Women's Health

Deciding when to have a baby is a big decision, but for many couples it may not happen as quickly as they want. Dr. Kevin Fleishman, an OB/GYN on the medical staff at Lee Health, it’s important not to get discouraged if pregnancy hasn’t happened as quickly as expected. “When people want to have a baby it’s very common that they want it right away. It’s important to know that if everything is perfect, if the sperm is normal and a woman’s body and system is normal, there’s a 30 percent chance that they will conceive each month. If it’s only been two or three months it’s important not to do an extensive or expensive work up. Let nature take its course.” If a couple is trying to have a baby, he says unprotected intercourse mid-cycle increases the chances of pregnancy. “If they don’t conceive right away we can use ovulation prediction kits, that way women can test their urine for the LH surge and they know they will ovulate within a day or two,” said Dr. Fleishman. He says obesity can also cause delays in pregnancy because it decreases regular ovulation. “If someone is overweight we encourage them to exercise and lose weight before they conceive. That way they’ll have a much healthier pregnancy.” If the couple hasn’t conceived within a year, doctors may want to do an evaluation to check three things: is the woman ovulating, are her fallopian tubes open, and is the man’s semen normal? If a woman has used contraception, doctors recommend a few months to a year to allow the woman’s fertility to get back to normal.