How important is it for me to kick my coffee addiction?

The jury's still out on the impact of moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy. Some studies have shown a link between moderate caffeine consumption and an increased risk of miscarriage, while other studies have failed to demonstrate the same connection. Rather than sentencing yourself to nine months of worrying about the effects of your morning java on your baby-to-be, why not kick your caffeine habit now? That'll leave you with one less thing on your worry list.

Is it safe for me to continue exercising while we're trying to conceive?

It's generally safe to continue exercising when you're trying to conceive. Just make sure that your workout is moderate in intensity and that you don't allow your core body temperature to rise too high. If you're concerned that your usual workout regime may prove too rigorous once you become pregnant, talk to your doctor or midwife about your concerns before you start trying to conceive.

Where does my partner fit into the whole preconception health picture? Does he need to think about making some lifestyle changes as well?

Preconception health planning is definitely a team sport! Your partner should also take steps to improve his own health: he should get to a healthy weight, if he's obese (overweight men are more likely to experience fertility problems than normal-weight men); check with his doctor about the advisability of continuing to take any herbal products and medications while the two of you are trying to conceive; quit smoking (it could impair his fertility and, besides, second-hand smoke isn't good for you or your baby-to-be); and avoid activities that lead to overheating of the scrotum (e.g. hot baths) or injury to the groin area (excessive cycling).

While there's nothing you can do to guarantee that you'll win at baby roulette and end up with a healthy baby nine months down the road, there's plenty you can do to tilt the wheel in your favor. Don't you owe it to yourselves and your baby-to-be to do just that?

Ann Douglas is the author of The Unofficial Guide to Childcare, Baby Science How Babies Really Work, and The Unofficial Guide to Having A Baby. She writes the monthly "Mom's the Word" column for Canadian Parents Online and is a regular contributor to a number of print and online publications. She and her husband Neil have four children. Ann is frequently quoted in the media on a range of parenting-related topics, and has appeared as a guest on a number of television and radio shows. She can be contacted via her management firm, Page One Productions Inc.

Ann and her husband Neil live in Peterborough, Ontario, with their four children Julie, Scott, Erik, and Ian. A fifth child, Laura Ann, was stillborn in 1996 due to a true knot in her umbilical cord.

Copyright © Ann Douglas. Permission to republish granted to Pregnancy.org, LLC.