Year of the Fire Rooster runs January 28–February 15, 2018

I am fascinated by cultures different than my own. With the Chinese New Year upon us, I had to take a break and find out what this year may bring, especially for those born in 2017: The Year of the Fire Rooster. According to Chinese astrology, each year is associated with one of five elements as well as an animal.

First of all, the costumes and parade outfits are AMAZING. A Rooster year “wears” much better than a Rat or Dog year!

Knowing that many of my patients are anxious to deliver in the Year of the Rooster, I had to look it up to see what was so special about this year. People born in this year are:

• Healthy and active
• Talkative, social and the center of attention
• Trustworthy, loyal and devoted
• Punctual and responsible
• Courageous and confident
• Resourceful.

These are welcomed attributes and are certainly ones to aspire to. I am hopeful that the babies we help patients conceive and deliver in this Chinese New Year are wonderful members of society and bring great happiness to their families and friends.

The last day of the year is February 15, 2018, which means you must conceive by May 25, 2017!

Tips for getting pregnant

Following are a few tips to keep in mind when trying to conceive, this year or any year.

Fertility declines with age, specifically after age 35 for women and after age 50 for men.

Have sex often, as long as it doesn’t add to your stress levels. While having sex frequently does correlate with a higher likelihood of getting pregnant, having sex once a week still results in a 15 percent chance of conceiving.

Tracking your window of fertility can help you know when you are most likely to conceive.  Women are generally the most fertile six days before they ovulate. You can track your ovulation and your window of fertility using your cervical mucus. Abundant, slippery mucus appears when you are the most fertile.

Free phone apps can also help you track your fertility. However not all fertility and menstrual-tracking apps are created equal! For a list of recommended apps, see Dr. Homer’s recent blog.

For the highest likelihood of pregnancy, have sex just before you ovulate. The day before you ovulate is generally the best day to have sex if you want to get pregnant.

Lifestyle factors can affect your fertility. Smoking, drinking more than two alcoholic beverages a day and consuming large amounts of caffeine can lower your chances of getting pregnant. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in general, including a healthy weight, also improves your fertility. This is true for both male and female partners! Our fertility diet and pregnancy page has a list of healthy foods and supplements that can help with getting pregnant.