Updated March 3, 2023

Important things to consider when trying to conceive.
Let's start with our future plans.

  • couple
  • Future plans
  • fertility

Clock illustrationReading time: 2 minutes

Important things to consider when trying to conceive: Start with your future plans as a couple.

Table of Contents

Dr. Takashi Utsunomiya, Director of St. Luke's Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic

Dr. Takashi Utsunomiya, Director of St. Luke's Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic

Supervision

Director of St. Luke's Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic
​Professor Takashi Utsunomiya

Graduated from Kumamoto University School of Medicine. In 1988, became a lecturer at the Institute of Medical Science, Kyushu University, and in 1989, became the head of the Second Department of Gynecology at the Cancer Center of Oita Prefectural Hospital. In 1992, opened St. Luke's Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic.
She was one of the pioneers who took on infertility treatment in Japan at an early stage.

Let's talk more about trying to conceive as a couple.

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.

I'm trying to conceive, but my husband isn't very supportive, and it's causing me problems. Are there any other patients in a similar situation?

Professor Takashi Utsunomiya

I once had a mother-in-law come to my infertility clinic and ask why we couldn't have children. She thought the problem lay with me, but because it involved privacy, I didn't tell her the reason and sent her home. It was a moment when I realized that the couple hadn't been able to face their fertility journey on their own.

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.

Whenever my husband and I talk about trying to conceive, it always ends up being awkward. What should we do?

Professor Takashi Utsunomiya

There are two important things to keep in mind when a couple is trying to conceive.

The first is understanding each other's bodies. I have the impression that many men, in particular, are not very familiar with women's bodies.
We always require new patients to attend our seminars together as a couple, and in the post-seminar surveys, I've seen comments like, "I thought it was embarrassing to learn about what goes on inside a woman's body." I don't think men are necessarily uninterested in learning about it either, so I think it would be good to have an opportunity for couples to learn together.

The second thing is for the couple to discuss their "future plans"—what kind of life they want to live together. Think back to when you two got married. You didn't get married with the sole purpose of having children, did you? You probably simply thought, "I want to live with this person."

And we made wonderful memories, and we wanted to have two more babies. I want you to cherish that feeling.

While also considering changes in fertility

Illustration of a woman who is troubled.

Are there any key points to consider when discussing future plans?

Professor Takashi Utsunomiya

It's important to understand that fertility (the ability to conceive) declines with age. In particular, women's pregnancy rates decline after age 30, and from around age 35, both the pregnancy rate and the miscarriage rate increase.
It's important to discuss future plans, taking into account factors such as aging and the risk of illness, rather than assuming that natural conception will always be possible.

Age-specific trends in pregnancy and miscarriage rates from assisted reproductive technology (2019)

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