Before Starting a Family

Before you start trying for a baby, your body and mind need to be in perfect harmony in order to maximise your chances of conceiving. Medical and lifestyle issues need to be addressed so that everything in your life is appropriate to conception, thus ensuring that your pregnancy will run smoothly. The following details the advice we give to all patients trying to conceive.

Sex

It will come as no surprise that sex is an essential ingredient in achieving pregnancy for a heterosexual couple.

Without getting into specific scientific advice on how often you should make love, we would recommend two or three times a week. This gives the sperm adequate time to recover and regenerate to increase the chances of success.

The best time to have sex in order to maximise the chances of getting pregnant during a regular 28 days menstrual cycle is usually between days 8 to 21. Of course, this does not mean you cannot achieve success during the other days of the cycle.

Rubella

Checking for rubella immunity with a simple blood test is strongly recommended before you start trying for a baby. If you have not been immunised for Rubella, or have lost immunity, the simple solution is a Rubella vaccine jab. Then, after a month your blood levels can be checked and, if satisfactory, you can start trying for a baby straightaway.

Genital Infection

A routine, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening for both the partners is advisable before you start trying to get pregnant. This is important because some genital infections may potentially reduce the chances of conception and also increase the chances of a miscarriage.

Periods

Regular periods are defined as the ones that last from 3-5 days and come every 21-35 days. If they are light or very heavy and come too often, or are delayed beyond the norm, then you should seek advice from a fertility specialist when trying for a baby.

Sperm Issues

A formal sperm assessment test will give a good indication as to the total number of sperm, their quality and the way they swim forward.

Almost 1/3 of couples who find it difficult to get pregnant may have sperm issues at the heart of the problem.

Most sperm issues can be corrected very easily with lifestyle modifications, but some may require specialist attention from Mr. Gudi or Mr. Shah.

Diet & Weight

A healthy, well-balanced diet combined with regular exercise is the key to obtaining the right balance of body and mind. A happy mind and a fit body have a positive effect on your hormones, mood and the way you feel.

Plenty of greens, lean meat and fruits are the basis for getting optimum nourishment.

Too much of something is never a good idea, but at the same time having some pleasurable things such as a lovely glass of wine, or that piece of gorgeous Belgian chocolate is fine too!

Being overweight or underweight may cause problems with ovulation and a healthy body weight will optimise the chance of a healthy pregnancy. Therefore either losing a few pounds, or gaining a few, may make a world of difference. Consulting a qualified dietician and a fitness expert could be invaluable.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. Our calculator below will work this out for you. Simply complete the fields, giving your height and weight as directed and click on ‘calculate your BMI’ for the result.