I want to be pregnant. Is this the right time?

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Is This The Right Time for a Pregnancy?

How to know if it’s the right time to have a baby? There’s no right or wrong answer, only what is best for you. It’s a decision that is down to you and your partner, and there is no ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ time.

For each couple this will differ – some couples want to have children as soon as they are married, while others want to spend some time together as a couple before bringing a baby into the world. Many want to be mentally, emotionally and financially prepared before they can start a family. And sadly for some couples, there is no time left to delay and they need to start immediately and more painful for some it may be too late when they decide they want to have children.

By the time we are in our mid 20’s we already know whether we want to have biological children some day or not. If the answer is yes then here is guide to help you make the right decision:

ARE YOU READY FOR A PREGNANCY?
SAFELY DELAYING PREGNANCY
ASSESSING YOUR FERTILITY
When to try

ARE YOU READY FOR A PREGNANCY?

The choice for parenthood is a personal decision for you. You must evaluate your personal, social, and financial circumstances before taking the decision to get pregnant:

Important Considerations before deciding on parenthood:

Relationship stability: A supportive and stable partnership can positively impact pregnancy and parenting. Parenting differences and issues directly impact the emotional development of a child and cause behavioural issues later on. A stable partnership helps raise confident children.
Financial readiness: Raising a child is expensive, so ensuring financial security is extremely crucial for both the health and the future of your child.
Career aspirations: Plan for childcare needs and potential career adjustments to manage parenthood. If your career is more important at this point and you know you will not be able to give the time and dedication that a child needs, then you’re not yet ready for a pregnancy. You can explore Fertility preservation options with your fertility doctor.
Emotional preparedness: Assess your emotional readiness for the physical and mental demands of pregnancy and parenthood. Taking care of a child is extremely demanding and takes an emotional toll. Not being emotionally ready to raise a child can impact the psycho social development of a child.
Environmental adjustment: sometimes you need to look at your living conditions to make it safer for the newborn child.
Getting your body ready for a pregnancy. If all the above factors are okay and your are prepared for a pregnancy there is still the biological aspect to preparing your body for a healthy pregnancy. Adopting healthy lifestyle choices, quitting alcohol, smoking at least 6 months prior to baby planning, having a balanced diet and starting on pregnancy supplements like folic acid supplements. Getting preconception counselling before you start trying for a baby is one of the healthiest decisions you can make for your future baby.

SAFELY DELAYING PREGNANCY

If you want to have children someday and are wondering what is the right time to get pregnant, the best thing to do is consult a doctor about your fertility status and find out how long you can safely delay.

Here are a few questions you should be prepared to answer

How many children do you want
When do you want to start a family – or how many years do you want to delay starting one
How fit is your body for a possible pregnancy?
What is your current fertility status?
Are you financially ready for what’s to come
Do you have a stable home and environment to raise a child?

It is always better to make an informed decision to delay than to be sorry later.

Most couples now-a-days want to delay parenthood till they are ready for it… This is not a bad idea as Parenthood comes with a lot of stress and is a huge responsibility to raise another human being. This decision should always be taken with careful consideration. As long as you have consulted a fertility specialist about your fertility status and decision to delay, it’s safe to wait till you are absolutely ready.

ASSESSING YOUR FERTILITY

Discussing your plans with a healthcare professional or fertility specialist is crucial if you want to delay your pregnancy . They can provide a personalised assessment, that includes:

History and physical examination: Discussing medical history, medications, and lifestyle habits.Your doctor will consider your age, menstrual regularity, and the impact of any existing health concerns.
Ovulation evaluation: The doctor will assess how frequent you ovulate, what is your ovarian reserve and in consideration with your age will advise you on how much time you have in hand before you should start thinking of starting a family.
Hormone testing: Evaluating hormone levels to identify potential concerns.
Semen analysis: Evaluating sperm quality for me and addressing the concerns if any.

