It Starts with Ovulation
“Healthy young couples have about one-in-five odds of conceiving each month,” says Dr. Lasher. “Conception is more likely to happen around the time of ovulation.”

According to Dr. Lasher, a woman can find out when she’s ovulating each month with one of the following strategies:

• Chart changes in your early-morning body temperature using a special basal thermometer. Your body temperature rises after ovulation and remains elevated for at least three days. If you chart your cycle for three to four months, you and your partner can try to conceive the five days before your expected temperature rise.
• Use an over-the-counter, FDA-approved home ovulation test kit.
• Examine your cervical mucus throughout your menstrual cycle. It normally becomes clear and more abundant around ovulation.

Couples may want to talk to a doctor if pregnancy does not occur within one year. Women age 35 or older should only wait six months before speaking to a doctor.

Lifestyle and Fertility
“For women, being obese or too thin can hamper ovulation,” says Dr. Lasher. She adds that smoking and heavy alcohol consumption can impair fertility in both men and women.

Men should avoid overheating their scrotum by limiting soaks in hot baths. But one study found no truth behind the myth that underwear briefs heated the scrotum any more than boxers did.

Stress and depression may play a role in some cases of female infertility. “Often, relaxation training and stress-reduction techniques can prove successful in helping women relax and thus becoming pregnant,” says Dr. Lasher.

Preconception Counseling
If you’re thinking of becoming pregnant, Dr. Lasher recommends scheduling a preconception counseling appointment with your physician. He or she can help guide you through the steps of a healthy pregnancy even before your special journey begins.