One aspect of health that can be difficult to navigate on the internet is the subject of ‘trying to conceive’. The availability and accuracy of ovulation prediction and pregnancy tests has made it seemingly easier for people to plan when to start or expand their family. However, although more people are using these tests to try to help them conceive, the supporting information surrounding the biology of human reproduction is often lacking.
My Expert Midwife develops products that provide real solutions for common problems experienced by women throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period. Co-founder and midwife Lesley Gilchrist and her team of in-house midwives have used their knowledge and experience to build a website of information hubs, including a wide range of topics to help support and improve the lives of women and families.
Trying to conceive
Fertility problems in the UK are common, with up to 15% of couples experiencing subfertility (Manders et al, 2015). Those who have problems trying to conceive can experience stress and anxiety, which could be avoidable for some if they had access to more information and tools to help improve their chances of becoming pregnant. My Expert Midwife's trying to conceive kit was developed to help people understand how they can maximise their chances of becoming pregnant.
Understanding how the body works and how improvements in fertility can be made through making diet, lifestyle and environmental changes is often the first line of advice given by healthcare professionals (NHS, 2020; Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2022). Making these changes before seeking further medical advice can help couples during their trying to conceive journey, whether that is becoming pregnant or ensuring their bodies are better prepared for when they are offered further tests or investigations.
Trying to conceive kit
The trying to conceive kit was designed and is sold not-for-profit to ensure it is accessible for couples and can help guide them through their journey.
The kit contains an ovulation tracking calendar, a thermometer, three pregnancy tests, 12 ovulation prediction strips and a guide to trying to conceive.
The comprehensive guide that accompanies the kit has been specifically designed to help those trying to conceive to understand how their own and their partner's bodies and reproductive cycles work together. It details concisely how to prepare and improve the chances of conceiving through diet and lifestyle, as well as how to recognise the different stages in the menstrual cycle to gain greater understanding into when the most fertile times occur. It also explores the psychological impact that trying to conceive can have on individuals and a couple and how to offset this. The guide is also available to download for free, with an ovulation chart, on the My Expert Midwife website, where there is access to an ovulation calculator (My Expert Midwife, no date).
The guide is delivered in four easy-to-digest parts, to help people navigate their trying to conceive journey using their newly acquired knowledge along with the chart and tests provided in the kit. This makes the process of trying to conceive less complicated and helps people gain greater understanding before seeking further medical input, should this be indicated.
What is in the trying to conceive guide?
Modern living and busy lifestyles can impact fertility when trying to have a baby. The first part of the trying to conceive guide focuses on female fertility, explaining how the reproductive system and menstrual cycle work together. It covers everything, including vaginal discharge, changes to the cervix and hormones and how diet and lifestyle choices can have positive and negative impacts on hormonal function, as well as what to expect when discontinuing different methods of contraception for pregnancy. The guide highlights how a few simple changes can improve the chances of becoming pregnant and pave the way for a healthy pregnancy.
The second part explains male fertility, covering the reproductive system, including what, where and how sperm is produced, as well as how long sperm is stored, what its lifespan outside of the body is and how these matter during when trying to conceive. The guide addresses the many myths that circulate in the public domain regarding male fertility, regular sex and how to maximise the quality and quantity of sperm production. Information is also provided for men regarding how lifestyle and diet can have a positive or negative impact on the health and quality of sperm and why this matters when trying to conceive.
The third part discusses how to have sex for pregnancy and walks couples through how to use the kit. Each person's menstrual cycle can be unique, and the guide helps a woman to understand her own unique hormonal changes and the signs that small fluctuations can cause.
Every woman and every menstrual cycle is unique, which means that together with other hormonal changes that can occur daily and for different reasons, there is a chance a woman can get pregnant at any time throughout her cycle, even during her period. The guide outlines three steps to enable couples to use regular sexual intercourse combined with charting and ovulation sticks more effectively, so they know when to have sex and how often is enough during the most likely times in which conception could be achieved.
Having sex to become pregnant is often linked to reducing sexual spontaneity and causing stress and anxiety within relationships. The guide also discusses strategies to deal with these difficulties.
The final part of the guide covers when to seek help when trying to conceive.
Generally, in the UK, a GP would expect a woman to have been trying to become pregnant for 12 months before seeking assessment, if under 36 years old. However, people's individual needs can vary, so the guide also provides information on when people should seek further medical help, as this can vary in different circumstances, such as same sex relationships, those with existing medical conditions or because of age.
The overall aim of the trying to conceive kit is to help people gain a better understanding of how their bodies and reproductive systems work and provide those who want to try for a baby with all the information and tools they need in one place. My Expert Midwife supports those trying to conceive, so they can embark on their journey with more confidence, and improve the chances of pregnancy before seeking input and assessment from healthcare professionals. My Expert Midwife wants to ensure the kit is accessible to as many people as possible.