How long does it take to get pregnant during ovulation

Fertilization, Process & When It Happens

How does conception occur?

Conception (or fertilization) is when sperm and an egg join together. It’s one of the many steps that happen to create a pregnancy.

Conception is closely related to a person’s menstrual cycle. A menstrual cycle describes the sequence of events that occur within your body as it prepares for the possibility of pregnancy each month. Women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB) ovulate during their menstrual cycle. Ovulation is when your ovary releases an egg for fertilization. Tiny finger-like structures called fimbriae help guide the egg through your fallopian tubes towards your uterus. During this journey through your fallopian tubes, an egg can be fertilized by sperm.

Sperm production begins in the testicles of men or people assigned male at birth (AMAB). During ejaculation, millions of sperm cells are set free with the sole purpose of finding an egg to fertilize. When you have unprotected sex, sperm cells swim up through your vagina and into your fallopian tubes. Millions of sperm battle to reach and penetrate the egg, but only one breaks through the egg's outer layer to fertilize it. If sperm doesn't fertilize an egg, the egg dissolves.

If a sperm is successful on its quest to fertilize an egg, the now fertilized egg (called a zygote) continues to move down your fallopian tube, dividing into two cells, then four cells, then more cells. About a week after the sperm has fertilized the egg, the zygote has traveled to your uterus. It's now a growing cluster of about 100 cells called a blastocyst.

The blastocyst then attaches itself to the lining of your uterus (the endometrium). This attachment process is called implantation. However, just because conception occurs doesn't mean implantation will. Sometimes implantation doesn't happen, and you pass the fertilized egg in your next menstrual period.

If implantation happens, the cells continue to divide — some cells develop into your baby and others form the placenta. You begin to release hormones that tell your body a baby is growing inside your uterus. These hormones also signal the uterus to maintain its lining rather than shed it. This means you won't get your menstrual period, which may be the first way you know you’re pregnant.

Timeline of getting pregnant

You calculate your menstrual cycle from the first day of menstrual bleeding to the start of the next first day of menstrual bleeding. Most menstrual cycles are around 28 days long. The exact time you ovulate varies depending on how long your menstrual cycle is.

The process of getting pregnant in a 28-day menstrual cycle is:

Day one: First day of your period.
Around day 14: Ovulation occurs.
Within 24 hours of ovulation: Sperm fertilizes an egg (conception occurs).
About six days after fertilization: The fertilized egg implants into your uterine lining.
Around day 21: If conception and implantation occurred during this menstrual cycle, you're pregnant. However, getting a positive pregnancy test may take another five to seven days.

Conception and a positive pregnancy test

After conception, a fertilized egg travels through your fallopian tubes to your uterus. The fertilized egg (called an embryo) implants (attaches) into the wall of your uterus. This triggers the placenta to form. Your placenta begins producing and releasing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) into your blood and pee. HCG can be found in a person’s blood around 11 days after conception. It takes slightly longer for hCG to show up on at-home pregnancy tests (that measure hCG in pee).

What are my chances of conceiving?

Just because an egg and sperm are near each other doesn't mean conception will happen. In general, conception only happens 25% to 30% of the time. This percentage decreases once you reach age 35.

How does conception work with IVF?

Conception still works the same way — sperm must fertilize an egg. However, with in vitro fertilization (IVF), sperm fertilizes an egg in a lab. An egg, either from the intended parent or a donor, is mixed with sperm from a parent or donor. Conception happens when sperm fertilizes the egg.

Once conception occurs, your provider places the created embryo inside the uterus that will carry the pregnancy for implantation.

When does conception happen?

Conception occurs between 12 and 24 hours after ovulation. It’s sometimes hard to pinpoint ovulation, so using ovulation predictor kits or tracking your menstrual cycle on a calendar may be helpful. The two biggest factors in conception are:

The timing of sexual intercourse with ovulation.
Egg and sperm health.

When should I have sex to conceive?

Conception can happen after unprotected sex as early as five days before ovulation. This is because some sperm can live that long inside female reproductive organs.

