Planning for a baby: What couples should know about natural conception

Standing on your head after sex. Sitting in a chair after a pregnant woman. These old wives tales about how to get pregnant may be entertaining, but it takes a little more than looking into the eyes of a pregnant woman for a couple to conceive naturally when they decide it's time to have a baby.

While many people tell stories of unplanned pregnancies, it is actually somewhat challenging to conceive. A healthy couple at prime reproductive age has around a twenty-five percent chance of conceiving each month during a woman's menstrual cycle. However, knowing the basics about becoming pregnant can increase a couple's chance of natural conception.

"When a couple decides it is time to begin a family, they will most likely have many health questions," says Pamela Madsen, Executive Director of the American Infertility Association (AIA) and co-founder of the Focus On Fertility education campaign.

Are you ready to build a baby? It is important for prospective parents to know if they have any health conditions or habits that may affect their chances of natural conception. High blood pressure, weight, alcohol and tobacco use, and a family's fertility history are some of the things that can affect a couple's chances of conceiving. They should talk to their doctor about any concerns or questions they have, and keep an open dialogue throughout the process of natural conception.

Say goodbye to female birth control methods. Regardless of the type of birth control a woman uses, her body will need some time to return to its natural cycle of menstruation and ovulation before she is able to become pregnant. There are many forms of birth control available today that affect a woman's hormones differently, and she should consult her doctor about what to expect when discontinuing use.

Know your cycle. Since sperm can live a few days in a woman's reproductive tract, she is most likely to get pregnant in the few days leading up to and the day following ovulation. Most women believe their most fertile day is the 14th day after their period starts, but it is actually fourteen days before their next period starts. There are several ways a woman's body will hint that she is ovulating. The Basal Body Temperature (BBT), a woman's temperature first thing in the morning, will dip about a half degree 24 hours before she ovulates and will climb almost a whole degree afterward and through the beginning of her next cycle. Her body also produces mucus that will change consistency for several days a month to allow sperm to travel to the fallopian tubes. A woman can also find out when she is ovulating with an ovulation predictor kit.

Practice makes perfect! There is no proof that any one "position" is best for making a baby. While practice often makes perfect, couples that are not timing a woman's cycles should not overdo it. Having sex every other day, not every day, can actually help increase the chances of conception.

Tell him to loosen up. One fertility myth that couples should take seriously is for a man to wear loose-fitting pants and boxers instead of briefs for at least two months before trying to conceive. Tightness can cause overheating that may lower sperm count. In addition, men trying to have children should avoid places with high temperatures (such as saunas), extended bike riding, and alcohol and tobacco use.

Be in the know. Couples should also conduct their own research to learn as much as they can about fertility and conception. Resources such as those presented by the Focus on Fertility campaign can provide couples with valuable information about pregnancy facts and possible infertility risks.

"Taking simple steps such as these can help couples become pregnant naturally," says Madsen. "But if they are having trouble conceiving for a prolonged period of time-roughly one year of trying for couples under 35 and six months for couples over 35-they should visit a specialist [reproductive endocrinologist] and remember that there are still many options available to them."

Most importantly, couples should remember it takes time to make a baby, naturally or otherwise, but the results are well worth it.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]