If you’ve spent any amount of time on a pregnancy message board, you’ve noticed that its users seem to speak in their own abbreviated codes. More often than not, theses term are fairly easy to figure out, but there are some that even a know-it-all mom-to-be doesn’t understand. Mainly because it doesn’t apply to her pregnancy. For future moms, and even some who’ve been around for a while, there is a term popping up in the message boards that has many women wondering the same thing: what does TTC mean?
There’s a good reason why this term is taking over pregnancy forums. According to Pregnancy and Baby, TTC means trying to conceive, and it is an especially useful term from couples who are just beginning the journey into parenthood. For a lot of couples, TTC is a struggle that requires more than having unprotected sex. That first word — trying — says a lot about the process. TTC requires patience, research, and, in some cases, learning a whole set of pregnancy-related abbreviations.
If you’re preparing to become pregnant, TTC isn’t just about the sex (although that does play a crucial part.) Each month, if everything goes according to plan (and I mean everything), the American Pregnancy Association notes that a healthy couple has a 25 percent chance of conceiving a baby. And there’s a lot that goes into to improving your odds of conception. There are charts, schedules, and serious stress that comes with process, and it can easily take over your life. To keep the stress at bay, here are three things to focus on when trying to conceive.
1Body Language
Women are required to become very familiar with their bodies by tracking their fertility. This means they must observe their cervical mucus, which changes when your body is fertile, and track their basal body temperature, which will rise a few days after you’ve ovulated. In tracking these changes, couples are able to time sex to when they are most fertile rather than going at it blindly.
2Sex Schedule
They say it only takes one time to get pregnant, but couples who are trying to conceive may find that to be inaccurate. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to do in on the daily, but making sure to increase sexual activity during your fertile window is crucial. Because, as the American Pregnancy Association notes, your egg can only survive for about 24 hours after it’s released, you should have sperm waiting there for the egg. And this shouldn’t be a problem, seeing as sperm can live up to five days inside of your body, according to Mayo Clinic. Having sex during your fertility window is key to increasing your odds.
3Staying Positive
Even if you stay on top of your ovulation schedule and have sex at the optimal time, you still may not get pregnant. As frustrating as that is, it’s important to remember you’re not alone. According to the Centers For Disease Control, 6.7 million U.S. women struggle to get pregnant. Take solace in the fact that others are struggling alongside you, and take advantage of their advice. It may require deciphering a few abbreviations, visiting doctors, and paying closer attention to your, but a few extra tips could rid you of any TTC challenges.
