Two types of polyunsaturated fats are omega 3 and omega 6. Most western diets consume a ratio of 1:20 of omega 3 to omega 6 when it should be 1:3. This evidence is correlated with inflammation incidence in women showing that omega 6s are pro-inflammatory while omega 3s have protective effects that are anti-inflammatory which will boost fertility.
There are 3 types of omega 3 compounds to consume DHA, EPA, and ALA. DHA and EPA, which come from fish sources, have been found to be more beneficial than ALA which comes from plant sources in terms of fertility. DHA and EPA are more bioavailable in the body making them more important for pregnancy planning.
3. GLYCINE
Glycine is another one of the vital supplements for pregnancy planning. It is a conditionally essential amino acid so this means that our body can make it on its own though this process may be lacking based on physiological limitations, so it is recommended to consume in the diet. It is the most abundant amino acid in collagen which is the most abundant protein in our body. Glycine is one of the more important amino acids because it combines with cysteine and glutamine (other amino acids) to form glutathione which is our most powerful antioxidant. We need this antioxidant to eliminate oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species because this can damage the egg follicles if they are not eliminated. In addition, glycine supports full egg development and during maturation of the egg, glycine’s transporter is activated so that glycine can enter the cell to help volume regulation. This is why glycine is another one of the nutrients for fertility.
4. CHOLINE
Choline is a very important mineral and should be consumed on a daily basis especially for fertility and pregnancy. It has been shown that choline is just as important as folate in the preconception and pregnancy periods. Studies show that large amounts of choline are needed in fetal development to promote rapid cell division and brain development. In the placenta, choline has been shown to promote angiogenesis which is the building of new blood vessels from older ones. Finally, choline can also protect egg quality which boosts fertility chances. This is why choline is one of the best nutrients during pregnancy planning. Good food sources of choline are eggs, soybeans, chicken breast, and fish.
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5. VITAMIN A
Another one of the nutrients for pregnancy planning is vitamin A. Sufficient vitamin A has been found to boost egg quality and to promote ovarian cell division growth in the early stages of conception. Additionally, they found that vitamin A may be compulsory to initiate the cell division due to a study that found that vitamin A deficient women had low levels of a certain gene that acts in meiosis (cell division). Vitamin A supports the growth of the heart, eyes, ears, limbs, and immune system. Good sources of vitamin A are sweet potato, red bell peppers, carrots, spinach, and butternut squash.
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6. MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is another one of the crucial nutrients for pregnancy planning because it increases progesterone. This mineral is always necessary in the body, but especially during preconception and pregnancy. Magnesium is known as our body’s relaxation nutrient, so it decreases stress, is anti-inflammatory, and it loosens smooth muscle tissue. A study found an inverse relationship between magnesium and estrogen, showing that as magnesium levels increased and estrogen decreased. Estrogen and progesterone work in a balance so when estrogen levels are low this means that there will be an increase in progesterone naturally with supplementation of magnesium. Good food sources of magnesium are spinach, pumpkin seeds, tuna, and almonds.
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7. VITAMIN K2
Vitamin K2 is also one of the nutrients important for pregnancy planning. Vitamin K2 is found to have positive effects on bone health to increase skeletal development of the fetus and bone mineralization. It also ensures calcium accumulates in bone tissues for further growth. Vitamin K2 is found to also promote osteoblast production and inhibit osteoclasts production. Osteoblasts are the cells in the bones that help form the bone structure and osteoclasts are the cells that destroy the bone and absorb it. Good food sources of vitamin K2 are kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and asparagus.
8. IRON
Iron is another one of the vital nutrients for pregnancy planning. It is very important to check your iron levels to determine if supplementation is necessary. If taking a prenatal multivitamin, check to make sure iron is in it because many do not contain it. Iron’s job is to help carry oxygen throughout the body to all the red blood cells. When you become pregnant there is going to be a surge of red blood cell volume increased in the body to support the fetus, and one of the nutrients for fertility to support this is iron. Studies have shown that iron consumption is very important in promoting fertility rates in women. Low iron during pregnancy includes many risks - preeclampsia, hypothyroidism, preterm birth, impaired fetal brain development, and stunted growth. Good food sources of iron are grass-fed beef, shellfish, beans, and spinach.
9. ZINC
Another one of the nutrients for pregnancy planning is zinc. A study found that zinc is able to increase the number of binding sites on a progesterone receptor in order to increase progesterone naturally. As mentioned progesterone is very important for fertility because it helps promote the growth of the placenta, and prepares the uterus. Additionally, zinc aids in egg quality to increase fertility. Zinc deficiency can be very harmful as it causes the risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, placental inflammation, neural tube defects. Good food sources of zinc include shellfish, grassfed beef, hemp seeds, and lentils.
10. COQ10
Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinol) is a supplement important for pregnancy planning. A complex process occurs for the oocyte (egg) to mature properly for fertility, which needs lots of energy via the mitochondria process of oxidative phosphorylation for better egg development. CoQ10 is an enzyme involved in this mitochondrial energy-producing process. Studies have shown that this enzyme declines with age, and therefore egg quality also declines. Supplementing with CoQ10 is a great way to improve egg quality and also increase ovulation rates.
