Your Pregnancy Questions and Answers: Advice From Fertility Specialist Gloria Richard-Davis
DO YOU ENDO asked Gloria Richard-Davis, MD, OB-GYN, fertility specialist and author of Planning Parenthood, your most pressing questions about pregnancy.
DO YOU ENDO: We know every woman is different, but how long should it take to get pregnant?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “Although getting pregnant should seem easy, it can actually take up to one year to conceive.”
DO YOU ENDO: How much does age affect a woman’s chance of getting pregnant?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “Age really can affect our chances of conceiving, fertility declines by 11 percent at age 34, 33 percent at age 40, and 87 percent by the age of 45.”
DO YOU ENDO: When should moms-to-be start taking prenatal vitamins or folic acid and in what amount? What’s the difference between the drugstore variety and a prescription?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “Women should always start prenatal vitamins approximately three months before they start trying to conceive. There are several options including over-the-counter and prescription prenatal vitamins, but your doctors will generally prescribe a prenatal like OB Complete Petite to ensure you’re taking a higher dosage of folic acid. Additionally, prescription prenatal vitamins are formulated differently to make it more tolerable for the patient. Some are designed to be smaller, others are designed to absorb faster, and others are designed to decrease the risk of morning sickness with the prenatal vitamin.”
DO YOU ENDO: Does timing matter?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “Timing is probably the most important factor in trying to get pregnant. A lot of women have heard of day 14 as the day of ovulation; however, women should actually be having sex every other day between days 10 and 20 of the menstrual cycle. Ovulation theoretically happens on day 14, but the egg can actually be released several days earlier or later.”
DO YOU ENDO: Is it safe to use a lubricant?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “Yes, women can use a fertility-friendly lubricant like Pre-Seed while trying to get pregnant. It’s important to remember that most lubricants on the market can affect sperm motility and should be avoided when TTC.”
DO YOU ENDO: How can women who are trying to start a family better identify the best two days of the month to conceive?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “The fertility window is usually defined as day 14 of the menstrual cycle, however, no one can really determine when an egg will be released every cycle. The best 10 days to get pregnant are actually days 10 through 20 of the menstrual cycle. You want to have sex every other day, allowing the male a 24 hour rest period to allow his sperm count to bounce back.”
DO YOU ENDO: When is the best time to take the test?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “You can take a pregnancy test as soon as six days after your first missed cycle. There are a number of pregnancy tests available in the pharmacy, like First Response or EPT.”
DO YOU ENDO: Can you give any advice or alternatives to expensive fertility treatments?
Dr. Richard-Davis: “Still not pregnant? Schedule a conceptual counseling appointment with your physician before seeking expensive infertility treatment. There are several options to help women conceive. First, physicians can rule out any medical conditions that could be preventing pregnancy. Sometimes infertility could actually be a malefactor and he may need to be treated before pregnancy can be achieved. Lastly, women can also use inexpensive medications such as Clomid or Letrozole for ovulation induction.