Laura Dowling is a pharmacist passionate about helping people to live healthier lives. In her day job she regularly advises on medicines, illness, nutritional supplements, health and wellness, here she shares her top 5 Fertility Tips.

CHECK YOUR MEDICATION

Pop into your local pharmacy and have a chat about any medication you are currently taking as they will be able to tell you if they are safe to continue taking whilst trying to conceive and in early pregnancy and whether you need to visit your GP to discuss alternatives.  

PLAN AHEAD

If you’re getting ready to try for a baby, it’s best to stop taking any birth control medicine a couples of months before you try.  Medically there’s no risk in trying straightaway it just helps to date your pregnancy once you conceive.  Many women also find it really helpful to track their periods for a few months so they can build up a good picture of their cycle length which can make pinpointing when to have sex around your fertile period a little easier!

BE CAREFUL WITH LUBRICANTS

Many couples use lubricants as part of their sex lives and with people often having sex a lot more regularly when they are trying to conceive, you might be considering buying one.  However, check the labels or better still ask your pharmacist for advice about the best brands to use as many contain spermicide which can hamper your efforts to get pregnant!

START TAKING VITAMINS 3 MONTHS BEFORE YOU TRY

You want your body to best in the best possible condition ready for conception so it’s advisable to start preparations by both you and your partner taking a comprehensive conception multivitamin a few months before you start trying to help correct any nutritional deficiencies.  This is especially important for Folic Acid.  

ACT LIKE YOU’RE PREGNANT ALREADY

This might sound odd but by following some of the lifestyle rules you’ll adopt once are pregnant like cutting back on caffeine and alcohol you’ll actually help your chances of getting pregnant.   Eat well, sleep well and party a little less!