Binge drinking, drug taking, irregular sex, unhealthy sperm... Zita West sees the effects of these daily and doesn't pull any punches in telling you so. But then that's her job. She's in the business of helping women get pregnant – and for the increasing number who are finding this difficult – her straight talking advice is the answer to their prayers.

Kate Winslet called on West for pre and post pregnancy advice. So did Cate Blanchett, Stella McCartney, Davina McCall - now thrice-happy mums. But it's not just the A-listers enlisting her help, it's anyone planning to get pregnant, looking to optimise their chances and hoping to have the brightest, healthiest baby possible.

So what makes Zita West stand out from the ever-increasing baby and pregnancy gurus popping up everywhere? Well, she's a trained and practising midwife who pioneered a range of 'alternative' fertility options which began being used alongside conventional treatment on the NHS 20 years ago. Her advice is so sought after, she opened her own Harley Street fertility clinic in 2002 to cope with the demand.

Her services include acupuncture which she uses to relieve morning sickness, sciatica and labour pains - and which she incorporates in IVF. She also offers hypnotherapy, counselling, fertility awareness sessions, nutrition advice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. "What we do is help women and couples plan to get pregnant," she sums up.

"You go to university, get a job, a car, a house, a partner, get to a certain point in your career and suddenly you're ready and want a baby. Now!"

The biggest fertility issue facing couples these days, she says, is not an inability to conceive but an impatience to. "We're used to controlling absolutely every area of our lives. You go to university, get a job, a car, a house, a partner, get to a certain point in your career and suddenly you're ready and want a baby. Now ! Well, it's something you can't totally control, you have to leave a certain amount to chance."

Between 12-18 months is the 'recommended' time, though the reaction she sees in couples long before this is... stress. This situation is exacerbated, she says, by people working long hours, women leaving it later to conceive and a haziness amongst men and women about how to achieve their optimum fertility.

One stumbling point is the notion of 'regular' sex. "Well, what is regular? If it's once a week, it's not enough. Couple simply aren't having enough sex. It sounds ludicrous but it's not," she warns. Storing up sperm is another misconception. In fact, the more sex you have, the better the sperm, according to West. "You've got keep it turning over for best performance."

On that note, she warns that men should be as involved in the pre-pregnancy preparation as women, who are generally the ones detoxing, buying and reading pregnancy books. Men should be taking responsibility for their sperm, she insists. "Cut down on the recreational drugs and binge drinking. It takes 100 days (or four months) to manufacture sperm, and drinking heavily affects that."

That's not to say that men's lives should suddenly revolve around pregnancy, as shouldn't women's. "We try not to let women get into the minuscule detail of knowing everything about her cycle. So not ringing their men at work and dragging them back home when this happens. Suddenly it starts to impact the whole relationship and men find it hard to perform."

It was West's own pregnancy experience 20 years ago that led her to where she is today. She was suffering horrific post natal depression after the birth of her son and, having rejected anti-depressants, was desperate to find some relief. Back then, however, there weren't many alternatives.

"What is regular sex? If it's once a week, it's not enough. Couples simply aren't having enough of it. It sounds ludicrous but it's not."

"I was desperate so I went to everyone and tried everything. That's when I found acupuncture and felt so much better." Transformed, she decided to train in acupuncture and later study nutrition and counselling, all the services she felt were integral to planning and optimising pregnancy.

She's been going strong since then, writing four books as well as her latest out this month, Planning to Get Pregnant, which will also involve touring the UK, giving fertility advice to men and women (all proceeds will go to charity). In advance of that, however, here are some of her pointers:

Planning to get pregnant?

Think moderation – from the amount of time spent thinking about it to obsessing over what you eat and drink, says West. "You can't just give up everything, like not eating wheat or dairy or meat or having a glass of wine. Everything needs to be in moderation because people's lives suddenly become very narrow and that's not healthy."

During your pregnancy?

Listen to your body. "It throws women when they crave carbohydrates so much in the first 12 weeks. Well, your baby needs energy to grow, so you do crave carbs and that's fine. I've found weight does even out throughout pregnancy." Acupuncture as a form of pain relief also helps here. "There's huge demand because women won't take any conventional drugs."

Post pregnancy?

Post natal care is offered at her clinic which includes nutritional advice, breast feeding workshops, help overcoming sleep deprivation issues and home support. Her care plan, she says, fills in the gaps left by GPs and the NHS, starts at six weeks and is tailored to the individual.

For more information on Zita West or book your own consultation with her, call 020 7224 0017 or visit www.zitawest.com .

By Barbara Walshe