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Why wait until you’re pregnant to make healthier lifestyle choices? The changes you make now could be just as important
Summary
1Why is preconception care important?
One of the main reasons preconception care is encouraged is because about 45% of pregnancies aren’t planned…
28 things to consider
Mental health during preconception. Trying for a baby is a big life event – you might say ‘well people do it everyday’…
3Exercise during preconception
Exercise isn’t only a great stress reliever – and a way to bond with your partner – but also a way to connect with your body…
For some people, having a baby happens incredibly quickly or even unexpectedly (which can be hard to take if you've been trying for a while). But for many others, there's a whole period where you'll be getting your body and mind ready for pregnancy. This is also known as preconception care.
Preconception care includes how we can prepare ourselves for parenthood in a healthy way. So if pregnancy doesn't happen for you straight away, at least you can use this time to get yourself in the best possible shape for pregnancy.
Why is preconception care important?
One of the main reasons preconception care is encouraged is because about 45% of pregnancies aren’t planned1, with research showing that unplanned pregnancies can be at greater risk of premature birth and underweight babies2. So, let’s take a look at what you can do to prepare your body for pregnancy.
8 things to consider while you’re trying to have a baby
Mental health during preconception
Trying for a baby is a big life event – you might say ‘well people do it everyday’ but that doesn’t mean everyone’s situation is the same or easy. Try not to compare yourself to others and don’t diminish your own situation, you’re the one living it.
"It’s important to speak to your loved ones so they can support you"
A study from 2023 reported that those with a mental health condition were less likely to engage with healthy behaviours at preconception.3 Life can be difficult and mental health conditions can be hard to accept, but ensuring you get the help you deserve and require is important for your own health and your future baby's health
So, dealing with any pre-existing mental health before becoming pregnant is just as important as physically preparing your body for pregnancy. Don't forget to let your doctor know if you’re trying for a baby so they’re able to give you the right solution for both you and your future baby. It’s also important to speak to your loved ones so they can support you.
2. Exercise during preconception
Exercise isn’t only a great stress reliever – and way to bond with your partner – but also a way to connect with your body and even prepare it for birth. Just doing 30 minutes of activity, such as strength training or aerobic exercise, is a great way to start your preconception planning.
Not a fan of the gym? No problem. Try exercising outdoors, as it’s a good way to get a little extra vitamin D, which is recommended alongside folic acid during conception and pregnancy.4 Plus, strengthening your core, with exercises such as pilates and yoga, can also help increase your chances of an easier labour and recovery.5 The healthy habits you set now could help see you through conception and beyond.
Not only that, but exercise can also help you to maintain a healthy weight, which – as specialist fertility dietitian Dr Ro Huntriss explains – can be important. "Weight can influence fertility at both ends of the scale. So whether you have a low BMI6 or a higher BMI,7 it can disrupt hormone levels, ovulation and sperm production," she says.
However, don’t push yourself too hard, especially if you’re not used to it, just start slow and work up.
3. Nutrition for preconception
When preparing your body for pregnancy our diet should focus on:
- lean meats
- wholegrains
- plant based protein
- fruits and vegetables
- dairy products, such as low fat yoghurts
- you should also try to eat zinc rich foods, including shellfish but make sure to avoid raw shellfish as there’s a risk of food poisoning8
We’ve also put together an article on your fertility diet plan to help make your transition into a healthier lifestyle easier.
4. Vitamins and supplements for preconception
Whether you’re the one trying to get pregnant or you’re their partner, you might want to look at taking the following supplements and vitamins for fertility:
- vitamin D
- folic acid zinc
- omega-3
- vitamin C
- vitamin E
Check out more detailed advice on supplements and vitamins for fertility.
5. Quitting smoking for preconception
Quitting smoking is an important aspect of preconception care, as smoking can impact fertility in a number of ways. These include negatively affecting the DNA in sperm9 and reducing its ability to reach and fertilise eggs, which then reduces your odds of a healthy pregnancy.10
"You could support your partner in quitting smoking or drinking by creating healthy habits together"
The quality of your eggs is impacted by the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke, they can cause damage to both the uterus and the ovaries, decreasing your fertility and increasing your chance of miscarriage.10
So, if you’re a smoker, it’s a good idea to stop smoking long before you get pregnant as it’ll be easier than quitting as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. Partners of pregnant people, or those trying to conceive, should also be mindful of how their actions impact their partner’s health. They should try to quit smoking, or be sure not to smoke around their partner.
