A pregnancy is one of a woman’s joys in her life. Nothing gets her excited more than the signs of pregnancy that she expects. However, most women are not attuned to the rhythm of their bodies. One of the first signs of pregnancy is a missed period. If you have regular periods and you notice that your period is late and suspect that you are pregnant, then it is a good idea to get a pregnancy test.

Before you consult with a doctor, it is wise to take a home pregnancy test. Most pregnancy test kits can be bought at your local pharmacy. If you missed a period and a blue line appears on the test window of the kit, you are most likely to be carrying a child. If you are positive, don’t delay. Visit your doctor so that you will know what to do to ensure a safe and satisfying pregnancy experience.

Cramping or implantation bleeding is also an early sign of pregnancy. Around eight days after ovulation, you could experience implantation spotting, a slight stain of a brown or pink color, and cramps. These symptoms are caused by the egg penetrating the endometrial lining. You may also see spotting around the time you look to during your period.

Another sign of pregnancy is the darkening of the areolas. You may have a successful conception if the skin around the woman’s nipples becomes darker. Or this may be a hormonal imbalance not related to pregnancy or be a holdover from a previous pregnancy.

Now this is one of the greatest signs of pregnancy: food cravings! However, food cravings can be an inaccurate indicator of pregnancy. Your body could be lacking on a certain nutrient. But if you have food cravings couple with other pregnancy signs, then it’s a sure bet that you’re expecting.

A suspected pregnancy accompanies exhaustion or fatigue. With this kind of fatigue, you feel like you have been run over a truck instead of working at the office for the day. While not probably a symptom on its own, exhaustion is a sign of early pregnancy.

Frequent trips to the bathroom could be another pregnancy sign. That means frequent urination. This happens when the embryo starts to product the hormone: human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Aside from food cravings, one of the most common early signs of pregnancy is morning sickness. As early as a few days after conception, you could begin feeling queasiness and nausea. This is also an early symptom that troubles the pregnant woman all throughout the day. A woman is indeed lucky if she does not experience morning sickness at all.

During her early stages, a pregnant woman may also have swollen and tender breasts. This sensation is similar to what a non-pregnant woman feels before her period. Only a pregnant woman’s breasts are tenderer. The pain will be gone once the woman gets used to the hormone increase.

A pregnant woman may also have altered taste buds. Some women may have a metallic taste. Other women cannot tolerate the taste of tea, coffee, or a particular food.

Now that a pregnant woman knows the early signs of pregnancy, then it is the right time for her to visit her doctor, who will guide her throughout the pregnancy.

Trying for a baby can be difficult. The odds of a young fertile couple conceiving by having sex when ovulating are approximately one in five every month. You need to get the timing right!

Timing sexual intercourse
The most important factor to get pregnant is to have sex during the woman’s fertile phase, that is having intercourse as near as possible to the time you ovulate. Ovulation happens on just one day in each cycle and it is when the ovary releases an egg (ovum) that lives for between 12 and 24 hours however sperm can live inside you for up to seven days. To increase the likelihood of conception, you would ideally have intercourse starting approx 5 days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. That way, there is likely to be a healthy supply of sperm waiting in your fallopian tubes when an egg is released.

So, exactly when does a woman ovulate? Ovulation usually takes place 12–16 days before the start of your next period depending on your menstrual cycle. This is not easy to predict however there are a few ways to determine a woman’s fertile phase:

• Ovulation predictor kits
• Basal body temperature
• Cervical mucus
• Cervical position

Ovulation predictor kit – tests your urine for LH hormones as ovulation usually occurs 12-36 hours after an LH surge. This is more accurate than charting your basal body temperature and cervical mucus and can predict ovulation as close as 6 hours before it happens however buying these kit can be expensive. This also does not work well for women with irregular cycles, who may require more sticks for daily testing. This test also does not confirm if you have already ovulated!

Body basal temperature – your body’s baseline temperature before any activity. Taken when you first wake up in the morning, before ANY activity, with a basal thermometer. Compared to the LH ovulation predictor kit, this method is inexpensive – only cost involves buying a basal thermometer. However, this method can be inconvenient as you will need to take your temperature first thing in the morning at the same time every day (immediately after you get up or at least three hours of uninterrupted sleep). Another downside to this method is that it does not take into consideration when you are sick, had alcohol, medication, etc.

Cervical mucus – as your cycle progresses, your cervical mucus increases in volume and changes texture, indicating the rising levels of hormone oestrogen. At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the mucus is sparse, cloudy, tacky and dense which is when you are not fertile and most women will not be able to conceive. In the days prior to ovulation, the mucus is most and cream or white in colour (cloudy) and can break apart easily when stretched. Just before and during ovulation, the mucus becomes more plentiful, quite clear, slippery and thin. This type of mucus is tied very closely and looks like egg whites.

