When you decide to be parents and start a family there is no way to predict when or how soon you will get a positive result. If you are healthy and having regular sex without any birth control, you are expected to conceive in your first year of trying. Generally, about half the couples get positive results within six months of trying, and about 70%-80% within the first year.

You should boost your odds of being parents-to-be by getting to know the do’s and don’ts of fertility. Apply these guidelines to conceive a baby without trouble.

For him: Keep tabs on your health
If it’s been a while since you have gone for a regular health checkup then it’s a good idea to go for one. Men, in their youth, generally think that their reproductive systems are functioning well. But you should know that there is a big connection between general fitness and reproductive health, therefore making time for a quick health checkup can help you in the long run for your fertility.

Having a good diet, a healthy body weight, regular exercise, better sleep patterns, and less stress, all can be correlated with semen quality. Your doctor can also help you make changes you might need to be at your healthiest being and address any issues that might obstruct the baby-making process.

For her: Learn how to read the signs
Pregnancy is all about the egg meeting the sperm. For that to happen, both of them needs to be in the same place at the same time. Keep a track of your ovulation period, and make sure to have sex during that time frame.

If your cycle is regular with periods coming 26 to 32 days apart, then it means your time frame is between days 8-19 after your period. However, with irregular periods you cannot just rely on the calendar alone on when you are ovulating. There are other ways your body tells you it’s go-time.

Keep a track on your basal body temperature (BBT). Its body’s temperature when it is fully at rest. A rise of 0.6 degrees or more for around 10 days means you have ovulated. Although, your fertility chances are good 2-3 days before that boost. You can also buy an ovulation predictor kit to get a more precise measure of those pre-ovulation days.

For both: Have the right amount of sex
Once you have got a handle on your fertility window, set a schedule to have sex. Couples need to have sex about every other day from a few days before ovulation, to a few days after. It won’t hurt to do it more often, but there are some studies that show it may lower a man’s sperm count.

Follow these guidelines and take care of your overall health in order to conceive successfully.