If you are like many women these days, you may be waiting until your 30s, or later, to start your family. Chances are high that you will be able to get pregnant within several months. More than likely, your pregnancy will proceed pretty smoothly. However, some women over age 35 have an increased risk of problems during pregnancy. Get your pregnancy started off right by being proactive about your reproductive health.
How to protect yourself and your baby
Several months before you start trying to get pregnant, make an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) or nurse midwife. This preconception appointment will get you started on the healthiest path possible. If you later run into problems getting pregnant, or problems during pregnancy, you will have established a great relationship with a doctor who can guide your care.
Choose the right doctor
If you don’t have an ob-gyn or midwife yet, ask around for recommendations. It's ideal to find a practitioner that supports your philosophies and approaches to pregnancy and childbirth. Once you've settled in with somebody, or a group practice, your doctor can help you by:
- Addressing your health concerns and answering your questions about how to manage health conditions during pregnancy
- Assessing your health and fertility
- Offering you an opportunity to discuss any concerns you have about pregnancy and your fertility
What to expect at your first appointment
Here are some tests that are often done at a preconception appointment:
- Pap smear and pelvic exam
- Breast exam
- Screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
- Screening and treatment for other medical conditions
- Blood tests
If you have an STD, it doesn't just hurt you, it might also hurt your baby, and make it harder for you to conceive. For this reason, doctors screen women for STDs before and during pregnancy. If you have a family history of inherited health problems, your doctor may also recommend genetic counseling.
What's age got to do with it?
Your age has a great deal to do with whether you are going to conceive quickly, if at all. Fertility experts agree that our fertility is on a steady decline once we enter our mid-20s. At 37, the decline steepens, and fertility problems increase dramatically. Of course, younger women can still be infertile, and women in their 40s are still getting pregnant naturally. To increase your chances of conceiving, don't wait. Start trying to get pregnant as soon as you are ready.
Watch what you eat (and smoke, and drink)
Here are some habits to break if you are trying to get pregnant:
- Eating foods high in mercury, like certain types of seafood
- Smoking cigarettes
- Drinking more than two alcoholic drinks per day
- Drinking large amounts of caffeine, either from coffee, tea, or energy drinks
- Illicit drug use
Along with eliminating exposure to toxins, take a daily multivitamin containing folic acid. This can protect your baby from several serious health problems, like neural tube defects. A fertility diet won't hurt either. Focus on eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods high in trans fats and simple carbohydrates. In addition, try to maintain a healthy fertility weight.
Take it easy
With one in eight couples experiencing infertility, it's understandable to be concerned about your own ability to get pregnant. However, if you take care of your health, see a doctor regularly, and keep trying, the odds are in your favor. If you are over 35 and still can't get pregnant after six months, or if you are under 35 and haven't conceived within a year, talk to your ob-gyn or primary care physician as it may be time to see a fertility specialist for further testing.
Reviewed March 2011 by Dr. Karl Hansen at OU Physicians Reproductive Health.
Sources: American Pregnancy Association: Choosing an Obstetrician (OB/GYN) http://www.americanpregnancy.org/planningandpreparing/choosingob.html; American Pregnancy Association: Pre-Conception Health for Women http://www.americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/womenpreconception.htm; American Society for Reproductive Medicine: Optimizing natural fertility http://www.asrm.org/uploadedFiles/ASRM_Content/News_and_Publications/Practice_Guidelines/Committee_Opinions/optimizing_natural_fertility(2).pdf