If you’re trying to conceive, the best times to have sex are:

In the three days before ovulation: In this scenario, sperm will be “waiting” for the egg to come down the fallopian tube.
At ovulation or within 24 hours of ovulating: Your egg lives for only 24 hours, so if you have unprotected sex during this time, your egg may end up “waiting” for sperm to reach it, or they may run into each other in your fallopian tubes.

Where does conception happen?

Conception typically happens in your fallopian tubes. This is where an egg goes after it leaves your ovary and where sperm wait for an egg. In some cases, fertilization can happen in your uterus once your egg has left your fallopian tubes.

What things prevent conception from happening?

Certain health conditions may affect your ability to conceive. Just because the sperm and egg meet doesn't mean fertilization will occur. Some of the most common factors are:

Anovulation (you’re not ovulating).
Low sperm count or issues with sperm motility (how sperm move).
A blockage in the testicles, ovaries or fallopian tubes.
Decreasing amount of quality eggs and quality sperm (usually related to aging).

Can you feel conception?

Not usually. You may notice signs that you've ovulated, such as changes in your cervical mucus or basal body temperature. However, most people don't feel fertilization. You may feel a dull ache or experience light spotting several days after conception. This could be from the fertilized egg implanting in your uterus.

When do you start feeling pregnant?

How long it takes to “feel” pregnant varies. Some people may start to feel pregnant shortly after conception, while others don’t have any pregnancy symptoms for weeks after a positive test.

Common signs of pregnancy are:

A missed period.
Frequent urination.
Feeling tired.
Nausea.
Sore or swollen breasts.
Spotting (light vaginal bleeding).
Headaches.
Mood swings.

Take a home pregnancy test if you have any of the above symptoms and think there’s a chance you’re pregnant. Your healthcare provider can order a blood test to confirm pregnancy.

Are conception and fertilization the same?

Conception and fertilization are two different parts (or steps) of the same process. Conception is the first step, where an egg and sperm join. Fertilization is another step, where the joined sperm and egg plant like a seed into your uterine lining.

How long after conception will my pregnancy test be positive?

It can take between 11 and 14 days after conception to get a positive pregnancy test. At-home pregnancy tests check for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone released by the placenta. Your pee must have enough hCG to get a positive pregnancy test. However, your healthcare provider can check for hCG in your blood sooner — around 10 days after conception.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Conception is when sperm fertilizes an egg. It’s one of the many critical steps in getting pregnant. Conceiving a child is a complex process dependent on lots of factors. Being unable to conceive is a common problem, and there are lots of resources available to help you. Contact your healthcare provider if you’re struggling with conceiving. They can explain the process and identify any issues preventing conception and pregnancy.

Right Time For Sex , When Do You Ovulate ?

When are you more likely to conceive?

We’re talking about the 'fertile window’ – the days in a woman’s menstrual cycle when pregnancy is possible. The ‘fertile window’ depends on the length of the menstrual cycle, which varies among women.

The ‘fertile window’ is the day an egg is released from the ovary (ovulation) and the five days beforehand. Having sex (intercourse) during this time gives you the best chance of getting pregnant.

Ovulation Calculator

What day did you your most recent period start?

Number of days in your cycle Please select20 Days21 Days22 Days23 Days24 Days25 Days26 Days27 Days28 Days29 Days30 Days31 Days32 Days33 Days34 Days35 Days36 Days37 Days38 Days39 Days40 Days41 Days42 Days43 Days44 Days45 Days

Your ovulation day

Most fertile time

What is an ovulation calculator and how does it help you get pregnant?

This ovulation calculator or ovulation calendar can help you work out your most fertile time. These are the days you are most likely to get pregnant.

It can also estimate your due date if you do become pregnant during your next fertile days.

Others ways to help you work out when you're ovulating:

Notice changes in vaginal mucus
A few days before ovulation, you may notice your vaginal mucus becomes clear, slick and slippery, and feels a bit like egg white.
This is a sign that ovulation is about to happen. It’s the best time to have sex, as sperm travel more easily in this kind of mucus.
Use an ovulation predictor kit
You can use a predictor kit from a supermarket or pharmacy, to test your urine for signs of ovulation. If you start testing your urine a few days before the day you next expect to ovulate, a positive result means you are going to ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours (one to two days).

