How to get planning for a baby is a very exciting stage in a couple’s life. But it can be a frustrating one as well if you don’t get the facts right.

As with most other things, it’s best to be properly equipped with enough information. One of the first thing you need to know is what actually happens!

How does a baby happen?
First comes ovulation – which is the term used to define the release of an egg (usually one, though sometimes more) from a woman’s ovary. Conception occurs when a sperm fertilizes the egg. While sperm can survive for several days inside a woman’s reproductive tract, an egg can only survive for up to 24 hours after ovulation. This puts a limitation on the time when conception is most likely to occur.

When are you most fertile?
You are most fertile 12 to 14 days before the start of your next period. During this time you have a small window, that is, a few days, in which to get pregnant. For the egg to be fertilized, sperm must be present in your body at the same time that you release an egg.

Plot your menstrual cycle
To establish when you are most likely to get pregnant, you will need to understand your menstrual cycle. Make a note in your diary of when your period starts.

This is referred to as day one. Count the days until your period arrives again; the end of your cycle is the day before your next period begins. Cycles range from about 21 to 40 days, with only 10 per cent being precisely 28 days. If your cycle is generally 28 days long, then you know that you are likely to ovulate on day 14.

If you menstrual cycle varies every month, it is difficult to predict the date of ovulation. In this case, you can conduct test that determine the day you ovulate, such as keeping a temperature chart or using a home ovulation kit. Tests should be  conducted over a number of cycles so as to determine a pattern of ovulation.

How do you increase your chances of being pregnant?

To increase chances of becoming pregnat, women should monitor their body’s fertile time period. There are several methods a woman can use to determine when she is most likely to conceive: using a calender to chart the menstrual cycle, charting basal body temperature, examining cervical mucus and combining these few methods.

The above charting methods require women to record the secondary signs of fertility caused by changes in hormones. Because these conditions can be affected by factors such as infections or medications, they require careful monitoring and analysis, and they are never 100% reliable.

An alternative to these methods is measuring changes in hormone levels.  An increase in the level of estrogen marks the beginning of most women’s fertile phase, while an increase in the luteinizing hormone(LH) level signals that ovulation will occur soon – usually within approximately 24 to 36 hours. The fertility monitor is a relatively new approach designed to provide daily information about a woman’s fertile time period. The monitor records a woman’s daily fertility level (low,high,peak) based on results from urine tests. This detects increases in levels of estrogen and LH and help women identify the days they have the optimal chances of conceiving.

Speak to your doctor for more detail and further consultation on how to get planning for a baby.