Planning a family is a meaningful and often emotional step in life. Whether you’re just beginning to consider having children or are already trying to conceive, understanding your health and how it relates to fertility can help set the course for a smoother journey. At Medsana Medical Clinic in Brisbane, our team of doctors, specialists and allied health professionals are here to support women through every stage of this process.
From preconception care and fertility checks to mental wellbeing and birth control, here’s what you should know when preparing to start or grow your family.
Laying the Groundwork: Preconception Health
Before you even begin trying for a baby, your general health plays a crucial role in preparing your body for pregnancy. Known as preconception health, this phase is often overlooked but can significantly influence your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy.
Factors like balanced nutrition, maintaining a healthy weight, managing medical conditions (such as diabetes or thyroid issues), and taking folic acid are all part of getting pregnancy-ready. Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, and limiting caffeine can also help improve fertility and create the healthiest environment for a baby to grow.
Importantly, some medical conditions that don’t cause obvious symptoms like high blood pressure or undiagnosed infections can impact fertility or pregnancy outcomes. That’s why a full health check before conceiving can provide a clearer picture of what your body may need in the months ahead.
Fertility and Health Screenings: What’s Involved
If you’re wondering whether your fertility is on track or if you’ve been trying to fall pregnant without success a fertility check can be an empowering first step. These assessments provide valuable insights into your reproductive health and can identify potential issues that might be affecting your ability to conceive.
Fertility checks typically involve a combination of:
- Hormone blood tests, such as AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) to assess ovarian reserve, FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone), LH (Luteinising Hormone), oestradiol, prolactin, and thyroid function. These give a clearer picture of your hormonal balance and whether you’re ovulating regularly.
- Pelvic ultrasound, which examines the ovaries, uterus, and the number of antral follicles present (an indicator of egg supply). It can also help detect conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts, all of which can impact fertility.
- Ovulation tracking, through blood tests or ovulation predictor kits, can help confirm whether and when ovulation is occurring vital information for timing intercourse and understanding cycle patterns.
- Semen analysis (for male partners) evaluates sperm count, motility (movement), and morphology (shape), since male infertility contributes to approximately 40% of fertility issues in couples.
Even if you aren’t experiencing problems, having a baseline fertility assessment in your 20s or early 30s can help you make informed decisions about when and how to plan a family. It can also identify areas where early intervention might prevent more complex challenges later on.
What Can Screenings Detect?
These checks can uncover a range of factors that influence fertility, including:
- Hormonal imbalances that disrupt ovulation
- Blocked fallopian tubes or uterine abnormalities
- Undiagnosed infections such as chlamydia, which can cause tubal damage
- Endometriosis, a condition that may affect egg quality and implantation
- Low ovarian reserve, which can affect how long you might be able to conceive naturally
- Thyroid disorders, which can impact both ovulation and pregnancy outcomes
- Nutrient deficiencies, such as iron, vitamin D, or B12, which are essential for reproductive health
In many cases, these conditions are treatable or manageable, especially when detected early. For example, treating thyroid dysfunction or correcting vitamin deficiencies can restore regular ovulation. Managing PCOS through diet, medication, and lifestyle adjustments can significantly improve fertility outcomes. And in the case of blocked fallopian tubes or fibroids, surgical options may be available to restore reproductive function.
How Detection Supports Your Fertility Journey
Understanding your fertility status early gives you more control over your family planning journey. Early detection allows time for treatment or lifestyle changes to take effect before age-related decline becomes a significant factor.
For couples who may need assisted reproductive technology (ART), such as IVF, having a clear diagnosis can shorten the time to effective treatment, reduce costs, and improve success rates. According to the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand, early intervention and tailored treatment strategies based on diagnostic findings can lead to better reproductive outcomes (www.fertilitysociety.com.au).
In addition to fertility-specific testing, general health screenings are also important at this stage. These include:
- Cervical screening test (formerly the Pap smear), to check for changes in cervical cells that could impact pregnancy or delivery
- STI checks, particularly for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, which can be asymptomatic but lead to fertility issues
- Rubella immunity testing, to ensure protection against infections that can harm the fetus
- Reviewing vaccination history, such as for whooping cough and influenza, to protect maternal and baby health
Altogether, these assessments create a clearer picture of your reproductive and general health. Armed with this knowledge, you can take proactive steps whether that’s trying naturally with confidence, addressing obstacles early, or exploring fertility preservation options like egg freezing if you’re not yet ready to conceive.
Understanding the Role of Family Planning
The decision of when to have a baby is deeply personal, and for many women, it begins with making changes to contraception. While stopping birth control seems simple, the return to regular cycles and fertility can vary depending on the type of contraception used.
Short-acting methods like the pill generally allow fertility to return within a month or two, while long-acting methods like hormonal implants, IUDs or injectable contraception may delay the return of ovulation. Understanding how these work in your body helps you time things more precisely and avoid unnecessary stress.
Family planning isn’t just about conceiving now, it’s also about ensuring that the spacing of pregnancies suits your life, health, and goals. Whether you’re thinking about your first child or planning for another, contraceptive decisions are part of the bigger picture.
Emotional and Lifestyle Factors That Influence Fertility
While much focus is often placed on physical health and medical tests, emotional wellbeing and lifestyle choices are just as important when planning a pregnancy.
High levels of stress, for example, can interfere with hormone regulation and ovulation. A 2014 study in Fertility and Sterility found that couples experiencing greater levels of stress may have a lower likelihood of conceiving (ScienceDirect). Establishing techniques to manage stress, whether through mindfulness, counselling, or physical activity can create a more balanced foundation for fertility.
Nutrition also plays a critical role. Diets rich in whole foods, leafy greens, lean proteins and healthy fats can support reproductive hormone function and egg health. Being underweight or overweight can both reduce the chances of conception. Gentle, regular exercise helps regulate metabolism and hormonal balance, but excessive or high-intensity training can sometimes disrupt menstrual cycles.
Sleep is another often overlooked factor. Poor sleep quality or irregular sleep patterns can negatively affect reproductive hormones and overall wellbeing. Building a healthy sleep routine, limiting screens before bedtime, and managing work-life balance are simple yet impactful steps.
At Medsana, we understand that fertility is not just a medical issue, it’s a whole-person journey. Emotional support, lifestyle coaching, and access to qualified allied health professionals can make a big difference along the way.
Bringing It All Together
The process of planning a family involves more than just deciding when to try for a baby. It’s a time to take stock of your physical, emotional, and reproductive health, and to make informed choices that reflect your goals and lifestyle.
Whether you’re at the start of your journey or already taking steps toward pregnancy, having access to professional support can make all the difference. At Medsana Medical Clinic, we bring together general practitioners, women’s health specialists, and allied health providers to offer complete, compassionate care in one place.
We’re here to help with:
- Preconception consultations
- Fertility and reproductive health assessments
- Birth control advice and family planning
- Lifestyle and mental health support
- Referrals to gynaecologists, dietitians, or fertility specialists as needed
We believe in helping you feel confident and informed, so that when the time is right, you’re ready, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Your Next Step Starts Here
Starting a family should feel exciting, not overwhelming. With the right support, you can approach this next chapter with clarity and confidence. If you’re thinking about having a baby soon or even just planning for the future, we invite you to connect with our team at Medsana Medical Clinic in Brisbane.
References
- Your Fertility Australia. Age and female fertility.
https://www.yourfertility.org.au/for-women/age - Fertility and Sterility. The influence of stress on fertility.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/search?qs=stress%20and%20infertility&publicationTitles=271326&lastSelectedFacet=articleTypes&years=2014