How to get pregnant faster

Maybe you're just really eager to get pregnant, or maybe you hope that your baby will be born at a certain time of year. Here are five ways to boost your chances of conceiving quickly – along with tips for a healthy pregnancy and guidelines on when to be concerned about a fertility problem.

Tip 1: See your healthcare provider

You can lay the groundwork for a healthy pregnancy even before you get pregnant. You're more likely to have a successful pregnancy when your body is up to the task. Schedule a (preconception checkup) with a doctor or midwife to find out whether you are in your best baby-making shape – and to learn what changes may help.

Tip 2: Plan for a healthy pregnancy

When you are trying to conceive, eat nutritious foods, maintain a healthy weight, get regular exercise, and try to kick any bad habits (like drinking, smoking, or using drugs). (Limit your caffeine intake) to less than 200 milligrams a day. Any more than that may contribute to fertility problems.

At your preconception appointment, discuss any medications you're taking and find out if they will be safe to use during pregnancy.

Tip 3: Figure out when you ovulate

The biggest secret to getting pregnant quickly is knowing when you ovulate (release an egg from your ovary).

You ovulate only once each menstrual cycle, and there are just a few days during that time when it's possible to conceive. Knowing when you ovulate means that you and your partner can time intercourse to have the best chance of getting pregnant that cycle.

You can use a few different methods to figure out when you ovulate. Our article on predicting ovulation walks you through them. This ovulation calculator also does the math for you by determining when you're most likely to be fertile.

Tip 4: Have sex at the right time

Once you know the timeframe your egg is likely to be released from your ovary, you can plan to have sex during your most fertile days, which is usually about three days before ovulation through the day you ovulate.

You have a range of days for baby-making sex because sperm can survive for three to six days in your body. (Your egg survives for only about a day.) That means if you have sex on Monday, sperm can survive in your fallopian tubes until Thursday – or even as late as Sunday.

If you are not sure when your fertile period will be, just have sex every other day. This means you'll have healthy sperm in your fallopian tubes whenever your egg gets released.

Tip 5: Give sperm a boost

Sperm have the best shot of fertilizing an egg when they're healthy, strong, and plentiful. Your partner can do several things to help:

* Cut back on alcohol. Studies show that drinking daily can lower testosterone levels and sperm counts, increasing the number of abnormal sperm.

* Skip tobacco and recreational drugs. These can cause poor sperm function. 

* Try to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can lower sperm count and slow down sperm.

* Get enough of certain key nutrients – like zinc, folic acid, calcium, and vitamins C and D – that help create strong and plentiful sperm.

*Don't use hot tubs and saunas or take hot baths because heat kills sperm. (Testicles function best at 94 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit, a couple of degrees cooler than normal body temperature.)

The sooner your partner can make these changes, the better: Sperm take a while to mature, so any improvements now will yield better sperm specimens about three months from now.