Dr. Pratima Mittal (Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi) states that folic acid is an essential nutrient that every woman should take three months before planning for a baby. Additionally, vaccinations such as for rubella infection are essential. She explains that while it is important to have your BMI within the range of 18 to 23, weight is not the only factor while planning a pregnancy. Dr. Pratima reveals that 80% of pregnant women are anaemic in our country and this needs to be treated before the pregnancy. Before pregnancy, anaemia should be treated with regular exercise and a rainbow-coloured diet that includes green vegetables, dairy products for calcium and protein, and cereals for carbohydrates.

Dr. Nupur Gupta (Obstetrician & Gynaecologist – Paras Hospital, Gurugram) states that between days 9 to 16 of a menstrual cycle (wherein day 1 is when a woman gets her periods) is when a woman is most fertile which is ideal for a healthy conception. Adding to this, Dr. Jaideep Malhotra (Obstetrician & Gynaecologist and IVF expert – Rainbow TVF Agra and New Delhi) states that the best time for fertility is when a woman is less than 30 years of age as after the age of 35 the quality of her eggs and their number deteriorates. As for the sperm count and quality, Dr.Kiran S Coelho (Obstetrician & Gynaecologist Lelavahi Hospital, Mumbai) states that it is important to be healthy and abstain from a sauna, steam, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Agreeing to this, Shivani Sikri (Nutritionist, Nutri4Verve, New Delhi) states that both active and passive smoking interrupts the flow of oxygen in the body and so it must be especially avoided at all costs.