Baby making isn’t complicated if you and your partner have good fertility. When desiring to get pregnant, the most important thing is to have sex when you’re most fertile which is typically around week two to three of your menstrual cycle in those with regular ovulation. There are a variety of ways to track your fertility window.
How do I Get Pregnant?
Here’s a brief overview of what happens for a couple to conceive naturally:
- A woman’s reproductive system must produce the cascade of hormones that results in ovulation and the releasing of an egg from one of the ovaries. This occurs monthly.
- A man’s reproductive system must be producing a healthy sperm count.
- A couple must have unprotected intercourse during her fertility window which is the five to six days prior to ovulation. For conception to take place, at least one healthy and vigorous sperm must be waiting in the fallopian tube at the moment ovulation occurs and must be able to fertilize the egg within 12-24 hours of the egg being released from the ovary.
- After ovulation, the woman’s reproductive system releases a new cocktail of hormones that builds up the endometrium, or uterine lining.
- The fertilized egg (or embryo) goes through a series of cell divisions and travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus.
- Once the embryo reaches the uterus, it implants itself into the uterine lining, or endometrium. This occurs about four to 10 days after fertilization.
- After implantation, the embryo creates both fetal cells and placental cells. The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), or “the pregnancy hormone,” will begin to be produced.
- About one week later, or approximately 14 days after ovulation, there is enough circulating hCG for a pregnancy test to give a positive result.
You are more likely to get pregnant from sex that occurs on just three days out of the month. At most, you are potentially fertile for seven days each month.
What is the Best Time for Conception Sex?
If you’re experiencing ovulation signs, this is the ideal time to have sex to get pregnant. You can detect ovulation using a number of methods, including ovulation predictor kits, basal body temperature charting, or cervical mucus tracking.1
What if you don’t have any ovulation signs? You may not be ovulating. This is a possible cause of female infertility.
How Often Should We Have Sex to Get Pregnant?
To maximize your conception efforts, determine your fertility window by counting out 10 days from the first day of your last menstrual period. Have sex this day and then every other day for the next 10 days. This helps ensure you have healthy mature sperm waiting for the egg to be released.
Can You Get Pregnant if You Have Sex During Your Period?
Most likely you will not get pregnant having sex while on your period. That’s because your ovulation time is several days away decreasing any chances of getting pregnant during this time. However, there are exceptions. This applies to women who have a typical 28 to 30 day or longer cycle. If you have a shorter cycle, say every 21 to 24 days, that means you are ovulating earlier in the cycle. Because sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days, you could have sex towards the end of your period and then conceive 4 or 5 days later with your early ovulation. Click for more details.
What are the Chances of Me Getting Pregnant from Precum?
Your chances are very low. However, there are rare cases where living sperm can be present in the precum and conception subsequently possible. Precum is one reason that we suggest that all couples who are not trying to get pregnant use a condom the entire time there is penetration (when the penis enters the vagina).
What is Precum?
Precum is more accurately known as pre-ejaculate fluid. This is a bodily fluid that is released from the penis during intercourse. Most men don’t even notice discharging precum when it happens. More importantly, men do not have any control over it.
Are There Sperm in the Precum?
Studies indicate the majority of pre-ejaculate fluid has dead or no sperm at all. But, it is possible for small amounts of sperm to exit his reproductive system and make its way into the precum or pre-ejaculate.
Can You Get Pregnant Without Penetration?
For all practical purposes, you cannot get pregnant without penetration. However, if ejaculate fluid/semen comes in contact with the vagina even without penetration, it is possible that sperm could enter and fertilize an egg.
Can I Get Pregnant if He Pulls Out?
Anytime there is a possibility of sperm in the vagina there is a risk of sperm fertilizing an egg. That’s why it’s wise to wear a condom the whole time there is genital contact.
How Long Does Sperm Survive?
Sperm will live 3-5 days in the vagina. That’s why, whether you want to get pregnant or avoid pregnancy, it’s important to know your ovulation cycle and your fertility window. Our free Ovulation Calendar can help you discover your most fertile days.
Our Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide provides the information you need on fertility, tips on how to get pregnant faster, and how to boost fertility through sometimes simple tweaks to your lifestyle and approach. The guide is easy to read and meant for anybody wanting to increase their ability to conceive. It’s a free download and includes coupon codes for essential products. Even free Nightfood Nighttime Ice Cream.
If you have questions, we’re happy to talk with you on our chat line or helpline, 1-800-672-2296.
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