Couple Can Do on Your Own to Enhance and Improve Your Chances of Conceiving

There are certainly some things that you as a couple can do on your own to enhance and improve your chances of conceiving. We would strongly encourage you to initiate each of these steps as soon as possible.

1. STOP SMOKING! There is no question that cigarette smoking has a very negative effect on a couple's chances of getting pregnant. It has been estimated that, if both partners smoke, their chances of getting pregnant are reduced by as much as 50%, regardless of whether they are trying on their own or undergoing the most sophisticated of techniques. If one partner smokes, this number may still be as high as 33%. Almost everyone says they will quit smoking when they get pregnant - just do it now, assume you will be successful in your efforts to conceive and you will be way ahead of the game.
2. Limit caffeine You do not need to eliminate caffeine altogether, but there is evidence that consuming more than the equivalent of two cups of coffee a day begins to decrease your chances of conception. Just limit yourselves to this level. There is caffeine in coffee, tea, iced tea, sodas, and chocolate - all of these sources count toward your daily total.
3. Limit alcohol. Once again, you probably don't need to become a "tea-totaller" while trying to get pregnant. Just use your common sense. There is no question that excessive alcohol intake can have very detrimental effects on, for example, sperm production, but a beer or two on the weekends doesn't hurt a thing.
4. No illegal drugs. Marijuana use is very hard on sperm production. Anabolic steroids can destroy sperm production forever. Just don't do it.
5. Take vitamins. It is a good idea for everyone to take vitamins - not megadose vitamins that result in excessive levels of some vitamins - just a good once a day vitamin supplement. This applies to men too. For women, as soon as you begin to attempt to conceive, it is a good idea to start taking a prenatal vitamin in order that you are certain to have plenty of folate around when you do conceive.
6. Exercise. -Lots of people stop exercising when they begin to try to get pregnant because they think it will improve their chances. Unless you are exercising to extremes - training for marathons, biking hundreds of miles a week, or doing aerobics seven days a week - this just isn't true. Moderate exercise does no harm and can be a very good way to help one deal with the stress associated with difficulty in getting pregnant.
7. De-stress. Excessive levels of stress can disrupt menstrual cycles or even result in them stopping altogether. Stress also decreases your ability to cope emotionally with the frustration of infertility. If you have a lot of other sources of stress in your life, try to deal with some of those first and then you'll be better able to concentrate on your efforts to conceive.