Getting pregnant after the pill

Stop smoking
Smokers take twice as long to conceive as non-smokers and have a higher miscarriage rate.

Cut down on alcohol
Teetotallers conceive more quickly than even light drinkers. We don't know what is a 'safe' level, but it's probably only two to three units per week.

Start taking folic acid
Take iron as well if you have heavy periods and extra Vitamin C if you miss out on fresh fruit and vegetables. Do not take extra Vitamin A or D as they are toxic to unborn babies.

Get plenty of fresh air and exercise
Stuffy offices and crowded commuter trains reduce the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream and make you tired and less fertile.

Practise stress management
Techniques like yoga, meditation, auto-hypnosis or Pilates. High stress levels can interfere with ovulation and make it harder to conceive.

Stay out of saunas and steam rooms
This is especially important if you think you may be pregnant, as the high temperatures can cause increased miscarriage rates.

Have sex more often
Many couples using temperature charts and ovulation predictor sticks will often miss 'the fertile period' completely. The best way to make babies is to have sex three times a week from the end of one period to the start of the next.

Encourage your partner to keep cool.
The testes dangle down to keep them one degree below body temperature. If your man sits in hot baths, drives long distances without a break, and wears tight underpants, he is not going to make top-quality sperm.

Try to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.
Crash dieting and yo-yo dieting are bad for your health and for getting pregnant.

Don't panic.
Ninety per cent of normally fertile young couples will get pregnant within a year of trying. If you think you may be at risk of fertility problems (irregular periods, pelvic pain, surgery or previous infections) see your GP.