Getting pregnant and timing intercourse

When is the best time to have intercourse if we're trying to conceive?

Ideally you need to have intercourse as near as possible to the time you ovulate (when the egg is released from the ovary). Sperm can live inside you for up to seven days, but the egg is around for only 12 to 24 hours. To increase the likelihood of conception, you would ideally have intercourse one or two days prior to ovulation. That way, there is likely to be a healthy supply of sperm waiting in your fallopian tubes when an egg is released.

Preconception Tips

So that's the ideal, but it's not essential to restrict sex to a day or two before the time you think you'll ovulate. One study of the timing of intercourse in 221 women who were trying to conceive found that the 192 women who got pregnant had had sex at some point in the six days leading up to ovulation, as estimated by urine tests. The majority conceived as a result of intercourse in the day or two before ovulation. But six per cent were identified as having conceived as the result of intercourse three or more days before the day of ovulation.

FAQs on getting pregnant

Exactly when a woman ovulates in any given cycle isn't always easy to predict. It depends in part on the length of your menstrual cycle, although recent research has shown that the "window" of ovulation can vary more than was once thought, even when your menstrual cycles are regular. This is one of the reasons why fertility experts recommend having sex every two to three days throughout your cycle, rather than focusing your efforts on the days when you think you're about to ovulate.

How do I know when I'm ovulating?

Some women are very aware of when they ovulate. Other women don't notice any changes at all. If you're thinking about getting pregnant, get in touch with your body by looking out for the natural signs that you're approaching ovulation. These may start about three weeks before you expect your next period and include:

• Increased vaginal discharge that takes on a wetter, egg-white quality as you approach ovulation

• Increased libido

• Slight feelings of discomfort on one side of your middle abdomen

If my periods are irregular, will it be harder for me to get pregnant?

The more irregular your periods are, the more difficult it is to predict ovulation. However, if you are ovulating then as long as you are having intercourse two or three times a week, you will be having sex at the right time.

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What else can I try?

Many experts feel that for most couples having sex two or three times a week is the most effective way of maximising your chances. It's certainly worth trying for at least a few months before looking at other ways to detect ovulation.

If you do not become pregnant after, say, six months of actively trying (particularly if you are over 35 years of age), it's worth talking to your doctor. He or she may well suggest that you track your cycle for a few months to identify how regular your periods are and when and if you are ovulating. Your doctor can also give you advice about your health and what you can do to increase your chances of conceiving.

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Increasing the chances of getting Pregnant

The simple, and recommended, way to boost your chances is to have unprotected sex every few days throughout your cycle. This ensures a supply of sperm where you need it when you ovulate. Having a healthy diet and lifestyle will help, as will keeping your stress levels low.

Pre Pregnancy Fitness

If your lifestyle makes it difficult to have regular sex (because of work trips away or the demands of existing children), you may want to pinpoint your fertile window. Women with an irregular cycle may also prefer to take some control over their baby-making. (If you're on a cycle of assisted conception treatment, your doctor may have asked you to detect ovulation as part of the process.) An easy and accurate way to do this is by using urine-based ovulation predictor kits, which you can buy from pharmacies and, sometimes more cheaply by buying in larger numbers, online.

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A more time-consuming but cheaper way of working out when you are likely to be ovulating is to track your basal body temperature (BBT) and cervical mucus (CM) using a BBT or fertility thermometer.

Using this method, you have to chart your cycle every day, first thing in the morning, for a few months. Then you can recognise your pattern and have a better chance of predicting your most fertile days. Most women see a spike in their temperature, signalling that they've ovulated, and notice that their mucus looks and feels like raw egg white at around the same time. When the two coincide, it tells you that you have ovulated.

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Provided you have a regular cycle, you can work out the days in future cycles when you're more likely to conceive and so make sure that you have sex at least once at those times until, hopefully, you conceive.

Preconception Tips

Whether your approach to baby-making is to make love regularly and see what happens or to focus on your fertile window, we wish you luck!

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Walking and Pregnancy

Walking during pregnancy is one of the simplest and easiest ways to maintain your fitness levels and help promote a fast and easy labor. While walking won't guarantee a quick labor, it will help improve your endurance and help you recover much more quickly from the trials and tribulations of birth. Most doctors recommend that pregnant women engage in some form of regular exercise. If you haven't exercised prior to becoming pregnant, you might consider walking during pregnancy the best form of exercise available.

Tips for Walking Efficiently

Walking during pregnancy is not only good for your body but also good for your soul. Just getting out and enjoying some fresh air will do wonders for your spirit and your mood during pregnancy. While a casual stroll will help lift your spirits, a vigorous walking routine is what you'll need to engage in to provide maximal health benefits. Here are some tips for maximizing your walking regiment and promoting your health and fitness during pregnancy.

• Maintain good posture when walking. You don't want to casually stroll down the street with your shoulders humped over or lean over your child's stroller when walking. This will not help improve your health and may even contribute to back pain. When walking during pregnancy you should make a point to stand tall, you can practice at home by standing in front of a mirror. Relax your abdomen then pull your abdomen and shoulders back. Some women find wearing a maternity belt during pregnancy helps correct their posture, relieve back pain and improve their posture when walking. If you don't have a maternity belt you can easily acquire one online or at a local maternity store.

Breast Changes in Pregnancy

• Look forward while walking. You don't want to focus on the ground or look from here to there. You should look ahead a few feet in front of you. This will also help promote good posture and prevent you from accidentally walking into something (lets face it, we are all a little clumsier when pregnant).
• Walk quickly. You don't need to run and you don't need to job to reap the health benefits of walking. That said, you'll get a lot more out of your exercise routine if you walk at a swift pace. You can actually keep track of your heart rate while walking. You'll want to walk at a pace that is vigorous enough to get you breathing but not so fast you can't carry on a conversation. Most doctors recommend keeping your heart beat around 140 BPM while exercising during pregnancy.
• Stretch. You should stretch both before and after walking during pregnancy. During pregnancy our muscles and ligaments are more relaxed than normal thanks to circulating relaxin in the body, a hormone that helps prepare our bodies for labor and delivery.

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This handy little hormone can however also increase our risk for injury during pregnancy and make us feel a bit sorer than usual. Start your exercise routine slowly so you can monitor for soreness. You may find walking too quickly initially results in pelvic or hip soreness. Take things easy and work up to a more vigorous pace. Stretching before and after any physical activity may help improve your flexibility and cut back on any soreness you experience.

Pregnancy and Swelling

If you find you are having trouble getting motivated during pregnancy consider teaming up with a friend. Find another mother who is pregnant or a neighbor that has children and needs to go for a walk. The two of you will become best of friends and help keep each other motivated during and after your pregnancy.

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