Trying-to-Conceive Checklist

Written by Cynthia Obinatu, community and editorial lead. Checked against published guidance from the National Health Service and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Not yet reviewed by a clinician. Educational, not medical advice.

How this trying to conceive checklist works

The list covers the weeks and months before you try and the time while you are trying. Tick a step when you have done it and the bar fills. Your ticks save on this device and nothing is sent to us. Reset clears the list. You do not have to do the steps in order, and most of them are worth doing before the first month you try.

What your ticks mean

A full bar means you have done the steps on this list. It says nothing about how quickly you will get pregnant. The National Health Service (NHS) says the time it takes to get pregnant "is different for everyone". The steps are there to put you in a good place to start and to catch anything a doctor should know about early. The step the NHS gives a number for is the daily folic acid supplement. It recommends 400 micrograms every day, ideally starting 3 months before you try, and continuing until week 12 of pregnancy. A higher dose of 5mg is prescribed by a doctor for some women, including women with diabetes, a blood condition such as sickle cell anaemia, or a family history of neural tube defects. If any of that applies to you, ask before you buy anything.

The NHS also says not to take supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) or cod liver oil in pregnancy, and to avoid liver, because too much vitamin A can harm a baby's development. Read the label before you add a multivitamin, and bring the tin or box to your appointment.

How long does it take to get pregnant?

The NHS says more than 8 out of 10 couples where the woman is under 40 will conceive naturally within a year if they have regular unprotected sex. For people aged 39 or under, the NHS advice is to have sex every 2 to 3 days, and it says that makes a pregnancy within a year likely. See a doctor if you have not conceived after a year, or sooner if either of you has a health condition, takes medicines or already knows of a fertility problem.

How many days after my period can I try to get pregnant?

It depends on your cycle. The NHS says ovulation usually happens about 14 days before your next period starts, so in a 28 day cycle that is around day 14, and in a longer cycle it falls later. Having sex every 2 to 3 days covers the days around it without you having to pinpoint one. Our fertile window guide explains the days that count, and the ovulation calculator and period tracker work out your own dates.

Which medicines, pills or drinks get you pregnant faster?

We do not recommend any pill or drink for getting pregnant faster, and we have not found a published authority that says one works. A doctor may prescribe medicine to help ovulation after tests. Step three on the list asks you to review the medicines you already take with a pharmacist or doctor. The NHS also asks you to tell your doctor about herbal and over-the-counter products, so include any agbo or tea you drink every day.

Eating for pregnancy, the Nigerian way

Step four mentions beans and ugu. The NHS says to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day, and lists beans and pulses among its protein foods. Ugu and waterleaf are vegetables you can add to your meals, and beans, moi moi and eggs cooked firm are protein foods. The NHS says to get most of your vitamins from food and to take folic acid as well. For what to eat once you are pregnant, see our guide to Nigerian foods in pregnancy, and for the full preparation guide read preparing your body to conceive.

Supplements sold as fertility boosters are a different matter. In June 2026 the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) recalled a supplement after testing found medicines in it that were not on the label. Look for a NAFDAC registration number before you buy one, and ask a pharmacist.

Common questions

Where this comes from

• Vitamins, supplements and nutrition in pregnancy. National Health Service.
• Trying to get pregnant. National Health Service.
• Infertility overview. National Health Service.
• Have a healthy diet in pregnancy. National Health Service.
• Public Alert No. 31/2026: recall of sexual enhancement product due to undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients. National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, 2026.

This page has not yet been reviewed by a clinician. It stands on the published guidance above, and we say so plainly rather than implying a review that has not happened. Read it alongside our medical policy.