pregnancy- planning

You and your partner are young and healthy; most likely all you'll have to do is stop using birth control and start trying to make a baby. Of 100 healthy, fertile couples, 50 will conceive in the first three months. Three fourths will be pregnant by six months. Within one year, about 90 of the couples will have conceived.

But if it's not happening as quickly as you'd like, or if you just want an extra boost for your fertility, here are some tips on getting pregnant to keep in mind.

If you smoke, stop! Smoking reduces fertility in both men and women. Smoking marijuana can impair fertility, too.
Don't drink alcohol. Heavy alcohol use causes ovulation disorders. In fact, some studies suggest that any alcohol use at all make you less likely to conceive.

Stay in shape, but don't over-exercise. Extreme exercise, like long-distance running, can cause excessive secretion of chemicals called endorphins. High levels of endorphins interfere with the hormones that signal your body to ovulate. A normal level of body fat is important to ovulation, too.

Relax. In one study, women undergoing fertility treatments were more likely to conceive after they had relaxation training. And women who were upbeat about their chances were more likely to get pregnant than women who were pessimistic

Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia can cause you not to have periods. They can also disturb your thyroid function, which then disrupts your menstrual cycle.

Consider giving up caffeine. Some studies show decreased fertility among coffee drinkers, but others don't show any effect at all. However, if you can survive without your daily caffeine dose, it's worth a try.

Although it probably won't affect your fertility, you should start taking prenatal vitamins or folic acid supplements. Folic acid helps guard against a very serious neurological birth defect.