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Planning for pregnancy Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, April 2009.

Answers to questions about preparing for pregnancy

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

 

How do I know when I am ovulating?

You're most fertile around ovulation, which is when an egg is released from one of your ovaries. You can learn to identify when you're ovulating by keeping track of any changes to your vaginal secretions. These secretions vary in consistency throughout your menstrual cycle. It can be difficult to measure when you are ovulating, so don't worry if you are unsure. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that having sex every three days is the best way to conceive, regardless of when you are ovulating.

Explanation

The length of the menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman (from 21 days to 40 days), but on average it's 28 days. However long your menstrual cycle is, you will usually ovulate 10 to 16 days before your next period. The time from the first day of a period to the day of ovulation varies between women.

One menstrual cycle is the time from the first day of your period to the day before your next period starts. So, the first day of your period is also the first day of a new menstrual cycle. In most women, a period lasts between three and seven days, although there is a lot of variation. Your period is simply the unused womb lining from your last menstrual cycle being washed away as blood loss.

After your period, an egg grows and develops in one of your ovaries before being released (this is known as ovulation). Once an egg has been released, it travels from your ovaries through your fallopian tubes. At the same time, your womb lining thickens, ready to receive a fertilised egg. If intercourse has taken place, the egg may be fertilised by a single sperm. Your fertile time lasts for eight to nine days of each menstrual cycle, ending once an unfertilised egg dies. This is because sperm can survive in your body for up to seven days after intercourse, so you can still get pregnant if you have sex up to seven days before you ovulate. If no intercourse has taken place, the egg dies after around 24 hours. Between 10 to 16 days after ovulation, your womb lining is then shed as a period and a new menstrual cycle begins.

At the beginning and end of your menstrual cycle (near your period), your vaginal secretions will usually be sticky, creamy and thick. Your vagina and vulva (entrance to the vagina) will feel dry. At or around ovulation, when you are most fertile, the vaginal secretions may become wetter, thinner and clearer with a texture like raw egg white (called 'fertile mucus'). Your vagina and vulva will feel wet. By monitoring these changes, you may be able to estimate when you are ovulating. The best way to do this is to wipe your vulva with toilet paper every time you go to the toilet and look at the consistency of the secretions. The amount and quality of these secretions vary from woman to woman, and from one cycle to the next, so some women find it difficult to monitor them.

Your cervix changes position and feels different throughout your menstrual cycle, acting as a valve to control the access of sperm. When you are fertile (around ovulation) it moves higher up your vagina and feels soft and slightly open so that sperm can pass through. When you are not fertile, the cervix lies low in your vagina and feels firm and closed, blocking the passage of sperm.

Some women also notice a dip in their basal body temperature (their temperature when they wake after at least three hour's sleep) just before ovulation, followed by a rise afterwards. However, according to the Family Planning Association, this isn't a reliable way of pinpointing ovulation or planning a pregnancy.

Another way to identify when you are ovulating is to use an ovulation predictor kit, which you can buy from a pharmacy. The kit will detect a surge in your levels of luteinising hormone (LH), which is the hormone that triggers ovulation. Using the kit involves testing your urine on specific days in your menstrual cycle. The test can predict ovulation 24 to 36 hours in advance. You can ask your pharmacist for advice on using these kits.

Ovulation calculators, which predict when you might be ovulating, are available on some websites. To use the calculator, you need to enter the date of your last period and the length of your menstrual cycle. However, ovulation calculators aren't always accurate, as they assume that your menstrual cycle is regular, when there is actually a lot of variation from month to month.

It can be difficult to measure when you are ovulating, so don't worry if you are unsure. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that having sex every three days is the best way to conceive, regardless of when you are ovulating.

Some women may have regular mid-cycle spotting or abdominal (tummy) pain. These may be signs of ovulation, if other possible causes have been excluded.

Further information

Sources

  • Planning a pregnancy booklet. Family Planning Association. www.fpa.org.uk, accessed 23 April 2008
  • Your guide to natural family planning booklet, Family Planning Association. www.fpa.org.uk, accessed 12 May 2008
  • Fertility education and natural family planning, Fertility Education Trust. www.fertilityet.org.uk, accessed 12 May 2008
  • Bodyworks: your guide to understanding reproduction, Family Planning Association. www.fpa.org.uk, accessed 12 May 2008
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Which medical conditions can affect my chances of conceiving?

Various medical conditions can affect your ability to have children. These conditions include any diseases or infections that affect your fallopian tubes, womb (uterus) or ovaries. Sometimes, it may be a medicine or treatment that affects your fertility, rather than the medical condition itself.

Explanation

Any medical condition that interferes with ovulation or damages your reproductive organs (for example, your fallopian tubes or ovaries) will reduce your chances of conceiving.

In a condition called endometriosis, cells that are like those found in the lining of the womb grow elsewhere in the abdomen. If the cells grow around the fallopian tubes, they can prevent an egg moving towards the womb after ovulation.

Women with polycystic ovaries (large numbers of cysts in the ovaries) may not ovulate regularly, which can affect their fertility. Thyroid problems, causing an overactive or underactive thyroid gland, can also prevent ovulation.

Untreated sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, can damage the fallopian tubes in women and sperm in men. If you or your partner think that you may have a sexually transmitted infection, you can get confidential advice from a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, a sexual health clinic or your GP.

If you have a chronic medical condition that may affect your fertility, you should speak to your GP before trying for a baby. Your doctor may be able to restore or improve your fertility.

Using high doses of certain prescription medicines, or taking them regularly for a long time, can also affect fertility in men and women - examples include some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for arthritis and the medicine sulfasalazine, which is taken for arthritis and Crohn's disease.

If you take any medicines regularly, speak to your doctor, who may need to adjust the dose of your medicines or prescribe an appropriate alternative. Don't stop taking any prescribed medicines without checking with your doctor first, as this may affect your health.

Further information

Sources

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Will being overweight affect my pregnancy?

Yes, being overweight can affect your chances of conceiving and affect your health during your pregnancy. This is why it's advisable to be as close to your ideal weight as you can before becoming pregnant.

Explanation

Being overweight or obese can reduce your chances of becoming pregnant, both naturally and with the aid of fertility treatments. If you are overweight (ie your body mass index, or BMI, is over 25), you will have an increased risk of having a miscarriage or needing a caesarean section. Being overweight also increases your risk of pregnancy-related medical conditions such as pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure, fluid retention and protein in the urine) and gestational diabetes.

To find out your BMI, see our BMI calculator (see Further information).

It's important to maintain an appropriate weight for your height. If you are overweight, losing just five to 10 percent of your body weight can improve your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy. Your GP can advise you on whether you should lose some weight and the best way to do this safely and effectively. Cutting out food groups without proper medical advice will mean that your diet is unbalanced and may deplete your energy levels. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that pregnant women eat a normal healthy balanced diet. You should aim to eat five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day and plenty of dairy and protein-rich foods, while cutting down on sugary and fatty foods.

Further information

Sources

  • Catalino DM, Ehrenberg HM. The short- and long-term implications of maternal obesity in the mother and her offspring. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 2006; 113(10):1126-1130
  • Arulkumaran S, Symdonds IM, Fowlie A. Preparing for pregnancy. Oxford Handbook of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004: 28
  • When you're pregnant. Food Standards Agency. www.eatwell.gov.uk, accessed 11 February 2009
  • Your health in pregnancy. The Pregnancy Book. Department of Health, 2007. www.dh.gov.uk
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Related topics

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This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: April 2009

Planning for pregnancy factsheet

 

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