HAVE SEX AT THE RIGHT TIME

Women are most fertile at day 10-16, with day one being the first day of their period. Sperm stay alive in the female reproductive tract for up to three days, says Bill Ledger, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Sheffield, so having intercourse at least every other day during this fertile time will be enough to make a baby.

WHEN TO GET HELP

Women's fertility drops rapidly after the age of 35. If you are in your early thirties and have been trying for a baby for a year without success, talk to your GP. If you are over 35, go after six months.

WATCH YOUR DIET

Both men and women should avoid being underweight or overweight, as weight problems can affect the hormones that control fertility. The Times nutritionist Amanda Ursell says that zinc-rich foods such as red meat and wholegrain cereal may improve sperm quality.

GO EASY ON THE BOOZE

It may loosen your sexual inhibitions, but alcohol isn't always good news for fertility. One study suggests that five drinks a week can affect women's fertility. Although you don't need to abstain from the sauce, it's a good idea to moderate your intake.

STUB IT OUT

Smoking harms the fertility of men and women. The damage is reversible in men, as they produce new sperm every 70 days. However, according to the British Medical Association, smoking reduces a woman's chances of conceiving by 40 per cent.

HAPPY SEX

Although there is only a six-day window of peak fertility in a woman's monthly cycle, it's important to have sex at other times, says Professor Ledger. Fertility problems strain relationships, so it's important to think of sex as fun, not simply a biological baby-making act.

BE ROMANTIC

Intense stress such as that caused by bereavement, divorce or redundancy, may disrupt ovulation for three or four months. However, every- day stress, such as that caused by your job, will not affect ovulation. The only way it affects fertility is by making people grumpy, and less likely to have sex. Counteract this drop in libido by planning a romantic meal, or a cosy weekend break.

DITCH THE OLD WIVES' TALES

Forget the myths about raising your bottom after intercourse, or not moving for 30 minutes. Sperm are chemically attracted to cervical mucus; within seconds of ejaculation they are safely on their journey. Anything that escapes doesn't contain any viable sperm.

And, unfortunately, there are no positions that guarantee conception says Professor Ledger.

KEEP THEM COOL

Sitting at a desk all day can be bad news for sperm. Heat causes sperm damage, and testes should be one or two degrees cooler than the rest of the body. Professor Ledger recommends taking a five to ten-minute walk every hour to cool off your crown jewels.

SEXUAL HEALTH

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia, can harm fertility. If you think there is a possibility that you may have caught something, it's well worth a visit to your GP or sexual health clinic.

Fertility gadgets - how to monitor your fertility by Barbara Lantin

Basal body temperature

Boots Fertility Monitor; BabyComp (www.ladycomp.com ), DuoFertility (www.duofertility.com ).

All you need is a thermometer, pencil and chart to plot when ovulation takes place (www.fertilityfriend.com gives support and encouragement). However, more sophisticated devices offer greater accuracy - at a price. With DuoFertility, a temperature sensor the size of a £1 coin is worn under the arm and measures temperature every few seconds. Data is relayed to a small reader and the software uses this to calculate when a woman is at her most fertile. It retails at about £500.

Upside A temperature rise is the only way to confirm that ovulation has occurred, useful for women who are having trouble conceiving.

Downside Can confirm ovulation only retrospectively.

Urine hormone tests

Clearblue Digital Ovulation Test; Clearblue Fertility Monitor (www.clearblue.info ).

A surge in the luteinising hormone (LH) occurs 24-36 hours before ovulation; women are at their most fertile on the day the surge is detectable in urine and the day after. Research shows that urine hormone kits can accurately predict ovulation, with Clearblue performing particularly well.

Upside Gives you advance warning of your fertile time.

Downside Does not identify the full width of the fertile window. Not reliable for women with high or low levels of LH.

Changes in cervical secretions

“Observing the changes in cervical mucus gives the most accurate means of timing intercourse to optimise the chances of conception,” says Jane Knight, a fertility nurse specialist at the Zita West Clinic, London, whose website, www.fertilityuk.org, shows how to interpret the changes that take place in the mucus secretions produced by the cells lining the cervix. She adds: “Research has shown that the presence of cervical secretions is associated with a twofold increase in the probability of conception.”

Upside No gadgets needed.

Downside Some are squeamish about self-inspection.

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