Am i going to get pregnant

Thinking About Getting Pregnant? How to Prepare for Pregnancy

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• The Odds of Getting Pregnant
• Understanding Menstrual Cycles
• Having Sex, Getting Pregnant
• Going Off the Pill to Get Pregnant

If you're considering having a baby, you probably have wondered how long it will take to get pregnant, when to have sex, and how often. Find the answers to your questions here.

The Odds of Getting Pregnant

It's a common question: What are the odds that I'll get pregnant this month? For most couples trying to conceive, the odds that a woman will become pregnant are 15% to 25% in any particular month.

But there are some things that can affect your chance of getting pregnant:

• Age. After you reach age 30, your chances of conceiving in any given month fall, and they decrease as you age, dropping steeply in your 40s.
• Irregular menstrual cycles. Having an irregular cycle makes it tricky to calculate when you're ovulating, thus making it difficult to know the ideal time to have sex.
• Frequency of sex. The less often you have sex, the less likely you are to get pregnant.
• Amount of time you've been trying to conceive. If you haven't gotten pregnant after one year of trying to conceive, your chances of becoming pregnant may be lower. Talk to your doctor about tests for female and male infertility.
• Illnesses or medical conditions can affect pregnancy.

Understanding Menstrual Cycles

Knowing more about menstrual cycles may help.

A woman's cycle begins on the first day that they notice bright red blood -- not just spotting -- and it ends on the day before the next cycle begins. A cycle can take 21 to 35 days -- or more.

If their cycle varies in length by a few days from one month to the next, that's considered irregular -- and common. Many women don't have regular cycles. It doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.

Having Sex, Getting Pregnant

Here's another common question from couples trying to conceive: How often should we have sex? In short, the answer is often.

A lot of couples trying to conceive spend a lot of energy timing sex, with mathematical precision, to calculate when a woman is prime for ovulation. Theoretically, the approach makes sense. Recent studies have shown the window of opportunity for a sperm to fertilize an egg is pretty small: Essentially, it's only 3-5 days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. Your best chances are 1-2 days prior to ovulation. Doctors recommend intercourse every other day starting the week before ovulation or beginning after the end of your period.

But while timing your lovemaking exclusively to those few days makes logical sense, it also has some drawbacks -- primarily because your body doesn't always behave with clockwork regularity. Even if your cycle is regular, ovulation can occur at any time during the cycle. If you're having sex on the day you think you're ovulating, and you're off by a few days, you may be out of luck.

So the expert advice is to hedge your bets: Have sex at least two to three times every week. As long as the man has a normal sperm count, having sex every other day (or every day) further increases your chances of getting pregnant.

Going Off the Pill to Get Pregnant

How long does it take for the effects of birth control medication to subside? It's actually possible to become pregnant immediately after going off the pill -- as soon as the pill's hormones are out of your system -- although it may take a few months before ovulation begins normally again.

Is it safe to conceive right after you go off the pill? Yes. Women who conceive immediately after going off the pill are as likely to have a healthy baby as women who waited a few months in between.

Health & Pregnancy Guide

1. Getting Pregnant
2. First Trimester
3. Second Trimester
4. Third Trimester
5. Labor and Delivery
6. Pregnancy Complications
7. All Guide Topics

Do you know what your chances of getting pregnant really are?

It is possible to get pregnant on every day of a woman’s cycle.

Myth. Women’s menstrual cycles have a fertile window of about 6 days, ending in the day of ovulation. However, the fertile window may occur on different days within the cycle.

A woman is likely to get pregnant on the days right after her period.

Myth. In most menstrual cycles, there are some days between the end of the period and the beginning of the fertile window; however, in some unusual cycles, the fertile window starts before her period ends. This is more common in women who are nearing menopause. 

A woman is likely to get pregnant on the days right before her period.

Myth. In most menstrual cycles, there are at least 10 days after ovulation and before the next period. Intercourse during these days will not result in pregnancy. However, in some unusual cycles, ovulation and the fertile window may be delayed, so you cannot rely on counting days to know for sure when ovulation happens.

A woman is likely to get pregnant around the middle of her cycle.

Myth and fact. For many women, ovulation happens around the middle of the cycle. However, in women with regular cycles, ovulation may occur as early as day 9 or as late as day 21. With an irregular cycle, ovulation may occur even earlier than day 9 or much later than day 21.

A woman is less likely to get pregnant on days when vaginal secretions are present.

Myth. In the days prior to ovulation, the cervix (the opening of the uterus) increases production of vaginal secretions. Days without noticeable secretions are less likely to be fertile, but may still have some possibility of pregnancy.

It is impossible for women to identify the fertile window of the menstrual cycle.

Myth. By learning natural family planning, a woman can learn to identify the fertile window of her menstrual cycle.

If a woman were to have sex without birth control several times and not get pregnant, it means that she will not get pregnant from future sex without birth control.

