How To Get Pregnant

Scary News for People Who Get Pregnant While Depressed

Bad news for people affected by depression (so basically everyone, at some point in their lifetime): A depressed mom or dad can increase a baby's risk of being born dangerously early, according to a new Swedish study in which researchers examined depression rates and antidepressant use among the parents of more than 366,00 newborns. And, babies born early can suffer serious health issues that range from learning disabilities to cerebral palsy, with symptoms that can crop up well into adulthood, according to data from the America Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

While existing research suggests that women who are depressed or take antidepressants are at greater risk of having preterm babies, and this new study confirmed the link, no one's really talked about fathers' mental states or considered the effects until now.

This new study looked at both sexes: Dads with recurring depression didn't seem to affect the risk of early births, but men who suffered from a new bout of depression around the time their babies were conceived were 38 percent more likely to have an uber-preterm baby just 22 to 31 weeks into the pregnancy. (Thirty-seven to 42 weeks is considered ideal.) 

This connection doesn't seem to have anything to do with genetics. Rather, when an expectant dad gets really down, it stresses out his partner, which negatively impacts her pregnancy, according to the study's authors. And that makes perfect sense to anyone who's ever dated someone going through a rough patch. 

So what are you supposed to do when you or your partner is depressed, but you're dying for a baby? Experts suggest the best way to reduce the risk of preterm birth is for you and your partner to have a clean bill of mental health before you start baby-making. That means you should both be screened for depression (a new recommendation) and seek treatment if necessary, tapering off medication before conceiving after six months of feeling awesome (and only with your doctor's blessing), according to ACOG guidelines. So it's simple, really: Happy, healthy parents have happy, healthy babies. 

                                                                                                                                                  

How to get pregnant

If you're hoping to conceive, don't leave it to luck. Understand how to get pregnant — starting with predicting ovulation and do's and don'ts for maximizing fertility.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Some couples seem to get pregnant simply by talking about it. For others, it takes patience and a bit of luck. If you're looking for tips on how to get pregnant, start the old-fashioned way. Here's what you need to know — and when to seek help.

How to predict ovulation

Conception is based on an intricate series of events. Every month, hormones from your pituitary gland stimulate your ovaries to release an egg (ovulate). Once the egg is released, it travels to one of the fallopian tubes. If you want to conceive, the days leading up to ovulation are the time. But how can you tell when you'll ovulate? For many women, it's like hitting a moving target — especially since various factors can affect the exact timing of ovulation, including stress and excessive exercise.
To gauge when you're ovulating, you might:

• Keep an eye on the calendar. For several months, use a calendar to mark the day your period begins — the first day of each menstrual cycle. Ovulation often happens around day 14 of a menstrual cycle, although the exact timing might vary among women or even from month to month. Looking for patterns can help you plan.
• Watch for changes in cervical mucus. Just before ovulation, you might notice an increase in clear, slippery vaginal secretions — if you look for it. These secretions typically resemble raw egg whites. After ovulation, when the odds of becoming pregnant are slim, the discharge will become cloudy and thick or disappear entirely.
• Track your basal body temperature. Ovulation can cause a slight increase in basal body temperature — your temperature when you're fully at rest. To monitor your basal body temperature, use a thermometer specifically designed to measure basal body temperature. Take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed and plot the readings on graph paper or in a spreadsheet. Eventually, a pattern might emerge. You'll be most fertile during the two to three days before your temperature rises. The increase will be subtle, typically less than 1 F (.5 C).
• Try an ovulation predictor kit. Over-the-counter ovulation kits test your urine for the surge in hormones that takes place before ovulation. Ovulation kits can identify the most likely time of ovulation or even provide a signal before ovulation actually happens. For the most accurate results, carefully follow the instructions on the label.

Maximizing fertility: What to do

When you're trying to conceive, remember simple "do's" for how to get pregnant:

• Do have sex regularly. If you consistently have sex two or three times a week, you're almost certain to hit a fertile period at some point. For healthy couples who want to conceive, there's no such thing as too much sex. For many couples, this might be all it takes.
• Do have sex once a day near the time of ovulation. Daily intercourse during the days leading up to ovulation might increase the odds of conception. Although your partner's sperm concentration is likely to drop slightly each time you have sex, the reduction isn't usually an issue for healthy men.
• Do make healthy lifestyle choices. Maintain a healthy weight, include moderate physical activity in your daily routine, eat a healthy diet, limit caffeine and manage stress. The same good habits will serve you and your baby well during pregnancy.
• Do consider preconception planning. Your health care provider can assess your overall health and help you identify lifestyle changes that might improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy. Preconception planning is especially helpful if you or your partner has any health issues.
• Do take your vitamins. Folic acid plays an essential role in a baby's development. A daily prenatal vitamin or folic acid supplement beginning a few months before conception significantly reduces the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.

Feb. 14, 2014

References

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