Pre-Conception Checklist for Men & Women

One-stop fertility prep: pre-pregnancy screening, supplement schedule, lifestyle tweaks and ovulation calendar to help you conceive faster and healthier.

Fertility Tips 8 min read 12.5k reads Updated: 2026-01-09

Planning a baby is more than simply stopping contraception. Studies show couples who follow a structured 3-month pre-conception program cut fetal malformation risk by 23 % and increase conception odds by 30 %. Follow our “Screen – Nourish – Adjust – Time” roadmap below and meet your baby in the healthiest way possible.

1. Pre-pregnancy screening for him & her

Her tests (12 items)
  • CBCMust
  • TSH + FT4Must
  • TORCH panelMust
  • HBsAg & antibodiesMust
  • Day 2–5 sex hormonesOpt
  • Pelvic ultrasound + wet mountOpt
His tests (8 items)
  • Semen analysis + morphologyMust
  • Scrotal & prostate ultrasoundOpt
  • Testosterone panelOpt
  • CBC / urinalysisMust
  • HBV, Syphilis, HIVMust

Expert tip: correct sub-clinical hypothyroidism or high prolactin before pregnancy to cut miscarriage risk significantly.

2. Fertility-supplement cheat-sheet

Nutrient Her daily dose His daily dose Food examples Notes
Folic acid 400 µg (start 3 months ahead) 400 µg Spinach, kale, orange Reduces neural-tube defects by 70 %
Zinc 9–10 mg 12.5 mg Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds Boosts sperm quality & oocyte maturation
Vitamin D 10 µg (400 IU) 10 µg Salmon, egg yolk, sunshine Serum 25(OH)D ≥ 30 ng/mL preferred
CoQ10 100 mg (if ≥35 y) 200 mg Sardine, walnuts Improves sperm motility & oocyte energy

3. Lifestyle tune-up

  • Quit
    Tobacco & Alcohol

    Smoking cuts sperm count 16 %; second-hand smoke raises miscarriage rate 1.4×. Alcohol disrupts estrogen—stop ≥3 months.

  • Limit
    Caffeine

    ≤200 mg/day (≈2 cups coffee). Higher intakes lengthen time-to-pregnancy.

  • Move
    Exercise Rx

    BMI>24: 150 min brisk walk/swim/week; BMI<18.5: add resistance to raise BMR.

  • Sleep
    Circadian rhythm

    Lights off before 23:30, 7 h nightly. Night-shifters may take 1–2 mg melatonin to reduce oocyte oxidative stress.

4. Nail the timing: ovulation calendar & OPK tips

Rule of thumb: ovulation day = next period − 14. Because cycles vary, use the 3-step method:

  1. Enter the last 6 cycles into our Ovulation Calculator to get your fertile window.
  2. Start OPK testing on cycle day 10; when the test line ≥ control line (peak) ovulation happens 24–36 h later.
  3. Have intercourse the day of the peak and the next day—highest pregnancy odds. Sperm survives 48–72 h, so one day ahead beats one day after.
Fertile window example (28-day cycle)
Menses
Day1-5
Follicular
Day6-9
Fertile
Day10-16
Luteal
Day17-28

5. FAQ

Yes, keep going until week 12 of pregnancy. 400 µg/day is safe long-term and will not disturb your cycle.

Spermatogenesis lasts 74 days. <2 standard drinks occasionally is fine, but binge (≥5 drinks) raises sperm DNA fragmentation—quit at least one spermatogenesis cycle.

Combine BBT, OPK and ultrasound monitoring; or log 3 past cycles and use (shortest length −14) as the first possible ovulation day.

One month after the last dose is enough; the old “wait 6 months” rule is outdated.

Absolutely! Low folate in men destabilises sperm DNA, raising risks of neural-tube defects and Down syndrome. CDC recommends 400 µg/day for males pre-conception, cutting chromosomal abnormalities 20 %.

6. Printable 90-day countdown checklist

T-3 months
  • Book pre-conception visit
  • Start folic acid 400 µg daily
  • Quit smoking & alcohol, limit caffeine
  • Set 23:30 bedtime routine
T-2 months
  • Collect results, treat abnormalities
  • Tailor exercise/weight-gain plan if BMI off
  • Dental check-up (no urgent work during pregnancy)
  • Buy OPKs & BBT thermometer
T-1 month
  • Exercise ≥3×/week & keep bedtime
  • Log cycles & BBT daily
  • Plan maternity-bag budget & storage
  • Have sex on peak OPK day—relax and enjoy!