What your doctor wants to find out from these assessments is that your egg count and quality and your partner’s sperm count and quality are good enough for you to safely delay your pregnancy. And also to find out if you and your partner might be running any risks that can affect your conception chances or affect your pregnancy in the future. Once the assessment is done, your Fertility specialist will be able to provide you with a personalised reproductive life plan , that includes lifestyle and dietary advice and supplements to help you optimise your health so you can have a healthy pregnancy when the right time comes. If you want to put off parenthood for a long time, your fertility consultant will explain the fertility preservation options that you can opt for.

When to try

If you have been trying to conceive for a few months and wondering what’s wrong it may simply be a timing issue. Am sure you have heard about the window of fertility if not read on…

The Fertile Window

Your best chances of getting pregnant is on the day of your ovulation which is usually 12-14 days before your next period. The fertile window is a brief period within the menstrual cycle when conception is most likely. It revolves around ovulation, the release of a mature egg from the ovary. The fertile window generally encompasses the days leading up to and including ovulation, typically lasting for 5 – 6 days.

Timing is Key:

The 3 days before and 3 days after the day of ovulation constitutes what we call the golden window of fertility – the 6 day window when you’re most likely to conceive. This is because the Sperm can survive for up to 48 hours inside the uterus and the egg stays viable for upto 24 hours after its release. Outside this Fertility Window your chances for conception drops to almost zero.

Conclusion

Deciding on pregnancy is a personal choice. While biological factors matter, a holistic assessment encompassing health, relationships, and life goals is crucial. Consulting a healthcare professional can provide guidance and address any concerns. Remember, there’s no single “right” time for pregnancy. By carefully considering these factors, you can make an informed decision aligned with your current circumstances and aspirations.

Once you’re ready to conceive, timing is the key to a smooth pregnancy. There are many ways in which you can identify the fertility window or ovulation time each cycle, but if you still need help, your fertility doctor can help you with the timing of intercourse with via ultrasound scans and blood tests.

To know more read – Planed coitus with Follicular Monitoring.

Additional Reading

World Health Organization (WHO): The WHO emphasizes the importance of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including pre-pregnancy counselling.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM): This organization offers a patient guide on fertility assessment, outlining various tests and considerations.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC): The SOGC provides resources on preparing for pregnancy, including pre-conception counselling.

Some reliable sources of information:

“Human Conception, In Vitro Fertilization, and Embryo Transfer” by Zegers-Hochschild et al. (2023): This textbook provides a detailed explanation of the menstrual cycle and hormonal interplay, including the roles of FSH, LH, and estrogen, along with additional details such as:

FSH Levels: FSH levels typically rise during the early follicular phase, stimulating multiple follicles to begin development, and then decrease as one follicle becomes dominant [1].
Estrogen’s Impact: Estrogen also plays a role in cervical mucus changes, making it more receptive to sperm during the fertile window [1].
- LH Surge Timing: The LH surge typically occurs 36-48 hours before ovulation, and can be detected using ovulation predictor kits [1].

“Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility” by Mitchell and Conway (2020): This textbook offers a comprehensive overview of the menstrual cycle, including a detailed breakdown of the follicular and luteal phases, with additional insights into the fertile window:

Follicular Phase Variability: The length of the follicular phase can vary between individuals, but typically falls within the 10-14 day range [4].
Ovulation Timing: While ovulation often occurs around day 14 in a 28-day cycle, it can vary based on individual cycle length [4].
Fertile Window Duration: The fertile window encompasses the 5 days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself, for a total of 3-5 days [4]

“Current Obstetric & Gynecologic Diagnosis & Management” by Greene (2023): This textbook provides a detailed explanation of hormonal changes during pregnancy, including the roles of hCG, placental hormones, and their functions (pp. 82-84) [5].

“The influence of socioeconomic status on male infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis” (Lancet Global Health, 2021): This research suggests a link between socioeconomic factors and male fertility. Addressing these factors might improve overall reproductive health [22].

“Epigenetic regulation of oocyte quality and fertility” (Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 2023): This review highlights the role of epigenetics in egg quality. This research might lead to future interventions for improved outcomes in pregnancies using assisted reproductive technologies [23].