Aiming to get pregnant in 2025 will be a goal many couples will be excited about! 

So what do you need to know? We spoke to Dr Raelia Lew, CREI Fertility Specialist, Gynaecologist and Ellechemy Co-Founder to get some expert advice. 

Here is a great checklist for you to consider if you are planning a baby this year! 

This should contain iodine and 500mg folate as a minimum, to increase the chance that your baby will be born healthy with a reduced risk of thyroid problems and spinal cord formation abnormalities.  

Your GP will offer you the opportunity to learn more about the option of preconception genetic screening. This is a new type of testing available so you and your partner can assess your risk as a couple of having a baby unexpectedly born with a rare genetic disease. Testing for cystic fibroisis, spinal muscular atrophy and fragile X is Medicare subsidised in Australia. Much broader and more comprehensive genetic screening can be opted in for and privately funded. 

You may choose to have some basic fertility checks done at this stage for your own reassurance, but GP guidelines don’t currently recommend this approach for everyone until they have tried to conceive for at least 6 months.  

Many of us carry extra weight and may find ourselves in the overweight (BMI > 25) or obese category (BMI> 30).  

Aiming to become pregnant with weight in the normal healthy range is a great goal but may not be a quick fix. Seeking professional and sometimes multidisciplinary help can be key. Achieving a healthy body weight not only can make it easier to conceive but can also reduce your risk of miscarriage and also can reduce pregnancy and delivery associated risks for mothers and babies.  

 5. Focus on nutrition 

Educate yourself on and implement elements of a healthy diet. This means ensuring a calory balance of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy protein choices.   

6. Eliminate alcohol 

Cutting down or cutting out alcohol can improve sperm quality. Alcohol is best completely avoided during pregnancy. Because in early pregnancy, a woman may not yet be aware she is pregnant, many women choose to quit alcohol when they start trying to conceive. Alcohol in pregnancy can cross the placental barrier between mother and child. Babies exposed to alcohol in the womb can develop fetal alcohol syndrome, associated with intellectual disability and other fetal malformations.   

7. Quit smoking   

To optimise fertility for both men and women, a zero tolerance policy for smoking and vaping is highly recommended. Smoking in either partner can reduce your chance of getting pregnant, harm sperm quality, increase sperm DNA damage, and increase the risk of having a miscarriage. Smoking during pregnancy can negatively impact placental function, caue fetal growth restriction and increase the risk of premature birth. Smoking in either parent can increase a baby’s risk of cot death or SIDS and in childhood can increase the risk of allergies and serious asthma.     

To get pregnant, it is important to have sex around the time a woman is ovulating (releasing a fertile egg). There are physical signs and symptoms that can help you figure out roughly when this “fertile window” occurs in your case.  

If you have a regular menstrual cycle (the average is having a period every 28 days), you will ovulate roughly in the middle of your cycle.  

Signs you may be approaching ovulation can include increased libiodo (sex drive), clear fertile mucous, mild breast tenderness.  

It’s best to have sex slightly before the day of ovulation and to have sex often around the middle of your cycle. 

Listen to Knocked Up podcast to learn more about how to have sex to get pregnant.    

9. Expect that getting pregnant can take some time.  

Each month a couple with no infertility concerns has a 1 in 5 chance of conception.  80% of fertile couples will become pregnant within 6 months of trying. 90% of fertile couples will become pregnant within 12 months of trying.

It’s both important not to panic if pregnancy hasn’t happened straight away and also to recognise as soon as possible if something might be wrong.  

You shouldn’t be afraid to seek the advice of a fertility expert if you are alarmed or concerned. If you are aged over 35 years, it is recommended that a thorough formal fertility evalution of both partners is undertaken at the 6 months trying mark. If you are younger, it is reasonable to wait a little longer if you want to. If you have not become pregnant after 12 months this is concerning and further assessment of both partners and advice should be sought out.  

10. Age impacts fertility. If you are thinking of putting off pregnancy in your 30’s and 40’s, expert advice may be to reassess your priorities. Why not make 2025 your year. The reality is that the younger you are when you try to conceive, the easier it is as a general rule to get pregnant, avoid miscarriages and to have healthy babies.   

11. Pregnancy planning matters. Proactively giving pregnancy planning due consideration can set you up for a successful and healthy pregnancy. Many health concerns can be optimised such as undertaking protective vaccination optimising pre-pregnancy weight and nutrition and correcting nutrient deficiencies including iron and Vitamin D preconception.  You may also logistically wish to financially plan for your pregnancy and associated parental leave. The timing as to when you start proactively trying to get pregnant may be influenced in consideration of your eligibility for maternity leave benefits. Preconception is the best time to plan the model of care you wish to have for your pregnancy. If choosing to have your baby under the care of a private obstetrician, this is a good opportunity to ensure you have the most favourable health insurance coverage for obstetric care, and IVF in case you ultimately need fertility specialist help to become pregnant.