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Chances of getting pregnant each month


How to increase your chances of getting pregnant

If you’re trying for a baby or thinking about it, you’re probably feeling a lot of excitement and anticipation. And rightly so! But as you may know, getting pregnant isn’t just a matter of having sex.

For starters, timing is everything when it comes to conception. The good news is there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re timing sex just right. And the even better news is there are additional techniques you can use to further improve your chances of getting pregnant.

Whether you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a few months or you’re getting started soon, we’re here to help. Below, we explain what you should know about your odds of getting pregnant, and key tips for increasing them through timing, technique and more.

What are your chances of getting pregnant every month?

Generally, a woman who’s trying to get pregnant has between a 15% and 25% chance of doing so each month. Despite those odds, most couples conceive within the first year of trying.

Whether you will conceive depends on several factors such as your overall health, age, your and your partner’s fertility, and having sex at the right time during your cycle.

Ways to increase chances of getting pregnant

1. Start tracking your menstrual cycle (if you haven’t already)

Each new menstrual cycle is marked by the first day of your period. And tracking your cycle – along with any daily symptoms you’re experiencing – can be incredibly helpful. Why?

Tracking your cycle helps you get to know your body better, including how long your cycle is. The length of your cycle is what determines your fertile window, which we’ll get to in the next section.

Tracking the symptoms you experience such as changes in sex drive, mood or cervical mucus can help you identify patterns throughout your cycle, including what you typically experience leading up to your most fertile days.

How do you get started? When your next period arrives, start tracking since that is Day 1 of your cycle. You can keep a journal and write things down, or you can use mobile apps such as Fertility Friend and Clue.

2. Identify your fertile window and start tracking ovulation

Your fertile window usually occurs mid-cycle and is when you have the highest chance of getting pregnant. During this window, ovulation – when an egg is released from an ovary – occurs. Once this happens, conception (or egg fertilization) is possible.

Tracking your cycle helps set you up for success by narrowing down your fertile window. But the next step to further improve your chances of getting pregnant is identifying when you’re ovulating. Since conception can’t happen until an egg is released, knowing your ovulation window helps you better time sex.

From monitoring your cervical mucus and basal body temperature, to ovulation predictor kits, there are several methods to help figure out your most fertile days.

3. Have frequent sex during your fertile window

One of the most common questions among people trying to conceive is: How often should I have sex if I’m trying to get pregnant?

The short answer is that it depends on your preferences as a couple, and whether there are any known fertility issues.

Overall, studies have shown that couples who have sex every day or every other day during the fertile window have the highest rates of pregnancy. Also, doctors often recommend sticking to just once a day during the fertile window.

If having sex every day or every other day isn’t possible or enjoyable, set a goal to have sex throughout your cycle. This can get you and your partner into a regular sex routine, which can carry you into the fertile window.

Is morning or evening sex better when you’re trying to conceive?

Morning may be the best time to have sex for conception, at least as far as sperm are concerned. Some studies have suggested that sperm count and quality are slightly higher early in the morning, which may mean better odds of conception if they’re deposited right after a good night’s sleep.

However, there isn’t a clear medical consensus, so if you and your partner are in the mood, you shouldn’t let the time of day stop you.

Are there certain positions that can increase your chances of getting pregnant?

There’s no scientific evidence to support the idea that a specific position can increase the odds of conception. However, positions that allow for deeper penetration, such as where the male partner is on top, may help deposit sperm closer to the uterus.

4. Lay down and relax for a few minutes after sex

Standing up or going to the bathroom after sex may pull sperm away from their destination. So, lying on your back for 15 minutes or so after sex may help keep sperm moving in the right direction.

5. Make sure you’re using a fertility-friendly lubricant

The kind of lubricant you use during sex can actually make conception more difficult, so much so that the Food and Drug Administration now categorizes certain lubricants as “fertility friendly”.

