Coordinate with nature; Behave moderately and appropriately; Manage the unity of physical being and the spirit; Harmonize the yin and yang cautiously.	To have a calm and peaceful emotional state is crucial to pregnancy.
There is a Chinese saying that "men should be free from avarice and wild fancy so as to nourish his essence. Women should keep calm and concentrate the mind so as to nourish the blood." Traditionally, the approaches of maintaining fertility are mainly focused on replenishing and consolidating essence in men, while women are focused on regulating menstruation.

Some general recommendations in lifestyles are discussed.

Physical maintenance
Being too thin or overweight has a strong association with infertility and menstrual irregularities, which are the results of hormonal disorders. Obese individuals accumulate too much phlegm and dampness evils, while thin individuals are insufficient in blood and qi (vital energy). Maintaining a healthy weight may help restore menstrual cycles and egg production to promote the chances of pregnancy.

Mental maintenance
Women are sometimes too anxious about their fertility and and can affect their chances of pregnancy. In TCM, emotions are considered to be some major internal causes of disease; different emotions exert their effects on various organs significantly. Anxiety and anger damage the liver, which then fails to regulate blood and qi flows resulting in difficult conception based on the reasons previously discussed. To have a calm and peaceful emotional state is crucial to pregnancy. There are special meditation exercises that can be adapted to your needs.

Dietary maintenance
A nutritious diet containing plenty of vitamins and protein content support the growth of reproductive cells. Quit smoking and excessive drinking habits. During the menstrual period, warm and cooked foods assist in smooth flow of menses. Avoid too many foods and drinks that are raw, frozen, not easily digested and spicy. A healthy diet should be started months before attempting conception, and, the diet should be changed gradually according to the advice of your physician.

About taboos
In ancient times, giving birth was just as important an issue due to a low birth rate. Therefore, the Chinese took sex taboos seriously, and, they would generally obey the rules like:

• Not having sex during extreme natural environment changes, e.g. heavy rain, fog, thunder or in extremely cold and hot weather;
• Not having sex on festival or special days, e.g. funeral, birthday of Buddha, Chinese new year;
• Not having sex in inappropriate locations, e.g. temples, kitchens and grave sites.

From a TCM viewpoint, the above occasions would greatly make anyone nervous and disturbed , leading to disorders in organ functioning . Even if the woman conceived, it was thought that might induce health problems in the fetus in the end.