Before you even think about conception, it’s important to schedule a check-up with your OB-GYN<\/a>. If you’re on birth control, your doctor can talk to you about the best way to phase off of it or discontinue its use and let you know how long it will be before you’ll be able to conceive. Your doctor can also run some basic tests to make sure you’re healthy enough to have a baby. He or she is also likely to recommend that you start taking a prenatal vitamin or at least a folate supplement to ensure that you’re getting the nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.<\/p>\n Step 2: Monitor Your Monthly Cycles.<\/strong><\/p>\n After your doctor has cleared you for conception, it’s time to start monitoring your menstrual cycle. You can use a mobile app<\/a> to do the work for you or use a calendar. Mark the first day of your menstrual cycle as day one and then count the number of days until the next one occurs. Most experts recommend that you keep track of your menstrual cycle for 3 to 4 months in order to begin to see a pattern. Don’t worry if your menstrual cycles do not last for the same number of days each month. Your cycles do not have to be equal for you to get pregnant, but monitoring closely will help to give you the best chance of picking the right time to conceive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Step 3: Pick the Right Time to Conceive.<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you have monitored your period for awhile, you should have a good idea of the average number of days that it takes for your body to complete a full menstrual cycle. Ovulation occurs roughly halfway through the cycle, usually on day 14 for women whose cycles run 29 days. Sperm can live inside of a woman’s body for 2 to 3 days prior to ovulation, but the egg itself only lives for 12 to 24 hours, making it best to have intercourse a few times the week following your menstrual period.<\/p>\n There are a number of ways that you can simplify monitoring for fertility to ensure the best chances of conception. One method is to use an ovulation indicator<\/a>. This is a home test kit that consists of a single use wand that you urinate on. Chemicals in the stick are able to check for levels of certain key hormones that increase at the time when you are most fertile. If you are ovulating, a symbol will appear in the window on the stick to let you know that the time is right to try and conceive.<\/p>\n Another way to track fertility is with a fertility monitor<\/a>. This is a reusable device that features test strips that you hold under a stream of urine or dip into urine every day. The monitor keeps track of your hormone levels over time and can identify the best 3 to 5 days for you to try and conceive. The monitors are more expensive than ovulation tests, but they are often more reliable.<\/p>\n![\"vaginal](\"https:\/\/www.howandwhere.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/vaginal_ultrasound_in_ectopic_pregnancy.png\")
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