This is because the ingredients in many lubricants, such as petroleum, silicone, parabens and glycerin, can harm sperm function. A lubricant’s pH (how acidic or alkaline it is) can also have an effect.

Lubricants to avoid when trying to conceive

  • K-Y Jelly
  • Astroglide
  • Aquagel

Lubricants to consider when trying to conceive

  • Pre-Seed
  • BioGenesis
  • JO Actively Trying

6.

Strive for a healthy lifestyle for you and your partner

Getting pregnant isn’t only about timing and technique. Improving your health can help increase your odds of becoming pregnant and set you up for a healthy pregnancy. And that goes for your partner, too.

Healthy lifestyle habits you’ll benefit from before (and after) you conceive include:

  • Taking a prenatal vitamin that’s high in folic acid can help with embryo development and reduce the chance of birth defects.
    • As for your partner, they can take a male fertility supplement without testosterone additives. Or they can take a daily multivitamin plus a Coenzyme Q-10 vitamin.
  • Making good food choices such as eating a balanced diet of proteins, unsaturated fats and complex carbs, can help make your body an ideal environment for a healthy pregnancy – and may help increase your partner’s sperm production.
  • Getting active can reduce stress and condition your body, two things that are helpful for every stage of your pregnancy journey.
    • Exercise is important for male fertility, too. But activity should be moderate. Intense exercise, and cycling in particular, may reduce sperm count rather than increase it.
    • Men should also avoid exposing their testicles to excessive heat, such as from a hot tub, sauna, steam bath or tight clothing.
  • Limiting alcohol consumption before you conceive is important because alcohol can interfere with the first few weeks of pregnancy, when your baby’s organs are developing. Limiting alcohol can also benefit higher sperm production.
  • Quitting smoking before pregnancy can positively affect both your odds of conception and the health of your pregnancy. That’s because smoking has been repeatedly linked to a variety of health- and fertility-related issues in both men and women.
  • Reducing your stress level may be easier said than done, but it can have a serious payoff. Effectively managing stress can benefit not just your fertility and your pregnancy, but many other aspects of your life as well.

Take a peek at our full preconception checklist to set yourself up for success.

7. Schedule a checkup

Scheduling a preconception checkup with your family doctor, OB-GYN or midwife is an important step. A preconception visit is similar to an annual physical but includes additional care focused on family planning and pregnancy.

In particular, a preconception checkup can help identify any health issues that may affect your chances of conception or having a healthy pregnancy.

Your preconception checkup may include things like a physical exam, and a review of your health and reproductive history such as immunizations you’ve received, past pregnancies and current medications. Blood and imaging tests may also be done. This visit is also an opportunity to voice any questions or concerns you may have.

You and your partner should each schedule appointments for yourselves so that you know everything you can when you start trying to conceive.

Start with almost-baby steps

The more information you have on your side, the more you can increase your chances of conceiving quickly.

Understanding your cycle and then pinpointing your most fertile days are the big ones for being able to time your baby-making sessions. But don’t forget to use simple techniques and tools like taking it easy for a few minutes after sex and using the right lubricant.

And of course, don’t neglect your health. Beyond taking steps to keep your mind and body healthy, get in for a visit with your doctor or clinician. They will not only check in on your health, but they can also give you tailored advice to help improve your chances of getting pregnant.

What are your odds of getting pregnant each month?

Photo: Stocksy

When you’re trying to conceive, it can feel like everyone around you is getting pregnant without even trying. It can be heart-rending, but it’s important to know that most couples don’t get pregnant in one shot.

According to Yolanda Kirkham, an OB-GYN at Women’s College Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, your chances of conceiving each cycle you try are 25 to 30 percent if you’re under 35, eight to 15 percent if you’re 35 to 39, five percent if you’re 40 to 42 and one to two percent at age 43. Age affects not only fertility rates but also miscarriage rates, which go up from around 10 percent in your 20s to 15 percent after age 35 and up to 50 percent by age 45.