Myth. Many women become pregnant from having sex just one time without birth control. At least 85% of women, who continue to have sex without birth control, even just once in a while, will be pregnant within one year.

A woman will only get pregnant if she has sex without birth control on the day she ovulates (releases an egg).

Myth. Sperm can live in the woman’s body for several days after sex so simply avoiding the day you ovulate will not keep you from getting pregnant. To identify the days that you are less likely to get pregnant, it is important to learn about your menstrual cycle.

If a woman has never been pregnant, it means that she is less likely to get pregnant.

Myth. Your chance of getting pregnant is the same whether or not you have ever been pregnant.

If a woman’s partner has not gotten another woman pregnant in the past, it means that he cannot get her pregnant.

Myth. There are many reasons why your partner did not get another woman pregnant in the past. Your partner may still get you pregnant if you have sex with him without birth control.

If a woman was told by her doctor that she cannot get pregnant, she does not need to worry about pregnancy in the future.

Myth. Many women have misunderstood what health care providers have told them. Most of the time, these women find they can get pregnant just like any other woman. If you really want to know if you can get pregnant, ask for a second opinion. If you do not want to get pregnant now, be sure to let him/her know so you can start some type of birth control right away.

If a woman has irregular periods, she will not get pregnant.

Myth. Irregular periods make it hard to predict when a woman may ovulate (produce an egg) but most women with irregular periods still ovulate some of the time. This means they can still get pregnant from sex without birth control.

If a woman’s partner withdraws before ejaculation, she will not get pregnant.

Myth. Withdrawal is not a dependable method and many couples using it still get pregnant. There can be sperm in a man’s fluid before he ejaculates. If you want to learn a more reliable method, check out our Family Planning and Birth Control Section. 

Pregnancy just happens, there is nothing a woman can do to prevent it.

Myth. While no woman has total control over whether or not she gets pregnant, there are very good methods of birth control to help prevent an unplanned pregnancy. Click here to find a method that best fits your needs.

Thinking about getting pregnant? Learn more about the healthy habits you can start before you get pregnant to increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby by visiting Power Your Life Power Your Health.

Should I get vaccinated if I'm trying to get pregnant?

Vaccines help protect against certain types of diseases by using weakened or dead bacteria and viruses that are given to the body through injections, nasal sprays, or tablets. Vaccines usually contain a small portion of a bacterium or virus in a softened but viable or dead form. For example, the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine is an injection that contains highly attenuated particles of the chickenpox virus. The virus in a vaccine is usually not strong enough to cause an infection, but it can stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies that can protect a person from future infections.

Why should I think about vaccinations if I'm interested in the question of conception?

Vaccination is designed to help prevent serious complications during the period of bearing a baby. For example, if an unvaccinated mother becomes infected with rubella during pregnancy, it can lead to miscarriage or serious birth defects in the unborn child. A common viral infection like the flu often also negatively affects both the mother and the baby. Getting the flu during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, premature birth, pneumonia in the mother-to-be, or even death. Vaccination against these and other infections before pregnancy can protect the mother-to-be from getting the infection or prevent its serious consequences.

When is the best time to get vaccinated?

Some types of vaccination, such as hepatitis A or B, as well as the influenza virus, can be carried out even during pregnancy. Keep in mind that chickenpox or rubella vaccines contain weakened but live versions of viruses/bacteria and are best given one to three months before pregnancy. In any case, we advise you to consult with your doctor to make the right decision about the necessary vaccination.

What are the side effects of vaccination?

Most people experience little to no side effects after vaccination. However, sometimes after the vaccine is given, the patient may experience redness or swelling of the skin or muscle pain at the site of the intramuscular injection.

If you are allergic to certain drugs, certain foods, or other substances, discuss this with your doctor before getting vaccinated, as some vaccines may contain them.

I am taking corticosteroids to treat a medical condition that I have. Can I get vaccinated in this case?

Some vaccinations are not recommended for patients taking steroids or other drugs that affect the immune system. Be sure to discuss your situation with your doctor individually. At a consultation with a specialist, you must list all the drugs that you took before deciding to get vaccinated.

I'm planning a trip to Asia/Africa soon and trying to get pregnant at the same time. Should I get vaccinated?

Some diseases, such as jaundice or malaria, are more common outside of Russia. Certain viruses and infections can cause serious health problems for anyone, especially pregnant women. Some of the exotic disease vaccines are safe for use by pregnant women and women who are trying to get pregnant. But the advisability of vaccinations should definitely be discussed with a doctor who deals with the issue of vaccination of travelers.

Can vaccines cause autism or birth defects?

Currently, there is no medical evidence that vaccination can cause autism or other diseases in children whose mothers were vaccinated. Rather, on the contrary, the lack of proper vaccination can lead to serious health problems for both the mother and the child.

I agree to the processing of my personal data