Conception Plan—Steps To Prepare | 90-Day Prep List

Trying to get pregnant can feel like a pile of decisions. This plan keeps it practical: get your body ready, spot timing that works for you, and clear common roadblocks before you begin.

Conception plan steps to prepare by week

This table is a big map. Use it as a checklist, then adjust for your health history, age, and any meds you take.

Time window	Main goal	What to do
Day 1–7	Baseline + supplies	Start a daily prenatal with folic acid, set a sleep target, buy ovulation tests or a basal thermometer, list all meds and supplements.
Week 2	Cycle awareness	Track bleeding days, cervical mucus, and any mid-cycle pain; note your usual cycle length and variability.
Weeks 3–4	Health review	Book a pre-pregnancy visit; ask about vaccines, chronic conditions, genetic carrier screening, and meds that should change before conception.
Month 2	Body fuel	Build meals around iron, folate-rich foods, iodine, calcium, and protein; set caffeine and alcohol rules you can keep.
Month 2	Fertile-window practice	Use ovulation tests or basal temps for one full cycle; aim for sex every 1–2 days across your fertile window.
Month 3	Risk cleanup	Stop nicotine, avoid cannabis and other drugs, update dental care, tighten blood sugar or blood pressure habits if needed.
Month 3	Go-time plan	Pick your start-trying date, plan how you’ll test for pregnancy, and decide when you’ll seek medical care if it doesn’t happen.
Any time	Partner alignment	Both partners review meds, alcohol, nicotine, sleep, and STI risk; plan a semen check if there’s a known risk.

Conception Plan—Steps To Prepare for the next 90 days

If you only do a few things, start here. They’re high-return and realistic.

Start folic acid before you try

Neural tube development starts early, often before you know you’re pregnant. Public health guidance focuses on starting folic acid ahead of time. The CDC summarizes dosing, including higher-dose guidance for people with a prior neural tube defect pregnancy: CDC folic acid guidance.

A standard prenatal vitamin often includes folic acid plus iodine and iron. Check the label so you know what you’re taking, then bring it to your visit.

Book one pre-pregnancy visit

A single visit can prevent months of guessing. Bring a list of prescription meds, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbs, and any workout supplements. Bring your last couple months of cycle notes too.

Ask questions: “Is any medication unsafe in early pregnancy?” “Do I need labs before trying?” “Which vaccines should be updated?” ACOG’s overview of prepregnancy counseling lists areas clinicians review, like immunizations and screening: ACOG prepregnancy counseling.

Pick one timing method and stick with it for a cycle

You don’t need a drawer full of gadgets. Choose one method and run it for a full cycle so you learn your pattern.

• Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs): A positive test usually means ovulation is close, often within 12–36 hours.
• Basal body temperature (BBT): BBT rises after ovulation, so it confirms timing after the fact.
• Body signs: Cervical mucus changes can help you spot the fertile window, especially when combined with cycle tracking.

For many couples, sex every 1–2 days across the fertile window is a simple target. If schedules are tight, focus on the two days before ovulation and the day of ovulation.

Food, caffeine, and alcohol choices that move the needle

Food talk can get noisy. Keep it simple: steady meals, enough protein, and nutrients that show up again and again in pregnancy guidance.

Build meals around a few basics

• Folate and B vitamins: leafy greens, beans, lentils, citrus, fortified grains
• Iron: meat, fish, lentils, beans; pair plant sources with vitamin C foods
• Iodine: iodized salt, dairy, seafood; check whether your prenatal includes iodine
• Omega-3 fats: salmon, sardines, trout, chia, walnuts
• Calcium + vitamin D: dairy, fortified plant milks, yogurt

If you have anemia, thyroid disease, diabetes, or digestive illness, your clinician may suggest labs or a more specific supplement plan.

Set a caffeine limit

Many clinicians advise keeping caffeine under 200 mg per day while trying and during pregnancy. If you drink more now, taper over two weeks.

Alcohol and nicotine: pick a clear line

Alcohol can happen before a missed period, so many people stop once they start trying or use a “test first” rule. Nicotine is worth stopping before you try.

Health checks that prevent surprises

This section is about catching issues early, not hunting for problems. A few targeted checks can save time later.

Vaccines and immunity

Some infections are riskier in pregnancy, and a few vaccines can’t be given once you’re pregnant. Ask your clinician to review your vaccine record and immunity status, especially for rubella and varicella.

