Snneha Lukaa
Thinking of starting a family? Read this guide to pregnancy to be well prepared for the most difficult as well as exciting days of your life. When trying to get pregnant, it can be taxing for a woman to take care of zillion little things that can affect pregnancy in a big way. So if you have decided to start a family and are confused about where to begin with, then here’s your short guide to getting pregnant.
What is pregnancy and how to get pregnant?
Pregnancy, also known as gestation is the time during which one or more offspring develops in a woman’s body. For a woman to become pregnant, the man’s sperm needs to meet the woman’s egg. Pregnancy happens when the fertilized egg is implanted in the lining of the uterus.
How to get pregnant?
The process of pregnancy starts with sperm cells meeting the egg. Sperm is nothing but the fluid that comes out of the man’s penis during ejaculation; millions of sperms come out when a man ejaculates, but it only takes 1 sperm cell to meet an egg and make it possible for a woman to get pregnant.
On the other hand, a woman’s menstrual cycle leads to the production of a few eggs every month. Eggs live in ovaries and halfway through the monthly cycle, one mature egg leaves the ovary, traveling through the fallopian tube towards the uterus. This process is termed as ovulation. The mature egg survives for 12-24 hours, whereas the sperm cell survives for 6 days to find an egg before they die. When a sperm cell meets the egg, the process is called fertilization. The implantation of egg happens after 6 days after fertilization and takes 3-4 days to complete.
What is pregnancy and how to get pregnant?
Pregnancy, also known as gestation is the time during which one or more offspring develops in a woman’s body. For a woman to become pregnant, the man’s sperm needs to meet the woman’s egg. Pregnancy happens when the fertilized egg is implanted in the lining of the uterus.
How to get pregnant?
The process of pregnancy starts with sperm cells meeting the egg. Sperm is nothing but the fluid that comes out of the man’s penis during ejaculation; millions of sperms come out when a man ejaculates, but it only takes 1 sperm cell to meet an egg and make it possible for a woman to get pregnant.
On the other hand, a woman’s menstrual cycle leads to the production of a few eggs every month. Eggs live in ovaries and halfway through the monthly cycle, one mature egg leaves the ovary, traveling through the fallopian tube towards the uterus. This process is termed as ovulation. The mature egg survives for 12-24 hours, whereas the sperm cell survives for 6 days to find an egg before they die. When a sperm cell meets the egg, the process is called fertilization. The implantation of egg happens after 6 days after fertilization and takes 3-4 days to complete.
Organs that are important for pregnancy
Role of ovaries in pregnancy: Ovaries are oval and about the size of a large grape. A woman has two ovaries-one on the left and the other on the right. They are located on opposite ends of the pelvic wall. Ovaries maintain the health of the female reproductive system and are secrete two main hormones i.e. estrogen and progesterone that are important to prepare the uterus for menstruation and promote female fertility.
Fallopian tubes: Also known as uterine tubes, fallopian tubes help in transporting the fertilized egg to the uterus for implantation. As the sperm enters the woman’s body, it enters the fallopian tube where the egg is fertilized and transported to the uterus.
Cervix: Cervix is the neck of the womb that causes the blood to flush out of a woman’s body during menstruation. The cervix opens to help the baby move from the uterus into the vagina.
Vagina: Vagina is a tube-like structure leading from the cervix down to the vulva, opening between the legs; it is elastic and can easily stretch around a man’s penis.
What are the early symptoms of pregnancy?
Common symptoms of early pregnancy include:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Missed periods
- Tender or swollen breasts
- Peeing more than usual
- Feeling bloated
- Spotting
- Weight gain
- Anemia
- Insomnia
- Hip pain
- Diarrhea
The above symptoms can make you feel more or less like you are PMSing. At such times, it is best to do a pregnancy test or consult a doctor to make sure you are pregnant.
What is the right age to get pregnant?
Women are most fertile in their 20s. The pregnancy risks are lowest at his age and also the body produces the highest quality eggs. Fertility usually begins to decline after the age of 32. The pregnancy risks significantly increase in the 40s. However, with various fertility treatments, women can still look ahead to get pregnant at any age.
What is the right time to get pregnant?
The right time for a woman to get pregnant is during her ovulation period. A woman’s fertility is at its peak after 12th-18th day from the onset of her periods. Ovulation is a part of the menstrual cycle and occurs when an egg is released from the ovary; it is that phase of the cycle when an egg in the fallopian tube awaits the sperm for fertilization. If the egg remains unfertilized, it is shed during the period. In general, ovulation happens 4 days after or before your menstrual cycle. However, the ovulation window may vary depending on the woman’s health condition.
Symptoms of ovulation
- Breasts become sore and nipples become sensitive
- Increase in sex drive
- Body basal temperature increases
- Cervical mucus changes its consistency and becomes stretchier and thinner
- Mild abdominal pain
Factors that affect your fertility
Many factors can affect your odds of conceiving. Read on to know in detail.
- Age: Fertility declines over time and with increasing age, chances of you getting pregnant may decline as well. For instance, a 30-year old healthy female has about 20% chance of getting pregnant, whereas, a 40-year old female the chance may drop to 5%.
- Smoking: Smoking and excessive alcohol intake can reduce your chances of pregnancy.
- Weight: Being overweight leads to more production of estrogen which can throw off the reproductive cycle, whereas bring underweight cannot cause ovulation.
- Irregular menstrual cycle: Irregular cycles due to hormonal imbalance, weight issues, or medications can make it difficult for you to understand your ovulation cycle which can further make it difficult for you to get pregnant.
- Exercise: Doing too much exercise can affect the baby-making process significantly.
Read this article to understand the natural ways to boost fertility
Tips to get pregnant faster
- Stop using contraceptives: Using condoms and contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy. So if you or your partner is using it, then its time you stop it immediately.
- Know when you are ovulating: When you are planning to get pregnant, you must know your ovulation cycle. You can check your ovulation time by using an ovulation kit or marking your menstrual days in your calendar.
- Consume a healthy diet: Consuming a healthy diet is important to keep yourself physically fit.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle: Avoid smoking, alcohol, and live a stress-free life. Reduce your caffeine intake as it is linked to increased chances of miscarriage. Also, ensure that you keep your blood pressure and diabetes under control.
Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for qualified medical advice. You must consult a trusted medical professional to get expert advice.