The term preconception refers to the period leading up to a pregnancy, from the decision to have a baby to becoming pregnant (conceiving).
A healthy pregnancy
Preconception care involves taking good care of yourself before you become pregnant, by ensuring that you eat healthily and exercise regularly.
Make sure that you are up to date with vaccinations, such as rubella (the virus that causes German measles) and varicella (which causes chickenpox and shingles).
If you are trying to conceive, your GP can provide you with further information and advice to ensure the best possible health for you and your baby.
In cases where a pregnancy is not planned, a woman will only begin to monitor her health in relation to the baby after she is already pregnant. However, for couples who plan their pregnancies, preconception care can help them to make the necessary changes well in advance.
How long will it take to get pregnant?
The length of time that it takes to become pregnant (conceive) is different for everyone but, on average, for every 100 couples who have sex two or three times a week:
- 30 will conceive within one month
- 60 will conceive within six months
- 85 will conceive within one year
The remaining couples will take longer and some may need medical help to conceive. A small number of couples (about 5%) may not be able to conceive at all if one partner or both is infertile.
The type of contraception that you have been using does not usually affect your ability to conceive or how long it takes to happen.
However, women who have been using the progestogen-only injection may find that their usual fertility is delayed, and that they cannot conceive for up to a year after their last injection. Other methods of contraception should not have an effect on your fertility once you stop using them.
If you have had a miscarriage in the past, you still have a good chance of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. However, if you have had three or more miscarriages in a row, your GP may refer you to a gynaecologist (a specialist in reproductive healthcare). They will be able to determine whether or not your miscarriages are being caused by an underlying health problem.