Facts about timing

Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from the ovary. The egg then moves down the fallopian tube where it can be fertilised. If sperm are in the fallopian tube when the egg is released, there is a good chance that the egg will be fertilised, creating an embryo, which can grow into a baby.

Pregnancy is technically only possible if you have sex during the five days before ovulation or on the day of ovulation. But the most fertile days are the three days leading up to and including ovulation. Having sex during this time gives you the best chance of getting pregnant.

By 12-24 hours after ovulation, a woman is no longer able to get pregnant during that menstrual cycle because the egg is no longer in the fallopian tube.

There’s almost no chance of getting pregnant if you have sex before or after the fertile window (but if you’re not trying to get pregnant, don’t rely on this – contraception is your best option!).

How to know when you’re ovulating

Knowing when you ovulate can help you plan for sex at the right time and improve your chance of getting pregnant. You can keep track of your menstrual cycles on a chart, in a diary, or on a free period-tracker app on your smartphone.

To work out the length of your menstrual cycle, record the first day you start bleeding (first day of your period). This is day 1. The last day of your cycle is the day before your next period begins.

What is a ‘menstrual cycle’ and a ‘period’?
Some people think the ‘menstrual cycle’ and a ‘period’ are the same thing.
A period is when you bleed (or menstruate).
A menstrual cycle starts on the day when a period starts (day 1) and ends the day before the next period. A cycle’s length is considered normal if it’s between 21 and 35 days. They can vary between women and from one cycle to the next.
Working out your ‘average’ menstrual cycle length
If your menstrual cycles are different lengths (most women’s cycles are) you can work out your average cycle length.
The number of days in a woman’s menstrual cycle can vary month to month. Periods are not always regular. It can be useful to work out an ‘average’ cycle length, based on the length of three menstrual cycles, to estimate when you’re most likely to be ovulating.
If you add the number of days in three cycles and divide the total number by three, it gives you your average cycle length.

Example
Sarah tracked her last three menstrual cycles by counting the time from the first day of one period, to the day before the next period.
Cycle 1 was 28 days; Cycle 2 was 32 days; Cycle 3 was 27 days
28 + 32 + 27 = 87
87 divided by 3 = 29
So the average length of Sarah’s menstrual cycles is 29 days.
Working out your most fertile days
When you know your average menstrual cycle length, you can work out when you ovulate.
Ovulation happens about 14 days before your period starts.
- If your average menstrual cycle is 28 days, you ovulate around day 14, and your most fertile days are days 12, 13 and 14.
- If your average menstrual cycle is 35 days ovulation happens around day 21 and your most fertile days are days 19,20 and 21.
- If you have shorter cycles, say 21 days, ovulation happens around day 7 and your most fertile days are days 5, 6 and 7.
Your most fertile days are the three days leading up to and including the day of ovulation.
Some women have very irregular cycles or find it difficult to work out an average cycle length. This can make it hard to work out when ovulation happens. If it’s all too hard, having sex every 2-3 days covers all bases and improves your chance of getting pregnant.

Myth busting

MYTH: A woman can get pregnant any time of the month.
FACT: A woman can only get pregnant on a few days during her menstrual cycle.

Why?

Because eggs and sperm only live for a short time:

Sperm live for around five days.
Eggs can only be fertilised for around 24 hours (one day) after being released from the ovary.

Eggs and sperm need to come together at the right time for fertilisation to happen to create an embryo.

Getting the timing right

If you're trying to get pregnant, timing is everything. Dr Karin Hammarberg explains how to work out when you are ovulating and the right time to have sex to improve your chance of pregnancy.

What are the chances?

Having sex as close as possible to the time of ovulation increases the chance of pregnancy.

If a woman has sex six or more days before she ovulates, the chance she will get pregnant is virtually zero.

If she has sex five days before she ovulates, her probability of pregnancy is about 10 percent.

If she has sex on the day of ovulation, or the two days before, the chance of getting pregnant is around 30 percent.

These are average figures and depend on a woman’s age.

When does preconception health begin?

Professor Sarah Robertson, Director of Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, highlights the key time before pregnancy that your health is most important to ensure your child has the best start to life.

How to know you are ovulating

Kerry Hampton, a registered nurse and fertility specialist, discusses the importance of fertility awareness, and how to determine your fertile window to improve your chances of conceiving.