It’s worth tracking your ovulation to improve your odds: According to a 2003 study published in the journal Human Reproduction, when 346 women ages 20 to 44 timed their intercourse to help them conceive, they had a 38 percent chance of conceiving in one cycle, a 68 percent chance within three cycles, an 81 percent chance within six cycles and a 92 percent chance of getting pregnant within 12 cycles.

In general, Kirkham says 85 percent of women will get pregnant within one year of trying. But if you have been trying for a year without conceiving and are under 35, she suggests that you seek a fertility consultation. If you’re 35 or older, you should seek help after just six months of trying because egg quality declines and medical conditions become more prevalent as we age, so the likelihood that you may need some fertility help is higher.

Still, this doesn’t mean you need to look at other fertility options at this point, says Kirkham. “It’s just to see if your intercourse timing is correct and if there are other factors that need to be looked at,” she says. Those factors could include your hormones and the quality of your partner’s sperm.

How do you know if your timing is right? You can find out when you ovulate by counting 14 days back from when you get your period or looking for other signs of ovulation, such as an egg-white-like mucus. Kirkham recommends having intercourse every other day in the time leading up to ovulation. Since sperm can survive for about three days, this will help ensure that there is sperm at the ready when your egg is released.

While it’s helpful to know these stats so that you’ll recognize when it’s time to seek help, Kirkham says it’s important to not get too hung up on the numbers. “We aren't robots,” she says.

Every woman or couple has their own individual risk factors that can affect their probability of conceiving, and a healthcare provider can help sort out what those might be and what can be done about them. Even if you are among the 12 to 16 percent of Canadians who don’t get pregnant within the first year, meeting with a doctor to test for specific problems and explore other fertility options can increase your chances of having a baby.

This article was originally published on May 22, 2018

The menstrual cycle and everything you need to know about it

What days can you get pregnant? According to a survey conducted by the research organization Child Trends, 66% of young men and women do not know when a woman is fertile and how many days this fertile period lasts. And according to the American Infertility Association, at least 20% of cases of "presumed infertility" (when couples think they can't have children before going to the doctor) are due to a misconception about what time a woman can get pregnant.

Whether children are included in your immediate plans or not - it will not hurt to know on which days of the cycle the fertilization of the egg can occur in any case. No, this is not about the calendar method of protection: according to doctors, counting “safe” days is like relying on chance. But you must admit: avoiding an unwanted pregnancy (or achieving the desired one) is much easier, focusing on the phases of your own cycle. We explain how it all works - no more confusion and assumptions.

What you need to know if you want to get pregnant

When to have sex?

Many people think that the surest way to conceive is to have sex every day, but according to fertility specialist Kylen Silverberg, such diligence, on the contrary, reduces the chances. “It takes an average of 36 to 48 hours for a man’s body to accumulate enough sperm,” he explains. “Daily sex can lead to the fact that during the period of ovulation, sperm for conception may not be enough.” Doctors recommend having sex every other day during the fertile period.

How long will it take?

There is a 10-15% chance of conceiving each month if both partners are healthy and under 35 years of age. 88% of these couples get what they want within a year, 95% within two years. On average, couples under the age of 30 need six months, 35-year-olds - nine months.

Health matters

Quitting alcohol and caffeine will increase your chances of conceiving. And definitely quit smoking. Chemicals found in cigarette smoke have been shown to reduce the production of estrogen, which is essential for egg maturation and thickening of the endometrium. Excessive thinness and obvious excess weight also do not have the best effect on the hormonal background, and therefore on fertility.

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See also: Sex and menstruation - more uncomfortable questions about the structure of the female body

What cycle changes mean . However, if the cycle is constantly less than 21 days or more than 35 days, and if the amount and color of menstrual flow differ from time to time, you should consult a doctor: these symptoms can indicate a number of diseases.

