One of the biggest things I wish more couples understood upfront is this: your body deserves
preparation—not just hope. Many couples wait far too long to seek support or testing,
believing they should simply “try longer” before anything needs to be checked or go straight to a
fertility clinic that only gives you answers with assisted reproductive technologies (IVF and IUI).
Even with assisted reproductive technologies this can again take weeks to months. Either way
the couple is forced to wait which means mean months of unanswered questions, mounting
stress, and emotional burden—especially for women who often shoulder most of the testing and
worry.
In conventional care, general guidelines suggest testing only after a year of trying (or six months
if you’re over 35). But there’s a growing movement toward thoughtful, early
evaluation—especially once you’ve been actively trying for a few cycles (about three months)
without pregnancy. That doesn’t mean you start treatment immediately. It means you understand
the landscape of you and your partners fertility sooner rather than later, so you can make
This is why it is important to prepare your body before TTC.
Preconception care isn’t just about getting pregnant — it’s about preparing your body for
a healthy conception and pregnancy. Here are a few key areas that truly matter before you start
trying:
1. Optimize nutrient status before conception
Checking key nutrients like vitamin D, iron, folate, and vitamin B12 before pregnancy is
essential. While all nutrients play a role, deficiencies in these areas are common and can directly
impact hormone balance, ovulation, implantation, and early fetal development.
Starting a high-quality prenatal vitamin several months before conception helps build
nutrient stores and has been shown to support better fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
One of my favorite prenatal multivitamins can be found, here.
2. Use lab testing to personalize fertility care
Preconception lab testing allows us to move beyond guesswork and truly optimize fertility
before conception. Identifying and correcting imbalances early can improve cycle regularity,
egg and sperm quality, and metabolic health all of which lead to improved pregnancy outcomes.
For women:
Hormone panel: Day 3 estrogens (E1, E2, E3) and FSH; Day 21 progesterone; Total and free testosterone; cortisol; DHEA-S; LH; SHBG
Thyroid panel: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Total T4, Total T3
Vitamins: 25-OH vitamin D; B12; folate; Iron panel
Other: Insulin and HbA1c; Homocysteine; Lipid panel; CBC and CMP
For men:
Hormone panel: Total and free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), DHEA-S, SHBG
Thyroid panel: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Total T4, Total T3
Vitamins: 25-OH vitamin D; B12; folate; Iron panel
Other: Insulin and HbA1c; Homocysteine; Lipid panel; CBC and CMP
3. Reduce toxic burden & support natural detoxification
The 3–4 months before conception is a critical window for reducing environmental exposures. Research shows that early embryonic development is especially sensitive to toxins that can disrupt hormones and reproductive health.
Preconception care should include:
- Reducing exposure to known reproductive toxicants
- Supporting the body’s natural detoxification pathways through nutrition and lifestyle
- Creating a lower-toxin home and daily environment
A targeted, high-quality detox may be appropriate before trying to conceive but should:
- Be completed at least 3 months prior to conception.
- Not be done while actively trying to conceive.
Our Preconception Fertility Detox Guide and Environmental Toxins Guide will be available soon. Sign up for our email list to be notified when they’re released.
Even outside of a formal detox, daily toxin reduction—through food, personal care products, and household choices—should be part of ongoing fertility preparation.
When you prepare together, you also reduce unnecessary waiting and the emotional burden that comes with it. The longer a couple waits to investigate health factors that can be optimized, the more months—and often heartache and emotional burden—they accumulate. What if some of that burden could be eased early on? What if uncertainty didn’t have to dominate your conversations, your cycles, or your sense of hope?
This isn’t about urgency or pressure. It’s about clarity and care—for your body, your partnership, and your future family. Every piece of information you gather earlier gives you more agency and less stress later.
If you’re feeling like your journey has already taken too long, or if you’re just starting and don’t want to repeat common pitfalls, you’re not alone. I see these patterns again and again in my work with couples: the questions, the waiting, and the sense that maybe something critical is being missed. The good news? A thoughtful approach to preconception can change the experience dramatically.
I’ll be talking about this and more in an upcoming online event called It Takes Two to Tango: A Couple-Centered Approach to Fertility on February 12 at 6 PM MST. It’s a space where we go deeper into the why and how of preparing together—so couples don’t have to navigate this alone or with half the picture missing. Here, is the link to register.
Until then, remember preparation matters just as much as timing. And the more you understand about your body and your partner’s health early on, the more confident and grounded you can feel—no matter where your fertility journey leads.