Women
Quit smoking. Smoking in pregnancy raises the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth and low birth weight. It has effects into toddlerhood and childhood, too, mainly by increasing the risk of respiratory illness.
Cut back on your drinking. Heavy drinking is out, but there's evidence that moderate drinking can improve fertility, probably by inducing more sex.
Look at your weight. Not being overweight helps conception and makes pregnancy more comfortable. A carefully monitored weight-loss diet can be safe during pregnancy and is sometimes advised for women who are seriously overweight, but always check with your doctor. Being underweight can make you less fertile, while being overweight puts you at greater risk of complications such as high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy.
Take a folic acid supplement. Folic acid - sometimes called folate - is an important B vitamin that's been shown to prevent neural tube defects (NTD) such as spina bifida. It's recommended that you start taking a supplement before you start trying to conceive, as NTDs occur in early pregnancy. The recommended dose is 400 micrograms a day. Folic acid is also found in dark green vegetables, oranges, wholewheat breads and breakfast cereals.
Have sex... and often!
It may sound obvious, but regular sex increases your chance of getting pregnant. Work out your most fertile time and ensure you make love every day around those dates.
Women mostly ovulate once during each cycle, and the most likely time for conception is 14 days before your next menstrual period is due. Also check your vaginal discharge - it will have a gluey consistency when you're at your most fertile.

Ready for pregnancy - Men
Give up smoking. Smoking can reduce fertility, and partners of men who smoke have a reduced chance of conceiving too. Fathers who smoke also affect the health of their babies, before and after the birth. The risk of respiratory problems and cot death increases, for example.
Ease off the booze. Heavy drinking may affect sperm quality and make a successful pregnancy less likely.
Keep stress to a minimum. It can cause hormonal changes in the body, which can lead to fertility problems.
Keep cool. Sperm is made at slightly below body temperature, so don't spend too long in warm baths and wear boxer shorts to improve circulation around the testicles.
Eat well. A healthy diet and regular exercise will reduce stress and increase your overall fitness, and they're good ways of showing support for your partner, too.

No more than half of all pregnancies are planned - Mother Nature likes surprises! But if you're aiming to get pregnant soon, it's sensible to make some healthy changes to your lifestyle.

You can maximise your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and labour if you're fit and healthy to begin with.
If you're super-prepared, you and your partner can make these changes some time before you start trying for a baby. This way you'll ensure you've had enough time to get in a routine and have an effect on your health.
Bear in mind most couples don't conceive straight away; it's also normal for a few months to go by with no sign of pregnancy.

You may feel you're ready to start trying for a baby immediately. Exceptions to this might be:
if you need genetic counselling and the time to think about your discussions
if either you or your partner are on long-term medication and need advice on its effect pregnancy or conception (this might be the case for a woman if she has diabetes or epilepsy)

Postnatal fitness
The first exercises
When you leave hospital you'll be given a sheet of exercises to do, including ankle circling, pelvic floor exercises, pelvic tilt and modified abdominal exercises. Make sure you start these as soon as you can.
Get active
The sooner you get moving the better. Not only will you get back in shape quicker, but exercise can help banish the baby blues and beat postnatal depression.
Start with ten minutes' activity a day - try a short walk around the block, a dance with your baby or a snippet from a specially designed exercise video (most of which are broken into ten-minute chunks).
After six weeks
After you've been given the all-clear at your six-week check, you can start regular structured exercise - even if you've never exercised before. If you're still bleeding, though, take it easy and don't start swimming until it has stopped completely.

Keep it safe
Should I see a doctor first?
If you're perfectly healthy, it's up to you. If there's anything you're worried about - perhaps you have a specific condition or want to check about the particular activity you're interested in - then do. Don't worry about bothering them; they'll be delighted to see someone who's trying to improve their fitness.
What if I feel unwell, sore or exhausted?
Stop exercising if you feel unwell or if anything causes you pain. Talk to the instructor and see your doctor. Remember not to do heavy exercise after a big meal.
If you haven't done much exercise before, you may feel a bit sore and tired when you start. Listen to your body. Avoid sudden or jerky movements, and if it seems more than natural stiffness, ask for advice. It almost goes without saying that if you have an infection or illness, even if it's just a cold, take it easy until you've recovered.

Football - or soccer - is a multiple sprint sport requiring players to spend some of their time sprinting, and other times running fast or slowly, walking or even standing still.
Varying degrees of fitness are required, depending on the player's position in the team, the amount of time spent on the field and the level at which the game is played. A full 90-minute match, for example, demands high levels of aerobic fitness.
The intermittent nature of the game means that energy demands are sometimes extremely high and sometimes fairly low; however, studies have shown that at professional levels the average work rate (based on percentage of maximum oxygen uptake) of midfield players and strikers is similar to that of a good marathon runner.
This means football players must have a good aerobic endurance base if they are to last the full game without becoming excessively tired. Because the game involves acceleration and deceleration, changes in direction, angled runs and running backwards - all unorthodox methods of running - there's also an increased energy cost of the exercise.

T'ai chi
As both a healing and fighting art, t'ai chi emphasises the mind/body connection. It focuses on developing the ability to centre oneself and therefore not be easily distracted or confused.
Practitioners believe the mind is the most important single factor in being able to achieve excellence in all areas of life, including health. They work on the ability to centre the mind, keeping it interested and involved in what's happening here and now. From this state of attention comes the possibility to change, correct and heal oneself.
The physical side of t'ai chi is a series of coordinated moves, flowing together to become one continuous movement. It increases the body's range of movement, aids relaxation, reduces stress and assists with good balance and posture. The exercises are coordinated with breathing techniques to encourage the body's energy flow through the meridians in the body.

The most common type practised in the West is hatha yoga, a combination of asanas (physical exercises and postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation. It is said to provide a balanced and wholesome approach to achieving perfect physical and mental health, happiness and tranquillity.
Eastern yogis (yoga practitioners) believe asanas are simply stepping stones to higher paths. They also believe that working on the body alone is a waste of time as the body is mortal whereas the soul is immortal. Hatha yoga is, in fact, a single step in the eight step path of Asthanga yoga.
Getting started
Many people learn yoga by attending classes, although videos and books are also popular. As with all exercises, technique is very important and for this reason it's advisable for beginners to seek out a reputable teacher.
Is it for you?
Yoga can be practised by anyone at any age. It develops flexibility and muscular endurance and, like many martial arts, incorporates techniques to relieve stress and bring the mind and body into harmony.