There is no magic position

Have you heard that it is good to lie down with your legs up after sex to increase your chances of conceiving? Forget it. “As soon as ejaculation occurs, spermatozoa immediately rush to the cervix, and you can be sure that they will find their way, regardless of whether you are standing or hanging upside down from the bed,” explains gynecologist Hilda Hutcherson.

Cycle lengths of 25 to 31 days are the most common, but variations of 21 to 35 days are also considered normal. To determine the approximate day of ovulation, calculate the average cycle length and subtract 14.

What you need to know if you don’t want to get pregnant

When you are the most and least fertile

Fomin’s clinic — a network of multidisciplinary clinics learn everything from string theory to concert posters for the next week. It is all the more interesting that, having unlimited access to knowledge, we still live in myths - and sometimes they arise, including thanks to the Internet, replicating untruth and absurdity.

We have prepared for you a short blitz of six questions or myths about pregnancy and conception, so that you are fully equipped and do not believe the tales on the Internet.

Well... not exactly. Firstly, the idea of ​​a “full examination” is a clear exaggeration, because there is no single list of tests that an expectant mother needs to pass. Ideally, visit a doctor three months before the end of contraception, get tested for STIs and antibodies to rubella. If additional examinations are required, you will be individually prescribed everything you need - including, probably, vaccinations that should be “updated”. As for alcohol and smoking, they are really contraindicated at the stage of pregnancy planning, so if you have these addictions, you will have to give them up. However, it should be remembered that smoking cessation applies to both electronic cigarettes and “passive smoking”, which can lead to dangerous consequences for the fetus.

Spoiler: no big deal. Do not panic and blame yourself for all mortal sins because of a glass of wine. With the recognized insecurity of alcohol, scientists have proven that a woman drinking 1-2 servings a couple of times a week should not harm the unborn child. For men, the allowable figures are slightly higher - 3-4 doses of alcohol per week. The main thing is to know the measure and not to overdo it.

There is, of course, a simplified formula for calculating the estimated due date: plus 7 days and minus 3 months from the start date of the last period, but to be honest, it doesn’t work like that: the fact is that it is very difficult to “program” pregnancy and make sure that the child is born when you want. If you have a plan and are going to stick to it, be prepared for the fact that things can go wrong, if only because:

  • the duration of pregnancy is not 40 weeks, but 37-42 weeks, which means that you can easily fall into a five-week “loop”, which will reduce the chances of fulfilling the plan to zero;
  • with regular sex, the probability of conception is not 1 time per month (exactly when you guessed it), but 1 time per year.

Nothing is impossible... However, it is worth clarifying the question a little: you can get pregnant only during ovulation (more precisely, shortly after it), but you can have sex, which will lead to a long-awaited pregnancy, on different days. Of course, on the days of menstruation, the probability is lower than on the days that precede ovulation, but on none of the days of the menstrual cycle this probability is not zero.

Let's just say that several attempts a day is a bad idea. Why? At least because ejaculation more than once a day worsens the quality of sperm, as a maximum - such perseverance and zeal can create tension in the relationship of partners. Doctors advise to have sex every 2-3 days throughout the cycle, and not try to guess the moment and throw all your strength into this short period.

Planning the sex of a child is an extremely prolific topic for myth-makers. Some believe that with the help of a special table that takes into account such indicators as the age of the father and mother, the month of conception, it is possible to accurately calculate the sex of the child. This "method" is anti-scientific and has nothing to do with reality.

Another myth is that you have to get pregnant on the day you ovulate to have a boy. Previously, scientists really believed that X and Y spermatozoa differ from each other (Y are faster), and the sex of the child is formed due to the first one that broke through the defenses of the female egg. If you want to conceive a boy, you need to have sex on the day of ovulation so that the Y-sperms responsible for the "male sex" have more time to get to the egg located farthest from the entrance to the uterus.

However, this myth does not stand up to criticism: the fact is that there is no difference between the X and Y chromosomes, which means that the sex of the child does not depend on which of the sperm reaches the egg first.

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