Pregnancy planning: Prepare for best to come

Know your ovulation days- Get Conceived

Getting pregnant also requires a strategic approach, and most importantly, one needs to understand their body and menstrual cycle. With each menstrual cycle comes an immature egg that matures and is released from the ovary. The process of the ovulation release of a mature egg from the ovary. Once ovulation has occurred, then an egg can survive and remain viable for up to 24 hours. Therefore, fertilization should be performed within 24 hours following ovulation for a woman to get pregnant. Thus, sexual intercourse around ovulation increases the chances of getting pregnant.

In females with regular cycles, ovulation occurs at around 2 weeks before period. But the task of finding the time of ovulation in an irregular cycle can be a little daunting.

Here's how you can find out your ovulation day: 

• Ovulation calculator or kit can be used which is primarily a tool much like the urine pregnancy test kit. Urine is tested with these strips to detect if there is an increase in the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH). This test is backed by the fact that LH surge occurs right before ovulation. You can also take help of ovulation calculator. 
• Basal body temperature can increase as much as half degree centigrade on your ovulation day. However, this not very specific because conditions like fever, infections can also mimic this.
• Close to the ovulation day, cervical mucus also adapts itself to facilitate the incoming sperm. The increased estrogen will make the mucus thin and slippery when the body anticipates ovulation. And after ovulation, it becomes thick and cloudy. So, this may serve as a hint. 
• Follicular monitoring is another procedure where your doctor regularly monitors your blood hormone levels to find your day of ovulation. This procedure is more reliable than all the rest.

Preferred Sexual position

While no position will guarantee conception, but some positions may allow deep penetration or take advantage of gravity to help in conception. Best positions to get pregnant are: 

• Missionary: A male on top puts gravity in your favor for conception. 
• Doggie style: It grants deep penetration to let sperm get closer to the cervix for a successful conception. 
• Legs on shoulders: This particular position allows women to hook their legs on their partner’s shoulders when engaging in intercourse. This position let sperm to get very close to the cervix together with having the benefit of gravity. 
• Side-by-side scissors: Lying side to side, this position allows male to enter deep into the female and assist sperm to rapidly reach the cervix.
• Rear entry: In this position, women lie on their stomachs and men may enter from their backside so that the penis reaches a lot deeper in the vagina. 

Apart from these best positions to conceive, you may try any position that allows deeper penetration for successful conception. 

Complications in getting pregnant

Complications in getting pregnant can ruin your confidence and take a toll on your mental state of mind. These can be both physical and psychological in nature like: 

Things to do and avoid during pregnancy 

If your pregnancy test has confirmed pregnancy then you must be worried about how to take care of yourself and your baby. So here are few pregnancy dos and don’ts that will ensure your pregnancy care. 

What not to do when pregnant:

• Don’t smoke
• Don’t drink alcohol
• Don’t eat raw and under cooked meat and eggs
• Don’t drink raw or unpasteurized milk
• Don’t drink a lot of coffee (can take one or two cups of coffee each day)
• Avoid over the counter drugs. 

What to do when pregnant:

• Ensure timely vaccination
• Take a multivitamin
• Eat a balanced diet
• Sleep for seven to nine hours

Exercise regularly and practice yoga

Keep a check on your weight

References:

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/home-use-tests/ovulation-urine-test “Ovulation Test”

Textbook: DC Dutta’s – Fundamental of reproduction