Boost your fertility

Ban the bottle
Try to avoid alcohol altogether during the preconceptual care period and for at least the first three months of pregnancy, if not throughout the whole nine months. Alcohol is a cell poison that becomes concentrated in the cells of a developing baby to produce higher levels than those found in the mother, and can interfere with rapidly dividing cells. It can also reduce fertility. One study found that women who drink five or less units of alcohol per week were twice as likely to conceive within six months than those drinking ten units per week or more.

Relax and unwind
Avoid excess stress which can affect fertility by lowering levels of sex hormones. In some cases, the effects of stress are severe enough to cause loss of menstruation. High stress and anxiety levels can also affect the outcome of fertility treatments. Take regular time out for rest and relaxation, even if it's just getting up from your desk and making a cup of tea, taking a quick walk a lunch time, or arranging to meet a friend for dinner.

Supplement your diet
Take a folic acid supplement, starting at least a month before trying to conceive. Folic acid is essential for normal cell division, especially during early pregnancy. As well as protecting against certain developmental abnormalities such as spina bifida, some researchers suggest that it may boost fertility, so that if you conceive twins, it is more likely that both embryos will survive and continue to develop, although this is controversial. Synthetic folic acid (found in supplements and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals) is more readily absorbed and used in the body than the natural folate form.

Don't take unnecessary risks
Avoid any non-essential drugs, herbs and other supplements as their effects on fertility are not always known. Some herbs, such Agnus castus, may be prescribed by a herbal medicine practitioner to boost fertility. Only use them under supervision, however.

Make predictions
Your most fertile time of the month lasts for the six days up to, and including, the day of ovulation. However, the timing of ovulation is highly unpredictable, even in women whose cycles are regular. When around 700 menstrual cycles were assessed among 221 women trying to conceive, only 30 per cent had their fertile phase entirely between day ten and day 17 of the cycle (the first day of the last period is counted as day one). Most women reached their fertile window earlier, and others much later. At least ten per cent of women were fertile on any given day between days six and 21, and up to six per cent were potentially fertile even on the day their next period was due. Using an ovulation predictor kit can increase your chances of achieving pregnancy.

And for him...

Get your partner to:

• Wear loose, cotton, boxer shorts rather than tight pants made from man-made fibres. These lower sperm count by up to 20 per cent
• Eat a diet rich in natural antioxidant vitamins C, E, betacarotene and zinc, and consider taking supplements containing these
• Stop smoking. Male smokers are only half as fertile as non-smokers
• Lower alcohol intake. Forty per cent of male infertility is linked with just a moderate alcohol intake

More information is available in my book, Planning a Baby: A Complete Guide to Preconceptual Care (Vermilion, £8.99).