How to get pregnant

While conception may take time, most couples conceive within a year, and with the right approach, your chances improve greatly. Let’s explore key factors that contribute to successful natural conception.

Natural conception

Natural conception starts with understanding your menstrual cycle and timing intercourse around ovulation. Baby planning tips include maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating nutrient-rich foods, and reducing stress. To get pregnant naturally, focus on regular, unprotected sex during your fertile window (5 days leading up to ovulation) and follow natural practices to increase fertility.

Here’s how to plan for a baby:

• Understand your fertility window: Familiarise yourself with your menstrual cycle to identify your most fertile days, which occur around ovulation.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can optimise fertility.
• Track ovulation actively: Use ovulation predictor kits, basal body temperature tracking, or fertility apps to pinpoint your ovulation and maximise your chances of conception.

Remember getting pregnant varies from individual to individual. While some women conceive quickly, others may take more time. Be patient, stay relaxed, and seek help if needed.

While there’s no magic food that guarantees pregnancy, certain foods can help you increase your chances of conceiving.

Here are some foods that promote reproductive health:

• Leafy greens: Powerhouses of nutrition, foods like spinach, methi, and kale offer essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Rich in folate, these greens support healthy ovulation and sperm development.
• Berries and citrus fruits: High in antioxidants, foods such as oranges, guava, and pomegranate help protect reproductive cells from oxidative stress.
• Whole grains: Packed with fibre and essential nutrients, grains such as brown rice, oats, bajra, and jowar help regulate blood sugar and maintain healthy hormone levels.
• Avocados: It contains healthy fats that help regulate hormones and improve fertility. If avocados are not easily available, try coconut-based foods that also provide healthy fats.
• Nuts and seeds (Almonds, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, Chia seeds): Rich in vitamin E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for improving sperm count and egg quality. Walnuts, in particular, have been shown to improve sperm health.
• Whole milk and dairy products: Dairy products like milk, curd, and paneer provide calcium and vitamin D. Both of which are important for fertility and hormone regulation.

All these foods help improve egg and sperm quality. Include them into your diet to ensure good reproductive health. Alongside these foods, stay hydrated and avoid processed, sugary foods to further improve fertility.
 

Frequency

For natural conception, having regular sex every 2-3 days during your fertile window (the 5-6 days leading up to ovulation) increases the chances of getting pregnant. Sperm can live for up to five days inside the female reproductive tract. So frequent intercourse during this period ensures that sperm are present when the egg is released.

Egg Quality

Good egg quality is essential for successful conception. Here are some ways to improve egg quality:

• Eat foods rich in antioxidants: Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help protect eggs from oxidative damage.
• Consider supplements: Vitamins such as folic acid, CoQ10, and Vitamin D may help improve egg quality.
• Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption: Both can negatively impact egg quality.

Sperm Count

Sperm count is just as important as egg quality and crucial for successful conception. Here's how to enhance sperm quality:

• Eat foods to boost sperm count: Include zinc-rich foods (nuts, seeds, lean meats), selenium (eggs, fish), and vitamin E (spinach, almonds) to support sperm production.
• Stay active but avoid overexertion: Regular exercise boosts healthy sperm, but excessive exercise can reduce it.
• Avoid hot baths and tight underwear: Both can reduce sperm count by raising the temperature of the testicles.

Precautions - contraceptive pills

If you've been on contraceptive pills, your fertility may take a little time to return to normal. Generally, it’s advised to wait for a few cycles after stopping birth control before trying to conceive. Rest assured, most women regain their fertility soon after discontinuing the pill.

On average, it may take anywhere between 6 months to a year to conceive from the time you start trying. However, some couples may take longer due to factors like lifestyle, health conditions, or infertility. If conception doesn’t occur after a year, seeking medical advice is recommended.

Menstrual Cycle & Ovulation

• Understanding your menstrual cycle is crucial. Ovulation, the release of an egg from the ovaries, typically occurs in the middle of your cycle. For example: Once ovulation occurs, the egg is viable for about 12-24 hours. This is the most fertile time, and conception is most likely to occur.
• The best time to get pregnant is during this fertile window, which usually occurs 5-6 days before ovulation.

However, with the proper guidance, many women can conceive. Managing insulin resistance, maintaining a healthy weight, and using medications recommended by your doctor can improve fertility.

For PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease), treatments like lifestyle changes, fertility medications, or even IVF can enhance your chances of getting pregnant. Always consult your doctor for personalised guidance.

Some factors may increase your chances of having twins, such as:

• Genetics:  If there is a history of twins in your family, you may have a higher chance of conceiving them.
• Age: Women over 30, especially those in their late 30s, are more likely to conceive twins.
• Fertility treatments: IVF can increase the likelihood of twins.

While there's no guaranteed way to conceive twins naturally, the factors above increase your chances. Ensure that you have a healthy lifestyle and keep your body well-nourished.