Preparing for pregnancy is an important step for those who want to have a child. When the body is ready, it will have a positive impact on the baby's health, making it complete and strong. The next question is, how should you prepare if you want to have a baby? Here are the ways to prepare before pregnancy
What are the natural methods for getting pregnant?
- Ovulation Tracking
Ovulation tracking involves counting the days after your menstrual period to calculate when ovulation occurs. Having intercourse on these days increases the chances of pregnancy. Therefore, anyone who wants to conceive quickly should definitely track their ovulation.
Normally, women have about 200,000 to 500,000 eggs, but only around 400 to 500 of these eggs are capable of leading to pregnancy. Each month, hormones regulate egg release, such as estrogen, progesterone, LH (Luteinizing Hormone), and FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone).
These hormones not only help produce eggs but also select the healthiest one to be released. This egg is viable for about 24 hours to be fertilized. If it's not fertilized, it breaks down and is shed with the uterine lining as menstruation.
There are two ways to track ovulation:
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Self-Tracking: For women with regular menstrual cycles, this method works best. If your cycle is typically 28 days, ovulation happens around day 14. To conceive, it's best to have intercourse 1-2 days before ovulation. This method is suitable for women with regular cycles.
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Ovulation Test Kits: These work like pregnancy tests, using urine samples. The ideal time to test is 10-12 days after your period. If one line appears, it's not yet ovulation time. If two lines appear, it indicates ovulation is happening. The best time to test is between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., when LH concentration is highest. This method is better for women with irregular cycles.
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Plan to Have Children Before Age 35
The ideal age for pregnancy is between 20 and 30 years, as a woman’s body is at its most fertile during this period. After age 35, the chances of infertility increase. Additionally, having children before 35 helps reduce the risk of birth defects in the baby.
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Adjust the Frequency of Intercourse
It’s recommended to have intercourse every other day or about two times a week. Avoid having intercourse more than twice a day, as this can decrease the efficiency and quality of sperm production. -
Reduce Stress
Stress is one of the causes of infertility because stress hormones interfere with the reproductive system’s hormones. This can lead to anovulation (not ovulating), cause eggs to grow imperfectly, and make it harder for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. -
Eat a Balanced Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet with all five food groups and beneficial nutrients helps ensure both partners have strong reproductive systems and are physically ready for pregnancy.
4.Be Cautious with Lubricants
Lubricants contain chemicals that can reduce sperm motility and decrease sperm count by 60-100%, making it harder for sperm to reach the egg.
- 5.Have Intercourse During Ovulation
Having intercourse 1-2 days before ovulation allows sperm to wait in the fallopian tubes, ready to fertilize the egg once it is released, leading to pregnancy. - 6.Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Cigarettes
Caffeine can make it more difficult to conceive. Alcohol and smoking decrease sperm count, reduce sperm quality, cause hormonal imbalances, and lower ovulation in women
Ways to Have a Baby for Those Struggling with Infertility
This method is similar to natural intercourse, except that the doctor will prescribe medication to help the egg cells grow larger and increase their number. Additionally, the sperm is selected for its strength and then injected back into the woman's uterus, increasing the chances of sperm reaching the egg more effectively.
The success rate of this method is 10-15%.
2. IVF/ICSI (In vitro fertilization/Intracytoplasmic sperm injection)
This method is an advancement of the older GIFT technique, but with a higher success rate and no need for abdominal surgery. The process involves stimulating egg production with medication for 10-12 days. The eggs are then retrieved and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryos are cultured until they reach a suitable stage and then transferred back into the woman's uterus to continue growing.
The success rate of this method is 70-80%.
How to prepare to have a baby
For both men and women who want to have a baby, it is important to prepare for pregnancy, as a healthy body for the parents will lead to a healthier baby. Here are some steps to help you prepare:
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Consult a doctor to plan your pregnancy: It is advisable to consult a doctor to plan your pregnancy. The doctor will check your health and any underlying conditions that might affect conception.
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Oral health: Many people may think that dental health is unrelated to pregnancy, but it is very important. If you have tooth decay, it can lead to complications in pregnancy.
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Stop using birth control: After stopping birth control, you can try conceiving naturally.
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Diet and vitamins: Eat a balanced diet with all five food groups, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking. Take supplements that can aid in conception, such as folic acid. It is recommended to start taking folic acid 1-3 months before trying to conceive and continue until the 12th week of pregnancy. This will help reduce the risk of birth defects and promote a healthy pregnancy.
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Reduce stress: Stress is a major factor that can disrupt bodily functions, including ovulation and sperm quality. It is important to relax, avoid stress, and get adequate rest to maintain both physical and mental health.
Q&A: Common Questions for Those Who Want to Have a Baby
Can I have a baby without a husband?
According to current Thai law, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) requires that both the woman and the man who own the eggs and sperm must be married before they can undergo IVF. Therefore, it is currently not possible to have a child without a husband.
What if my husband has thyroid problems? Will it affect our ability to conceive?
If your husband has thyroid issues, it will not affect your ability to get pregnant. The wife can conceive normally, and there will be no impact on miscarriage or birth defects. Thyroid issues in men do not lead to infertility either.
What should I do if I want a second child but it's difficult to conceive?
If you've already had a child and are now struggling to conceive a second one, the first thing to consider is your age. If you're over 35 or if there's a significant gap between your first child and the second attempt, it might take longer to conceive. If natural conception isn't successful, it's advised to visit a doctor to check for any underlying issues with the uterus or ovaries.
Is it possible to choose the gender of my baby?
In Thailand, selecting the gender of your baby is not legally permitted. However, you can learn about the chromosomes of the embryo through an NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) test. This test can reveal whether the chromosomes are XX (female) or XY (male). However, it's important to focus on screening for any genetic disorders across all 23 chromosome pairs rather than solely focusing on the baby's gender.
Summary:
These recommendations may help increase the chances of conceiving, but if you have been trying for more than a year without success, it’s important to consult a doctor. The doctor can help identify the causes of infertility and determine if there are any issues with the woman's or man's health that are affecting fertility. Early consultation can help the doctor provide targeted treatment, and delaying it might lead to worsening problems, wasting time, and possibly turning into a more serious infertility case.