Cervical position – as your cycle progresses, your cervix changes. At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the cervix is lower down. In the days prior to ovulation, you will realise that your cervix is moving up. Your cervix is the highest when you are just about to ovulate and during ovulation. A low cervix is easier to reach in a lying position. When your cervix is high, it is almost impossible to reach with your middle finger. Determining your cervix position is easier when you check it in the same position, at the same time every day.

So when you are ready to start trying for a baby, gather all the clues to pinpoint your time of ovulation. These indicators, when combined with daily charting, can be very effective in tracking your menstrual cycle and ovulation to assist in increasing the likelihood of conception. During your fertile window, have intercourse every other day for two to four days. Intercourse every other day is recommended rather than daily intercourse because it is possible that your partner may not be able to produce enough sperm hence lowering the sperm count. After intercourse, relax and lie still. It takes sperm about 20 minutes to work their way through the cervical mucus and up to the fallopian tubes. Lying down during this time will reduce the risk of sperm leakage from the vagina.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, there are about 6 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year, 53% of which are planned. Understanding the menstrual cycle and the periods of time when fertility is at its highest can improve the chances of a couple becoming pregnant.

The average menstrual cycle is 28 days. Day one is the first day of menstrual bleeding. During the time of a female’s menstrual period, the least likely time to conceive is day one through day seven. For women with regular periods, an egg is released from the ovary, called ovulation, about 14 days before the start of the next period.

The most fertile time for most women is between days 12 and 16. It is important to note that an egg, if not fertilized, will die twenty-four hours after ovulation. Sperm, however, can live up to 48 hours inside the vaginal environment. Therefore, a woman’s best chance for becoming pregnant occurs in the day or two closest to ovulation.

For women who have regular periods but who may have cycles longer or shorter than 28 days, the method of measuring peak fertility can be more complicated, however the timing of the egg’s release from the ovary is almost always 14 days before the start of the next menstrual cycle. For women with 30 day cycles, for example, ovulation can be expected around Day 16.

Women with irregular cycles can often not predict when they will ovulate. The use of tools such as an ovulation calendar or ovulation predictor kits can help determine the peak time of fertility during a menstrual cycle. Women can also measure basal body temperature or changes in the cervix mucous to assess for signs of ovulation. During ovulation, the body temperature increases by 0.5 to 1.6 degrees and the cervix mucous is clear and stretchy (other days of the cycle, the mucous is pasty and thick).

For couples who are planning a pregnancy, the best method to determine individual peak fertility times is to chart the woman’s period on a basic calendar for at least three months to first determine if the cycle is regular and when ovulation is most likely to occur.

Congratulations! So you’ve decided to take the big step into becoming a parent. While it is one of the most important things a person can do in their life, it is also the most challenging and the first challenge is conceiving. Many people assume that once they stop taking contraception they will immediately conceive. Our bodies are slightly more complicated than that and this guide on how to get pregnant will give you tips on the best methods and the timing to get pregnant.

First things first
The first thing you must do when you make the decision to have a baby is to visit your gynecologist. This is a vital step as you will need a German measles vaccination if you haven’t had one already, and to make sure you are receiving enough folic acid to prevent birth defects. The gynecologist will also answer any of your questions and will provide you with further tips on how to get pregnant.

When to do it
The best time is dependent on your ovulation cycle. Your ovulation period lasts six days – the first five days before and leading up to the sixth day in which you ovulate – and it’s during this time at which you are most fertile. Your ovulation period is usually midway between your menstrual cycles which for most women is about 14 days before their next period is due. This is usually the best time to get pregnant but if it doesn’t work for you, another tip is to wait until days 10 and 18 of your cycle (day 1 as the first day of your period) and have intercourse every other day during this time. This way, intercourse and ovulation are bound to coincide.

At-home ovulation kits
If you want to be more precise and exact, you can purchase an at-home ovulation prediction kit which uses your body temperature to determine whether you are ovulating. It is said that when you are ovulating, your body temperature increases by 0.8 degrees. These kits can give you warning from one to one and a half days in advance as to the best time to get pregnant.

How often?
A frequent concern for those whom want to know how to get pregnant is how often to try. It is a fact that the more frequently a man ejaculates, the lower his sperm count, becomes. So, those who are trying for a baby often have sex every few days to build this sperm count. However, this isn’t necessary. Even though the sperm count may be lower, it is still high enough for pregnancy to occur. The best tip is to make love when you want to. Remember that having a baby should be fun too, so try not to focus too much on how often and when. Of course those who are only having intercourse once a week will significantly lessen their chances.

Not working?
If after a month or two you are still not pregnant, don’t panic! If you were previously on the pill, it can take some time before your cycle is regularized which can delay the conception. It may also be harder for smokers to get pregnant so if you are a smoker, another tip on how to get pregnant is to decrease or stop smoking. If you are very seriously concerned about your inability to get pregnant and these tips on how to get pregnant have not helped, then you may want to consult a gynecologist.

Remember though that you should take your time and have fun! Don’t focus too much on the goal of how to get pregnant and you’ll be unexpectedly surprised.