It’s exciting when you decide you’re ready to have a baby. At the same time, you may feel nervous because there are lots of unknowns. 

One way you can feel more in control is to stay fit and healthy. This can increase your chances of getting pregnant and of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. 

It differs. Lots of factors can affect your chances of conceiving, such as your age, health and how often you have sex. 

It gets harder for women to get pregnant as they get older, and studies show it may be harder for men too. 

8 couples in every 10 will get pregnant within a year if:

  • they have regular sex (every 2 to 3 days) 
  • they do not use contraception
  • the woman is under 40 

If you try for a year with no luck, book in to speak with your GP about possible fertility issues. If you are a woman aged 36 or over, speak to a GP sooner than this.

It depends on the type of contraception you use. As soon as you stop using some types, you can get pregnant. With others, it may take a while for your fertility to return to normal. 

For example, it can take up to a year for your fertility to return to normal after a contraceptive injection. However, you can get pregnant as soon as your contraceptive implant is taken out. It is also possible to get pregnant straight away after you stop using barrier forms of contraception such as condoms.

If you need more advice, check out our information about contraception and speak to your GP. You can also call our information and booking line on 0800 328 3383. 

Being a healthy weight, eating nutritious food and doing regular exercise can all help you. 

You can also time having sex when the woman ovulates and (releases an egg). This is when she is most fertile. 

Ovulation happens around 10 to 16 days before your period starts. You can buy ovulation test kits from most supermarkets or pharmacies to help you pinpoint it. You can also try natural family planning, also known as fertility awareness. This involves monitoring fertility signals during your menstrual cycle, so you can plan or avoid pregnancy. It can be effective if you do it well, but it takes time and effort. 

Before you even get pregnant, there are plenty of things you can do to help keep you and your unborn baby healthy.

Take folic acid 

Folic acid helps your unborn baby’s brain and spine to develop as it should. It can prevent problems (known as neural tube defects) such as spina bifida. You should take a 400 microgram tablet every day from when you start trying to conceive, until you are 12 weeks pregnant. You can get it from most supermarkets or pharmacies. Or talk to your GP about getting it on prescription. 

Your doctor might suggest you take a higher dose if you or your partner have a neural tube defect or have a family history of neural tube defects.

If you find out you are pregnant and you have not been taking folic acid, just start taking it as soon as you can.

Stop smoking 

Quitting smoking is one of the main things you can do for your and your baby’s health. Smoking while pregnant is linked to premature birth, low birthweight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and miscarriage. 

Second-hand smoke is also dangerous. This means your partner or anyone else you live with should also give up.

Stopping smoking is hard and may take some time. If you are struggling to stop, look for your local stop smoking service.

Quit alcohol 

The NHS advises that you do not drink any alcohol if you are pregnant or plan to get pregnant. Alcohol increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and low birthweight. In the worst cases, it can lead to a serious condition in babies called foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. 

If you have been drinking, then realise you’re pregnant, just stop drinking as soon as you find out. Your doctor or a midwife can help if you find it hard. You can also get support from the free, confidential support service We Are With You and Live Life Better Derbyshire.

Get tested for STIs 

Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have no symptoms, so it’s a good idea to get tested before you start trying to get pregnant. They can have health risks for pregnancy if they are not treated. Some STIs can also pass to your baby during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. 

Maintain a healthy weight 

Having a high body mass index (BMI) can make it harder to get pregnant. It can also make fertility treatment less likely to work. During pregnancy, it can raise your risk of issues such as high blood pressure, miscarriage and gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy). 

If you’re planning a pregnancy, you can use the NHS BMI calculator to check you’re a healthy weight. If you do need to lose weight, you’ll find plenty of advice, exercise tips and healthy meal plans on the NHS Better Health site and app. 

Read more about free weight management support from Live Life Better Derbyshire.

To find out more about lifestyle choices and planning a pregnancy check out NHS advice or talk to your GP if you have any more questions.