Human reproduction is an inexact science; most people shift back and forth between periods of fertility and infertility as their bodies pass through various hormonal stages and respond to physical and emotional stresses. Our hormones and our fertility change in response to age, diet, and nutrition, and exercise and lifestyle, among other factors. Some of these factors we can control, others we cannot. When it comes to getting pregnant, it’s up to you to make the most of each month. It’s up to you to eat right, to rest, and to make healthy choices in your life. It’s up to you to listen to your body; nobody knows your body better than you do. You must learn to recognize when something feels “off” so that you can follow up with a doctor. If you are a man, it’s up to you to protect your sperm. Most men don’t realize that it takes almost three months to produce sperm, so that what you do today will affect your sperm months later. If you are a woman, it’s up to you to learn how to chart your fertility so that you can’ better time intercourse to coincide with ovulation. A simple temperature chart can also help you detect common fertility problems, such as a luteal phase defect. In many cases, no single thing you do or don’t do determines your fertility. It is the cumulative effect of a number of little things that can either enhance or impair your fertility. This is why you should do what you can to get pregnant naturally before you rush off to consult a reproductive endocrinologist. The advice offered in this book can help you increase your chances of conceiving a child. If you remain childless after a year, you may need to work with a fertility specialist. Of course, you may do everything right and still end without a biological child. I spent nine years trying to get pregnant, and I tried everything you can imagine. That’s why I never ask anyone I meet, “How many children do you have?” I remember what a difficult question that was to answer when my husband and I were trying desperately to conceive. To reproduce and that my husband and I were not going to build a family the way that we had hoped, dreamed, and planned, I realized that adoption offered another option. While adoption was my second choice, it was not second-best. I have been blessed with two wonderful children. I am a mother. My husband and I have built our family. I have everything but a pregnancy story. Best of luck to those of you entering this journey.