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Family planning

Approved by our Clinical team | Mar 30, 2020

We’re here to help you plan for the future with our online family planning clinic

If you’re planning to start a family or looking to get pregnant we’ve got all the support you need to embark on this journey. From ovulation kits to vitamins that’ll help you to be as healthy as you can be before you begin your family planning.

For most people getting pregnant isn’t a difficult process and it can happen quite quickly. However it’s best to bear in mind that sometimes it can take a little longer and although this might be upsetting it is ok - in every 100 couples trying for a baby, around 80–90 will conceive within one year.*

To give yourself the best chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy you and your partner should be as healthy as you can be. You might want to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise and limiting the amount of alcohol you drink. If you or your partner smokes this can reduce your fertility and affect how long it takes for you to get pregnant.

You can talk to your GP or one of our expert Pharmacists to find out how you can improve your chances of getting pregnant. There are also a range of products that can help you to get pregnant and once you are pregnant support the healthy development of your baby.

Ovulation tests

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You can calculate your menstrual cycle and find out when you are most fertile by using the calendar method. By plotting your cycle and the days of your period you can work out when you are ovulating. This tends to be 10-16 days before your next period, depending on your cycle. However ovulation tests can also detect the hormones in your urine which are released during ovulation. The test an also predict the days that you are most likely to get pregnant on which gives you an indication on when you should be having sex.

Vitamin enriched lubricants

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If you’re trying to get pregnant there are lubricants that you can use during sex that will support sperm by matching the naturally occurring fertile liquid in your cervix. When you’re ovulating your body creates mucus in your cervix which is slippery, clear, wetter and thinner than normal. The consistency of the mucus helps sperm to reach the egg and can increase your chances of getting pregnant. Enriched with magnesium and calcium ions fertility lubricant mimics fertile cervical mucus, and can prolong sperm viability, helping to keep them healthy and moving.

At-home conception kits

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If you’ve been trying to conceive and need a little extra help, at-home conception kits put sperm at the opening of your cervix to give them the best chance of fertilising an egg by physically putting them closer. A condom-like sheath collects the sperm and then you can use an applicator to deliver the sperm to the cervical opening. This method can help those with low sperm counts and sperm motility issues, however if it is taking longer than you hoped to get pregnant your GP will be able to offer advice.

Pregnancy tests

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One of the earliest and most reliable signs of pregnancy is a missed period. If you have a regular menstrual cycle it is easier to spot when you have missed a period or when your period is late. You can use a pregnancy test from the first day of your missed period, however if you don’t have regular periods the best time to take a test is 21 days after you last had unprotected sex (sex without a condom or contraception). Using a pregnancy test in the privacy of your own home is a great way to tell if you are pregnant as many tests can test up to four days before your period is due and give you results within minutes.

Pregnancy vitamins

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Making sure that you and your partner are as healthy as you can be can help top increase your chances of getting pregnant. As well as eating a balanced diet and regularly exercising you can take a variety of vitamins to boost your overall health and help with conception. Folic acid should be taken while you are trying to get pregnant and during your pregnancy, as it prevents birth defects such as spina bifida. For men taking zinc has been shown to increase testosterone levels in the body which in turn boosts sperm count and sperm mobility which can improve the chances of conceiving naturally.

How do I know if I'm ovulating?

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When you’re ovulating your body produces certain signs such as:

Your cervix mucus will appear wetter, clearer, slippery and stretchy
Your body temperature rises after ovulation occurs which can be detected by a thermometer
An ovulation test can detect increased hormone levels in urine

Can spotting mean you are pregnant?

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Spotting or irregular bleeding is common within the early weeks of pregnancy however spotting can occur for other reasons. If you think that you might be pregnant you can purchase a pregnancy test to complete in the privacy of your own home, visit your GP or your local sexual health clinic.

I've got a lighter period, could I be pregnant?

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Yes, rather than missing a period many women who are pregnant have a lighter or shorter period than normal. To be sure that you are pregnant you can buy a pregnancy test to complete at home, visit your GP or your local sexual health clinic.