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I have two children, both of which were conceived within six weeks of discontinuing the use of birth-control. First, for men...get rid of the tighty whities (underwear). And yes, it does matter if you men smoke...it can effect your sperm. You don't want to damage them, you produce sperm and save them, so they are exposed to what you are doing to your body.
Women...your eggs are with you pretty much from the get go and so it is important to guard them from the beginning...don't smoke...anything! I think the most important thing about increasing your chances of getting pregnant would be knowing your body and paying attention. Make your self a log or diary of several statistics of your body:

1. Know your menstruation cycle. Not just when you get your period, but your moods, differences in body temperature, and differences in vaginal discharges. This allows you to better figure out when you are ovulating. Not everybody ovulates on the 14th day of a 28 day cycle.
A. When did you get your period, put it on a calendar-if you don't already.
B. Take your temperature every morning and every night. Compare the differences, even if it is by a tenth of a degree. Maybe that is the only difference you will notice.
C. Differences in vaginal discharges can help you determine when you are ovulating. I am not going to say that everyone does this or can notice this, but many women have a different discharge about the time they are ovulating. Ok...this is gross, but I am being very honest about the consistency. It is basically clear, but it thicker than the discharge you get when you are "excited." (It is more like when you blow your nose and the snot can literally be pulled out of your nose. So I guess it would be slime-like in nature.) Once this mucous like discharge appears you tend to be ready to conceive. It actually might be your body's way of protecting you from a tubal pregnancy. The egg has not traveled to the correct location until now. Generally speaking you have one day before this...I doubt it, but you have to put that in there, what if someone trusted that they couldn't get pregnant until mucous appeared. And after the mucous...at least three days...I have heard of people being able to get pregnant at anytime during their cycle though.

Now some things to consider...men store sperm almost externally...as in the scrotum area, so sperm like a slightly cooler temperature. They also have to have the right conditions for ph. Women tend to be warmer of course, our reproductive organs are internal and our vaginal conditions can change even slightly to have an adverse effect on the invading sperm. When you look at the odds of how many sperm enter with just one sexual encounter, you think, how could I not get pregnant? Always think that! But the little boogers have quite a journey to the egg and most of them die before they reach their target. After they get there, they still have to have enough energy to join with the egg.

All that being said, relax and enjoy the ride, it might just help them along! Plus this is the fun part. Once you get pregnant...no matter how much fun pregnancy is, you and your spouse are changed for life! You will change physically and emotionally and mentally. But that is another article all together!

Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Glenda Webb.
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