Trying to Conceive? Avoid These 7 Things That Could Hurt Your Chances

If you're trying to get pregnant, you're probably hyper-focused on what you should be doing to get your body ready to conceive. But it's just as important to know what to avoid. As someone who struggled with infertility for over a year before getting pregnant, I went into hardcore research mode, obsessively analyzing every TTC do and don't. Here's what's actually worth steering clear of.

Quit smoking

This should go without saying, but smoking is terrible for your fertility and your future baby's health. Studies show cigarette smoking speeds up ovarian aging and egg loss, causing earlier menopause compared to non-smokers. Female smokers also have higher rates of infertility and miscarriage. And guys, you're not off the hook either — smoking lowers sperm count and motility while increasing abnormal sperm. Secondhand smoke matters too: one study found women exposed to it had 50% lower IVF implantation rates than non-exposed women. If you smoke, make quitting priority #1, ideally before you're actively trying.

Limit alcohol

We all know heavy drinking should be avoided. But what about a casual glass of wine? The research on light-to-moderate drinking is genuinely mixed — some studies find it delays conception, others find no effect. Heavy drinking (more than 2 drinks daily) is clearly linked to ovulatory disorders and lower fertility. Many women land on a "better safe than sorry" approach: limiting intake, or avoiding alcohol entirely during the two-week wait, since that's when implantation would happen if conception occurred that cycle. For men, heavy alcohol use decreases sperm quality, but fertility itself doesn't seem to take a hit unless you're drinking more than 20 drinks a week.

Limit caffeine

Research indicates more than 5 cups of coffee daily (over 500mg of caffeine) may delay time to pregnancy and slightly increase miscarriage risk. The good news: a cup or two a day, under 200mg, is unlikely to negatively impact fertility. If you're a coffee lover, you can keep your 1-2 cups — just watch your total daily caffeine from all sources, and consider tapering with decaf or herbal tea if you're a heavier drinker. For what it's worth, caffeine doesn't appear to meaningfully affect male fertility.

Avoid hot tubs and saunas

This one's for the guys: steer clear of hot tubs and saunas when trying to conceive. Scrotums exist to keep testicles a few degrees cooler than the body's internal temperature, and when they overheat, sperm cells get damaged. Studies even show sperm concentration drops in summer compared to cooler months — and that seasonal effect is nothing compared to what a hot tub does. One study found a 15-minute soak lowered sperm count nearly 500%. The good news: the effect seems to reverse after about 3 months of stopping heated soaks.

Say no to NSAID painkillers

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) are common go-tos for cramps and headaches, but they may quietly be working against you. NSAIDs block prostaglandins, which play key roles in ovulation, implantation, and maintaining early pregnancy. Multiple studies link NSAID use around the time of conception to higher miscarriage risk — one found an 89% higher chance of miscarriage in women taking NSAIDs during the luteal phase, with the effect appearing strongest in women with a lower BMI. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is generally considered the safer over-the-counter option during your fertile window and after ovulation — worth discussing alternatives with your doctor if you rely on NSAIDs regularly.

Don't stress (but do manage it)

"Just relax and it'll happen" is every TTC woman's least favorite piece of advice, and for good reason: everyday emotional stress doesn't directly cause fertility problems. You cannot simply stress yourself infertile. But chronic, long-term stress can show up through indirect habits that do matter:

• Stress-driven junk food binges, which can affect ovarian function through poor nutrition
• Disrupted sleep, which impairs the glucose control and hormone regulation ovulation depends on
• Higher rates of smoking, drinking, or other coping habits that independently hurt fertility
• Relationship strain or low libido, which can mean less sex at the times that actually matter

So: being stressed doesn't inherently prevent pregnancy, but the downstream effects of chronic stress can. Manage it through therapy, movement, journaling, your support system, or whatever actually works for you — but don't blame yourself for the stress itself.

Reconsider tight underwear

We've already covered overheating scrotums, but everyday heat matters too. Evidence here is less definitive, but some studies suggest snug underwear that keeps testicles closer to body temperature can reduce sperm parameters. In one study, men who regularly wore loose boxers had 25% higher sperm concentration than men who preferred briefs or tight boxer briefs. Whether that translates to meaningfully impaired fertility is uncertain — but if you want to play it safe, loose, breathable options and less time sitting with legs crossed can't hurt.

The key with all of this is balance. You don't need to go to extremes on every single item — find what's realistic for your life, and focus your energy on the changes that matter most for your situation.