Are you planning on having kids soon? If you think that it’s that easy to be in the family way, think again. For many women, it can be a real challenge. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC say that about 12% of women in the US find it a struggle to become pregnant.

There are a variety of reasons why pregnancy can be elusive to some women. At times it can be due to certain medical conditions. Other times it’s simply due to some everyday habits.

If it seems like you are having a difficult time getting pregnant, it’s a good idea for you to consult a fertility specialist. But before you do that, you might want to check if you are guilty of some of these fertility-wrecking habits that could be keeping you from being pregnant:

Smoking Cigarettes

Everyone knows that smoking can cause a wide variety of problems. Are you aware that it’s also something that can make it extremely challenging for you to have kids?

According to doctors, cigarette smoking can destroy your reproductive health in a number of ways, from damaging your eggs as they form in your ovaries to increasing your risk of having a miscarriage. If you want to get pregnant and also enjoy a healthy pregnancy, quit smoking as soon as possible.

Taking Excessive Amounts of Alcohol

Studies have shown that women who drank 3 or more drinks per week had a harder time getting in the family way than those who drank moderately.

If you cannot say no to alcohol, just make sure that you drink it in moderation — experts say that moderate amounts of alcohol probably won’t harm your fertility, plus it will also provide you with a bunch of health perks. So if you cannot wait to have kids, quit partying all night long and drinking too much alcohol.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

Speaking of partying all night long, it’s something that you should ditch ASAP if your priority is to get pregnant any time from now. According to experts, failure to get a good night’s sleep can mess up your fertility.

There are a handful of reasons why not getting enough sleep can make it harder for you to get pregnant. First, it can cause irregular periods which can be a sign of infertility. Second, it can trigger hormonal imbalance. Third, lack of sleep can lead to obesity, a problem that can wreak havoc to a woman’s fertility.

Exercising Too Much

It’s no secret that getting your regular dose of exercise is an excellent way to beat obesity. But refrain from doing it a lot because that can make it hard for you to get pregnant, experts say.

And are you aware that most athletes, males and females alike, have a hard time having kids? So if you want to have children, take it easy if you are into sports or fitness. Always remember that too much of a good thing is bad, so do not stress your body too much if being in the family way is the most important thing for you now.

Having Poor Eating Habits

It is best to pair regular exercise with healthy eating habits in order for you to stay fit and healthy. If your goal is to become pregnant, then you should really start minding what you put in your mouth.

Experts say that poor eating habits can easily lead to obesity and also being underweight, both of which can harm one’s fertility. If you love sugary snacks, then you may have a hard time getting pregnant as some doctors say that fertility and insulin issues due to excessive sugar intake are connected.

Are you guilty of any of these habits? If pregnancy is your top priority, make sure that you ditch that habit pronto!