Dental care

Schedule a cleaning if you’re due. Gum swelling can flare during pregnancy, and it’s easier to handle dental work before nausea or fatigue hits.

STI screening when it fits your history

If either partner has a new partner since last testing, a past STI, or symptoms, get screened early. Treatment is often quick.

Chronic conditions and meds

If you live with asthma, epilepsy, hypertension, thyroid disease, diabetes, migraines, depression, or autoimmune disease, don’t stop meds on your own. Some drugs need a swap weeks before conception, and some need closer lab monitoring once pregnant.

Habits that carry into pregnancy

These levers add up. You’re not chasing perfection. You’re building routines you can keep once pregnancy starts.

Keep movement steady

Pick something you like: walking, cycling, swimming, lifting, yoga. Aim for two to four sessions a week plus light daily movement.

Guard sleep

Sleep affects hormones and appetite. Set a consistent wake time, keep your phone out of bed, and cut late caffeine.

Lower stress without overthinking

Trying can bring a lot of waiting. Use plain tools: a short walk after dinner, fewer late-night screens, and one relaxing hobby that fits your week.

Timing mistakes that waste a cycle

Most “we tried and nothing happened” months come down to timing, not effort. A common slip is starting ovulation tests too late. If your cycles run 26 days, you may surge around day 12; if they run 34 days, it may be closer to day 20. Start testing early for the first cycle so you don’t miss the first positive.

Another slip is treating a temperature rise as a green light. BBT rises after ovulation, so it tells you what already happened.

Last, don’t save sex for a single “perfect” day. Sperm can live in the reproductive tract for several days, while the egg is available for a much shorter window. Spreading sex across the fertile window gives you more chances without turning the month into a spreadsheet.

Tests, appointments, and what they’re for

Not everyone needs every test. This table shows what’s commonly discussed so you can walk into your visit with sharper questions.

Check	Why it’s done	When it’s often discussed
Blood type and Rh factor	Plans care if you’re Rh-negative and your partner is Rh-positive	Pre-pregnancy visit or first prenatal labs
Rubella and varicella immunity	Confirms immunity so you can vaccinate before pregnancy if needed	Before trying, or at first prenatal labs
Hemoglobin and ferritin	Checks anemia and iron stores	Before trying if there’s fatigue, heavy periods, or past anemia
TSH (thyroid)	Thyroid levels affect cycles and early pregnancy	Pre-pregnancy visit if symptoms or thyroid history
HbA1c or fasting glucose	Finds diabetes or prediabetes; guides nutrition and meds	Before trying if higher risk or past gestational diabetes
Genetic carrier screening	Estimates risk for certain inherited conditions	Before trying, especially with family history
STI panel	Detects treatable infections that can affect pregnancy	Before trying if risk factors exist
Semen analysis	Checks count, motility, and shape when timing is good but pregnancy isn’t happening	Earlier if there’s a prior issue or testicular surgery

Partner prep that’s easy to miss

Conception is a two-person project. A few partner steps can improve odds and reduce delays.

Heat, illness, and recovery time

High fevers and frequent heat exposure (hot tubs, saunas) can affect sperm for weeks. Avoid hot tubs when trying and plan around any recent illness.

Meds that can affect sperm

Testosterone products and anabolic steroids can lower sperm production. If a partner uses them, a clinician should guide a safe plan to stop and recover.

When to get medical care sooner

Many couples conceive within a year of regular, unprotected sex. Still, it’s smart to know your “call the clinic” points.

• Age 35 or older: consider evaluation after 6 months of trying.
• Age under 35: consider evaluation after 12 months of trying.
• Cycles shorter than 21 days, longer than 35 days, or often missing.
• Severe painful periods, pain with sex, or known endometriosis.
• Two or more pregnancy losses.
• Known male factor risk, like prior testicular surgery or chemotherapy.

A weekly checklist you can reuse

This is the “do it once” list that keeps you moving without overthinking. Put it on your fridge or in your notes app.

1. Take your prenatal daily and refill it before it runs out.
2. Track cycle days and one ovulation sign.
3. Plan three easy meals you can repeat on busy weeks.
4. Do two workouts or two long walks; mark them off.
5. Keep alcohol and nicotine rules consistent.
6. Set a bedtime alarm three nights a week.
7. Check in with your partner once a week, then drop it.

If you want a single phrase to guide choices, keep this in mind: conception plan—steps to prepare works best when it’s simple enough to follow on an ordinary week.