Exactly What To Do If You’ve Been Trying To Get Pregnant—But Haven’t Conceived Yet

I’m not ready for fertility treatments, but I’ve tried naturally for a few months and nada. What can I do at home?

It may seem obvious, but if you smoke, stop! Smokers, on average, take twice as long to conceive. Being very over- or underweight can also make getting pregnant harder. If you use lubricant, switch to one labelled “fertility-friendly” or “sperm-friendly,” like Pre-Seed; some regular lubes can slow down his swimmers.

Next, for women with regular menstrual cycles, period- or fertility-tracking apps can identify your fertile window. And ovulation predictor kits look for a surge of a pre-ovulation hormone in your urine (they’re much less accurate for women with polycystic ovary syndrome). Just don’t go too long without seeing a doctor. If you’re under 35, try for a year, then make an appointment. Over 35 (or younger if you have irregular cycles or other red flags like endometriosis), see an M.D. after six months; over 40, hit her up right away.