6 Tips On How to Get Pregnant Fast

 Most of us want to get pregnant fast when we decide to start a family or add another baby to the family. About 80% of couples conceive within a year of regular unprotected sex (every two to three days). However, some couples may take a longer time to conceive because of various reasons.

Here are some things that you can do to get pregnant fast.

1. Take prenatal supplements and vitamins

Even if you eat a balanced diet that consists of meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains, it may still be hard to get all the nutrients that your body (and future baby) needs. Most prenatal supplements contain folic acid and iron which are essential for pregnancy. By having enough folic acid in your diet before you even conceive, you can reduce your baby’s chance of getting neural tube defects, cleft lip, cleft palate, and certain heart defects. When you get pregnant, it is also more likely for you to have an iron deficiency, so increase your iron intake to prevent iron-deficiency anaemia.

You should consume more Vitamin A, B, C, D and E as they have antioxidant properties that can improve the health of sperms and eggs.

Men should also include more zinc in their diet as zinc is essential for sperm production. Zinc can be found in red meat, oysters, lentils, low-fat yogurt, oatmeal and shiitake mushrooms.

Learn more about fertility and vitamins in detail.

2. Get a preconception check-up

If you have a history of irregular periods, you may want to visit a gynaecologist to help identify any fertility problems or to help you regulate your period.

Irregular periods may make it harder for you to get pregnant as it can affect your ovulation. There may be underlying medical conditions linked to irregular periods that can affect your chance of conceiving. Hence, it is advisable to do a thorough medical examination to check for any medical conditions that may be of concern.

It is recommended that you consult a gynaecologist if you fail to conceive after 1 year of regular, unprotected sex (every two to three days) as this may indicate a possible fertility problem.

3. Know when you will ovulate

Every month, the female body releases a mature egg from the ovary. The mature egg travels down from the ovary to the fallopian tubes and along the uterus as it prepares to be fertilised by a sperm. This is known as ovulation.

Ovulation lasts for 12-48 hours, but you are potentially fertile for up to seven days. This is because the sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to five days. This means that by having regular sex (every alternate day) during this fertile window, you can maximise your chances of getting pregnant.

If you have a habit of tracking your period in a fertility app, most fertility apps will be able to tell you when your ovulation is expected to occur.

Other indications of ovulation that you can look out for include measuring your basal body temperature, or checking your cervical mucus. Just before ovulation, your cervical mucus should be clear, have an egg-white consistency and can be stretched into a string between your fingers. This is also known as “fertile mucus”. It should serve as an indication that ovulation is going to take place.

You can track ovulation by using an ovulation predictor kit. Ovulation test kits can be found at personal stores like Guardian, Watsons or other pharmacies. An ovulation predictor tests for the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. About 12 to 36 hours before ovulation, there is a surge in LH levels. LH sends a signal to your ovaries to release an egg. When test result is positive, it is likely that ovulation is going to take place.

The length of the LH surge can be different for every women. Some LH surges last for a few days while some last only hours, so it’s best to test twice a day – once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

However, do not always wait for a positive ovulation test to have sexual intercourse. You could be most fertile on days even before your ovulation test turns positive.

You can read further here about the signs of ovulation.

4. Lay low right after sex

After sex, women should try to lie down for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure that the sperms do not leak out. You can place a pillow under your buttocks to aid the sperm in its travel towards the uterus. This can help you to get pregnant faster.

5. Adjust your lifestyle by avoiding the following things

Quit smoking

If you or your partner smoke, it is best to stop smoking as soon as possible as cigarette contains a lot of harmful chemicals such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. These chemicals will decrease your chance of conception and adversely affect the health of the fetus even it does not hinder conception.

Avoid alcohol consumption

Alcohol may destroy sperm-generating cells in the testicles and decrease sperm count. It will also cause an increase in abnormally-shaped sperms and lower sperm motility. All these factors will result in lowered fertility. 

Females should also avoid consuming alcohol before and during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk for miscarriage, impaired foetal growth and development, premature birth and stillbirth.

Reduce caffeine intake

You should reduce your consumption of coffee or tea when you are trying to conceive. This is because caffeine has been shown to delay conception.

Read further on how caffeine affects fertility.

You may also want to learn more about things to avoid when you want to conceive.

6. Assisted Reproductive Techniques

If you find that you and your partner are unable to conceive after 1 year of regular, unprotected sex, you may have a fertility problem. In this case, you should consult a gynaecologist to identify the issue and what steps you can take to conceive a child. If you have problems conceiving naturally, your gynae may advise you to opt for assisted reproductive methods such as Artificial Insemination or In-Vitro Fertilisation.