6. Alcohol and preparing to conceive
Similar to smoking, many people focus on dramatically reducing their alcohol intake once they’re pregnant. The NHS actually advises that if you’re trying to conceive, you abstain from alcohol altogether.11 However, we know this can be difficult, especially if you’re on a long fertility journey.
Whilst there are no hard rules about drinking when trying to conceive, it can cause changes with your menstrual cycle, making it difficult to predict your most fertile window.12
It can also have a negative effect on sperm motility and count.13 So, try swapping your cocktail for a mocktail or having a tonic water with lime.
7. Prioritising your relationship
As a couple, making an active decision together about when to start a family is key. When both are invested in the pregnancy – or prospective pregnancy – it creates a safe environment.
"If you're conceiving as a couple, try to remember why you want this baby – hopefully because you really like each other!"
One of the biggest factors of preconception care might sound like the simplest – make sure you’re in a good supportive relationship. The NHS suggests that you have sex two to three days14 to increase your chance of getting pregnant (not just for a few days in your cycle, as many think).
Stress can be a big factor in stopping you being able to conceive,15 so if you're trying to conceive by having sex it's important to let loose, have sex and remember why you want this baby in the first place – hopefully because you really like each other! After all, there's a reason why December (with its parties, togetherness and good vibes) is the highest conception month.
If you're trying to conceive via IVF or other methods, the same can apply – take active steps to prioritise your relationship and offset any anxiety caused by the process.
8. Activating your support network
Trying to conceive is a personal and often very intense time. So while investing in your relationship is important, it's also good to ensure you look after yourself and your friendships too. You may want to be selective about who you tell – and how much you tell them – so that you don't end up on the receiving end of unwanted advice or comments. But hearing other's conception stories, or simply letting off steam and talking about anything but babies, can help to lift your mood and take some of the pressure off.
Make sure you ask for the support in the way you want to receive it (such as whether you want them to check in or wait until you have news) then put in opportunities to socialise with and without your partner. If you do go on to start a family, these friendships will be vital in reminding you that you're a person, as well as a parent.
What’s next?
If you’re looking to continue your conception journey, check out what vitamins you need for fertility and what foods to eat for fertility.
1. Mann S. Health Matters: Reproductive health and pregnancy planning - UK Health Security Agency [Internet]. ukhsa.blog.gov.uk. 2018. Available from: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2018/06/26/health-matters-reproductive-health-and-pregnancy-planning/
2. Ticona DM, Huanco D, Ticona-Rendón MB. Impact of unplanned pregnancy on neonatal outcomes: findings of new high-risk newborns in Peru. International Health. 2023 Mar 21;
3. Tosh C, Kavanagh K, Flynn AC, Stephenson J, White SL, R Catalao, et al. The physical‐mental health interface in the preconception period: analysis of 131 182 women planning pregnancy in the UK. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2023 Mar 30;130(9):1028–37.
4. NHS. Vitamin D - Vitamins and Minerals [Internet]. NHS. NHS; 2020. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/
5. NHS. Exercise in Pregnancy [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2023. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/exercise/
6. Zhu L, Zhou B, Zhu X, Cheng F, Pan Y, Zhou Y, et al. Association Between Body Mass Index and Female Infertility in the United States: Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2018. International Journal of General Medicine. 2022 Feb;Volume 15:1821–31.
7. Silvestris E, de Pergola G, Rosania R, Loverro G. Obesity as disruptor of the female fertility. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 2018 Mar 9;16(1).
8. NHS. Have a Healthy Diet in Pregnancy [Internet]. NHS. 2020. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/have-a-healthy-diet/
9. Kovac JR, Khanna A, Lipshultz LI. The effects of cigarette smoking on male fertility. Postgraduate Medicine [Internet]. 2015 Feb 19;127(3):338–41. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639396/
10. NHS. Stop smoking in pregnancy [Internet]. nhs.uk. NHS; 2020. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/stop-smoking/
11. NHS. Drinking alcohol while pregnant [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2023. Available from:https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
12. Carroll HA, Lustyk MKB, Larimer ME. The relationship between alcohol consumption and menstrual cycle: a review of the literature. Archives of Women’s Mental Health [Internet]. 2015 Aug 21;18(6):773–81. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4859868/
13. NHS Choices. Low sperm count [Internet]. nhs. 2019. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-sperm-count/
14. NHS. Trying to get pregnant [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2020. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/trying-to-get-pregnant/
15. Rooney KL, Domar AD. The relationship between stress and infertility. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience [Internet]. 2018;20(1):41–7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016043/
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