References
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Optimizing natural fertility, https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/optimizing-natural-fertility/
- Berglund Scherwitzl, et al. (2015). Identification and prediction of the fertile window using Natural Cycles. The European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care, 20(5), 403-408. doi:10.3109/13625187.2014.988210
- Ecochard, R., et al. (2015). Self-identification of the clinical fertile window and the ovulation period. Fertility and Sterility, 103(5), 1319-1325.e1313. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.01.031
- Pfeifer, S., et al. (2017). Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility, 107(1), 52-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.09.029
- Stanford, J. B. (2015). Revisiting the fertile window. Fertility and Sterility, 103(5), 1152-1153. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.02.015
- Stanford, et al. (2002). Timing intercourse to achieve pregnancy: current evidence. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 100(6), 1333-1341.
- Stephenson, J., et al. (2018). Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health. The Lancet, 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30311-8 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30311-8
- Vélez, M. Pet al. (2015). Female exposure to phenols and phthalates and time to pregnancy: the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study. Fertility and Sterility. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.01.005
- Verón, G. L., et al. (2018). Impact of age, clinical conditions, and lifestyle on routine semen parameters and sperm kinematics. Fertility and Sterility, 110(1), 68-75.e64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.03.016
- Waylen, A. Let al. (2009). Effects of cigarette smoking upon clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction: a meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update, 15(1), 31-44.
- Zenzes, M. T. (2000). Smoking and reproduction: gene damage to human gametes and embryos. Hum Reprod Update, 6(2), 122-131.

Page created on: 28/08/2018 | Last updated: 12/01/2023

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Today's world is full of information: literally with one click, each of us can open the Universe and 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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 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. nine0003

Let's just say that trying multiple times 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. Moreover, not the fastest fertilizes the egg: thousands of spermatozoa simultaneously break its shell.

From this follows the conclusion: modern science does not know how to determine the sex of the child during natural conception, and therefore there is no universal recipe. nine0003

Tips for those who want to get pregnant

One of the common misconceptions is the belief that frequent sexual intercourse reduces the ability of sperm to fertilize an egg. Men begin to “accumulate” something in order to increase the effect.

However, abstinence for more than 5 days has been found to have a negative effect on sperm count, and abstinence intervals of 2 days are associated with normal sperm function. nine0003

A study in which nearly 10,000 semen samples were analyzed showed that sperm concentration and motility remain normal even with daily ejaculation. And in men with oligozoospermia (a decrease in the number of sperm in the ejaculate), sperm concentration and motility were also highest with daily ejaculation. Thus, fertility is highest when sexual intercourse occurs every 1-2 days.

The chance of pregnancy is highest during the 3-6 day interval ending on the day of ovulation, especially the day before ovulation (the so-called "fertile window"). The possibility of conception increases with an increase in the frequency of sexual intercourse, starting shortly after the cessation of menstruation and continuing until ovulation. nine0003

Some women try to determine when they are ovulating in order to predict the best time to conceive. They do ovulation tests, monitor the growth of the follicle on ultrasound, measure basal temperature, estimate when the mucus from the cervix will be the most stretchable.

These methods do not increase the pregnancy rate. They can be used by couples who do not have the opportunity to communicate regularly, for example, they live in different places. In addition, tests to determine ovulation in some cases give both false positive and false negative results, which makes their use ineffective. nine0003

There is an opinion that lying on the back for a certain period of time after sexual intercourse helps to retain spermatozoa in the genital tract and the onset of pregnancy. There is no evidence for this, tk. already a few seconds after intercourse, spermatozoa are determined in the cervix, and after 2 minutes they are in the fallopian tubes. Therefore, you can lie with your legs up as much as you like, this will not help the onset of pregnancy. Although the female orgasm can contribute to the transfer of sperm, nevertheless, there is no evidence between the female orgasm and the frequency of pregnancy. nine0003

High levels of caffeine consumption (more than 5 cups of coffee per day) are associated with reduced fertility. Moderate caffeine intake (1 to 2 cups of coffee per day) before or during pregnancy has no adverse effects on pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes.

In men, caffeine intake does not affect sperm parameters. The probability of conception is highest in the first months of unprotected intercourse and then gradually decreases.