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11. SELENIUM
Selenium is a mineral that has strong antioxidant properties making it one of the nutrients for pregnancy planning. Oxidative stress damages cells and reduces their ability to function, especially when trying to conceive. Reactive oxygen species or ROS enters the body on a daily basis through many different avenues, these ROS have very high energy levels and can damage cell functionality. Our body responds by sending antioxidants to get rid of the ROS. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance in this system, either too many ROS or not enough antioxidants. Selenium has been shown to have a large significance in the positive outcome of conception rates in women, showing that it is one of the great nutrients for fertility.
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Understand ovulation
12. OVULATION doesn’t occur on the SAME DAY EVERY MONTH
To understand ovulation during pregnancy planning, you need to know that ovulation does not occur on the same day every month. Additionally, the spacing between ovulation days will not always be the same either. 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, activity, 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
13. SEX ON OVULATION DAY DOESN’T GUARANTEE PREGNANCY
Another thing to know when pregnancy planning is that sex on ovulation day does not always guarantee pregnancy will occur. As mentioned, many factors determine when you will be ovulating and if your eggs are mature enough to be fertilized. Due to this, you may not get pregnant the first few times you have intercourse during your ovulation day.
14. You can get pregnant if you do not have sex on ovulation day
In contrast, but not a contradiction, to the previous point, you can also get pregnant if you do not have sex on ovulation. 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, having intercourse earlier than ovulation is better than having intercourse later than ovulation.
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How to track ovulation
15. BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE
Basal body temperature or BBT is one of the easiest ways to confirm ovulation when you are pregnancy planning. There is a distinct temperature increase after you ovulate due to progesterone increase. To test this out every morning before getting out of bed take your temperature and write it down for a whole month. Of course, take into consideration if you have the flu or another illness that caused a fever, but if you didn’t have any illness you will notice a trend throughout the month. The temperature will stay plateaued but on the day you ovulate that temperature will rise a degree at most and will stay at the heightened value for several days. Using this method is a great way to learn how to track ovulation during pregnancy planning, but remember that the day you ovulate one month will not be the same as the next month.
Source: University of Michigan, 29313033
16. CERVICAL FLUID
Cervical fluid (also called cervical mucus, or vaginal discharge) is a completely normal part of your menstrual cycle and typically follows a pattern throughout the month. It is influenced by estrogen levels in the body. It’s an important sign to learn about your body because it can help you to learn how to track ovulation as a predictive marker during pregnancy planning. Cervical fluid’s role is to either prevent or promote sperm from entering the uterus depending on the time of the month. During your menstrual phase (on your period) and the days directly following after, your cervical fluid is usually dry. While we wouldn’t typically think that being on our period would be dry, we’re referring to cervical fluid here not period blood. As estrogen levels start to rise in the follicular phase your cervical fluid changes to a sticky or glue-like consistency than to a creamy/lotion consistency. As you approach ovulation your estrogen levels are climbing to their peak. Fertile cervical fluid can be the creamy/lotion-like consistency but the egg white consistency that would stretch between your fingers is what we’re typically looking for. After ovulation, if pregnancy does not happen then your cervical fluid can dry up or transition from the glue/lotion consistency to dry as your estrogen levels fall back down during the luteal phase. Things that can affect cervical fluid: birth control pills: reduce amount, antibiotics and certain meds: can change the quality, PCOS or irregular cycles, missing period, hydration: more hydrated, the better quality, and stress.
17. OVULATION PREDICTOR STRIPS
Ovulation predictor strips are another way to learn how to track ovulation during pregnancy planning, though this is a predicting method and not a confirming method like checking BBT. These strips work similarly to a pregnancy test, you pee on the stick and watch to see if a dark line appears. If it does this predicts you will ovulate within the next 12-36 hours. The reason these strips help you learn how to track ovulation is by measuring the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels. Typically these levels rise right before ovulation. If you have PCOS you may have chronically elevated LH levels, in which case ovulation predictor kits may not be helpful for predicting ovulation (you will consistently get a positive result). You can determine your LH level with a blood test on day 3 of your cycle.
18. CERVICAL POSITION
Checking your cervical position can be a great tool to use when learning how to track ovulation during pregnancy planning. The cervix is the connector between the vaginal canal and the uterus. Its position and consistency changes throughout you recycle and when after intercourse. A rule of thumb for knowing when you are ovulating is the acronym SHOW (soft, high, open, and wet). This is because these conditions make it easier for the sperm to enter the uterus. When you are not ovulating the cervix is usually low, dry, and closed. These conditions occur when you are not ovulating to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. To start implementing this way of tracking ovulation start by washing your hands and getting into a position that feels comfortable for you, then insert your middle or index finger into your vagina and feel around for the cervix and take note of where it is and how it feels. Continue to do this throughout the month and take note of any patterns to get a better idea of when you are ovulating.
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