Trying for a Baby? Start Here: 7 Essential Health Checks Before You Conceive
Trying to conceive can feel exciting, but also overwhelming. With so much conflicting advice online — from supplements to “fertility hacks” — it’s easy to feel unsure where to start.
The most effective first step isn’t another trend or quick fix. It’s understanding your body and making sure your foundations are in place.
Before adding supplements or interventions, taking a step back to assess your health can make a significant difference — both in how you feel, and in how your body functions hormonally.
Here are seven key areas to check when preparing for pregnancy.
1. Your Menstrual Cycle: A Window Into Your Hormones
Your menstrual cycle is one of the clearest indicators of your hormonal health.
Heavy bleeding, painful periods, irregular cycles, or missed periods shouldn’t be ignored. These can signal underlying issues such as hormonal imbalances, PCOS, or endometriosis.
If your cycle is shorter than 21 days, longer than 35 days, or symptoms are affecting your day-to-day life, it’s worth investigating further.
2. Energy Levels and Fatigue
Persistent fatigue is often dismissed as part of a busy lifestyle, but it can point to underlying imbalances that affect fertility.
Symptoms such as constant tiredness, dizziness, or shortness of breath may be linked to iron deficiency, anaemia, thyroid dysfunction, or blood sugar imbalances.
Addressing these can have a meaningful impact on overall health and reproductive function.
3. Foundational Blood Tests
Before moving to advanced fertility testing, it’s important to cover the basics.
This typically includes:
Full blood count
Thyroid function
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12 and folate
Iron levels
Correcting common deficiencies — particularly low iron or vitamin D — can support hormone balance, ovulation, and energy levels.
4. Existing Health Conditions and Medications
Conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid disorders, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and mental health concerns can all influence fertility.
Medication review is equally important. Any prescribed or over-the-counter medications should be assessed to ensure they are safe and appropriate when trying to conceive — without stopping anything abruptly.
5. Supplements: Keep It Simple and Targeted
It’s very common to be taking multiple fertility supplements, often with overlapping ingredients.
A more effective approach is to simplify:
Start with a high-quality prenatal
Add targeted nutrients based on individual needs and blood results
This avoids unnecessary supplementation and ensures a more personalised approach.
6. Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Trying to conceive can take an emotional toll, even when everything appears “normal.”
Stress and anxiety can affect both physical and hormonal health, making emotional wellbeing an important part of fertility support.
This might include mind-body practices such as yoga, breathwork, acupuncture, or simply creating space for rest and recovery. Where needed, additional support should always be considered.
7. Lifestyle Foundations
Once the above areas are addressed, lifestyle plays a key role in supporting fertility.
This includes:
Regular, balanced meals
Stable blood sugar levels
Consistent, moderate movement
Reducing alcohol and smoking
Prioritising sleep
These foundations help create the optimal environment for conception.
A More Informed Way to Approach Fertility
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice or unsure where to begin, focusing on these core areas provides a clear and grounded starting point.
Taking a personalised, whole-body approach — rather than relying on trends — allows you to better understand what your body needs and how to support it.
If you’d like support with this, working together can help you gain clarity, identify any underlying issues, and create a tailored plan to optimise your fertility.