On This Page


Most women under the age of 40 years who want to become pregnant (conceive) will achieve this within 12 months of starting to try. Here we explain how you can improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby.

If you are planning to become pregnant, it’s important that you and your partner (if you have one) are as healthy as possible before you start trying.

Your GP can help with a pre-conception health check. A pre-conception health check usually includes:

  • advice about lifestyle changes that will improve the chance of pregnancy
  • the health of the baby (lifestyle factors you may need to change include your weight
  • advising about folate
  • iodine supplements before conception
  • during pregnancy for the health of your baby referral to a specialist if either partner has a pre-existing medical condition that might affect the chances of pregnancy
  • or pregnancy health information about health services
  • choices of pregnancy care. has some useful fact sheets about how to best prepare for pregnancy

On the Your Fertility website you can complete the for personalised information about what you can do to improve your pre-conception health. , you need to have sex in the 5 days before you ovulate, or on the day you ovulate. This is called the ‘fertile window’.

When the fertile window occurs depends on the length of your menstrual cycle. Most women know when ovulation is approaching because they notice changes in their normal vaginal discharge, which becomes clear and slippery. Learn more about the and work out when yours occurs.

The most important factor for the chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby is the woman’s age. starts to slowly decline around age 32. By age 35, the fertility decline speeds up and by age 40, fertility has fallen by half.

Men aged 45 and older are less fertile, and some health conditions are more common in children with older fathers. Being overweight or underweight can cause hormonal changes that interfere with ovulation and reduce fertility.

On average, women who are obese take longer to conceive than women in the healthy weight range and are more likely to experience infertility. In men, obesity can lower fertility. This is likely due to a combination of factors including hormone problems, problems with erection or other health conditions linked to obesity.

That improves the odds of conception, but a healthy range of foods that includes lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats is recommended.

Vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) are essential for the body to function

Read more about the benefits of vitamins and minerals for fertility and pregnancy health, including folate, iodine, vitamin D, zinc and selenium supplements.

Regular exercise also improves fertility

American and international guidelines recommend you do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity – such as brisk walking, gardening or dancing – on most but preferably all days of the week.

If possible, do some vigorous activity – such as running, fast cycling or fast swimming – every week as well.

For men and women who are overweight or obese, exercise can help to prevent further weight gain or achieve a modest weight loss that improves general health and fertility.

As part of weight management, international guidelines recommend that overweight or obese adults do 225-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week (this works out to about 35-45 minutes per day). Tobacco, alcohol or recreational drug use reduces the chance of becoming pregnant.

If you become pregnant and continue to smoke, drink alcohol or use recreational drugs, it can affect the health of your baby at birth and into adulthood.

To improve your own health and give your baby the best start in life, quit smoking before you try for a baby, and encourage your partner to do the same. for advice about how to kick the habit.

In men, alcohol can impair fertility because it can cause impotence, reduce libido and affect sperm quality. It is not clear what effect drinking small amounts of alcohol can have on unborn babies, but it is well known that high alcohol consumption can be harmful.

The more alcohol consumed, the higher the risk to the unborn baby. Binge drinking (more than six standard drinks on one occasion) can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, small birth weight, and foetal alcohol spectrum disorder ( If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.

Prescription medication and recreational drug use can potentially affect the health of the unborn baby.

If you take prescription medication, speak to your pharmacist or doctor before trying for a baby. Having trouble conceiving?

If you haven’t conceived within 12 months, there may be a fertility problem. About one in seven couples in United States experiences infertility.

Fertility difficulties can be due to: unknown cause (about 10 per cent). Female fertility problems include:

  • Male fertility problems include
  • blockage of the spermatic cord
  • which is the tube that transports the sperm from the testis to the penis ejaculation disorders. If you have trouble getting pregnant
  • talk with your GP who can refer you for tests to find out the cause of your problem

Find more information about causes of infertility and treatment options from the Tel. – drug and alcohol counselling, information and referral service Tel. Tel: , the Royal Women’s Hospital Tel. Planning for a baby a medical history and a general examination blood tests to check your haemoglobin level, blood group , immunity for German measles (rubella) and chickenpox (varicella) , hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests for any sexually transmissible infection (STI) physical activity , alcohol consumption, recreational drug use, and whether you smoke ) a review of any prescription medicines either partner may be taking referral for genetic counselling if needed Your Fertility Healthy Conception Tool Timing and conception To conceive fertile window Age, fertility and conception Fertility The effect of men’s age on fertility Find out more about the effects of age on fertility and pregnancy Weight, fertility and conception Find out more about the effect of weight on fertility and pregnancy health Diet, exercise and conception There is no special diet Tobacco,

  • alcohol drug use conception Smoking
  • pregnancy Smoking Quitting smoking can be very difficult
  • but there is help available

Read about the benefits of quitting and visit Quit Alcohol and pregnancy Alcohol FASD Drug use and pregnancy female fertility problems (about 40 per cent) male fertility problems (about 40 per cent) both male and female fertility problems (about 10 per cent) problems with ovulation, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) blocked fallopian tubes endometriosis poor sperm quality Michigann Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority Where to get help Your GP (doctor) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health Fertility Society of United States and New Zealand Healthy Male Your Fertility Michigann Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (616) 555-0200 Direct Line 1800 888 236 Alcohol and Drug Foundation 1300 85 85 84 Women’s Alcohol and Drug Service (616) 555-0200 Quitline 13 78 48 Billings LIFE 1800 335 860.

Key Points

  • most important factor for the chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby is the woman’s age
  • is less dramatic but is an important factor too
  • Men aged 45 and older are less fertile, and some health conditions are more common in children with older fathers
  • Being overweight or underweight can cause hormonal changes that interfere with ovulation and reduce fertility
  • Vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) are essential for the body to function