Questions to ask your doctor about getting pregnant
If you are trying to get pregnant, you may want to know what you can do to help ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby. Here are some questions you may want to ask your doctor about getting pregnant.
Conception - pregnancy - Animation
During sexual intercourse, sperm are released into the vagina near the cervix, which is the entrance to the uterus. The sperm travel through the cervix, into uterus and up the fallopian tubes. After being release from an ovary, the egg cell moves through the fallopian tube by tiny cilia that line the tube's walls. The egg cell only survives for approximately 24 hours after ovulation. Of the millions of sperm that are released into the naturally acid environment of the woman's reproductive tract, relatively few will survive to encounter the egg cell. When one of the sperm cells finally succeeds in breaking through the egg cell's outer membrane, the egg cell forms a protective barrier preventing other sperm cells from entering. This ensures that only one sperm cell fertilizes the egg cell. Next, the sperm cell releases its nucleus containing the man's chromosomes. After several hours, it unites with the nucleus of the egg cell, which contains the woman's chromosomes. When the two nuclei fuse, their genetic material combines together to create a fertilized egg cell which is called a zygote.
Questions
At what age is it easiest to get pregnant?
- When during my menstrual cycle will I be able to get pregnant?
- If I am on birth control pills, how soon after I stop taking them should I begin trying to get pregnant?
- How long do I need to be off the pill before I can conceive (get pregnant)? What about other forms of birth control?
- How long does it take to get pregnant naturally?
- Will I get pregnant on my first attempt?
- How frequently do we need to have sex to conceive successfully?
- At what age am I less likely to get pregnant naturally?
- How can I improve my chances of getting pregnant if I have irregular cycles?
- Does vaginal lubrication for intercourse affect my chances of getting pregnant?
- When is the best time in my menstrual cycle to have sex if I wish to get pregnant?
Will my health affect my chances of getting pregnant?
- Will the medicines I am taking affect my chances of getting pregnant?
- Are there any medicines I should stop taking?
- Should I wait if I had surgery or radiation treatment recently?
- Do STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) interfere with pregnancy?
- Do I need to get treatment for STDs before pregnancy?
- Do I need any medical tests or vaccines before trying to conceive?
- Will mental stress or other mental health conditions affect my chances of pregnancy?
- Will a previous miscarriage affect my chances of conception?
- What are my risks with conception if I have had a prior ectopic pregnancy?
- How will an existing medical condition affect my chances of pregnancy?
Do we need genetic counseling?
- What are the chances of our baby inheriting the condition that runs in the family?
- Do we need to get any tests done?
Are there any lifestyle changes I should make?
- Can I continue consuming alcohol or smoking while trying to conceive?
- Do smoking or consuming alcohol affect my chances of getting pregnant or my baby?
- Do I need to stop exercising?
- Will making any changes to my diet help me get pregnant?
- What are prenatal vitamins? Why do I need them?
- When should I start taking them? How long do I need to take them?
Will my weight affect my chances of getting pregnant? If so, how?
- If I am overweight, do I need to reduce my weight?
- If I am underweight, do I need to gain weight before trying to conceive?
Does my partner's health affect my chances of getting pregnant or the health of the baby?
- Do we need to wait if he had a surgery or a radiation treatment recently?
- Are there any lifestyle changes he should make to help us become pregnant?
- I have been trying to get pregnant for some time without success. Should we get examined for infertility?
Reviewed By
John D. Jacobson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Before pregnancy. www.cdc.gov/preconception/index.html. Updated February 26, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Trouble getting pregnant. www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/trouble.html. Updated July 11, 2022. Accessed August 23, 2022.
Gregory KD, Ramos DE, Jauniaux ERM. Preconception and prenatal care. In: Landon MB, Galan HL, Jauniaux ERM, et al, eds. Gabbe's Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 5.
Mackilop L, Neuberger FEM. Maternal medicine. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 32.