People With A Uterus And Ovaries
People who have a uterus and ovaries can become pregnant and give birth.
However, some AFAB people may take testosterone. Testosterone therapy helps suppress the effects of estrogen while stimulating the development of masculine secondary sex characteristics, including:
suggests that menstruation usually ends within 12 months after starting testosterone therapy and often within 6 months, which can make conceiving more difficult but not impossible.
Although testosterone therapy does not make people infertile, a person may have a higher chance of placental abruption, preterm labor, anemia, and hypertension.
In a 2014 study, researchers surveyed 41 transgender men and gender nonconforming AFAB individuals who became pregnant and gave birth.
Of the individuals who reported using testosterone before pregnancy, 20% became pregnant before their menstrual cycle returned.
The authors of this study concluded that prior testosterone use did not lead to significant differences in pregnancy, delivery, or birth outcomes.
The authors also noted that a higher percentage of transgender men who reported previous testosterone use had a cesarean delivery compared with those who had no history of testosterone use.
These findings do not suggest that testosterone therapy makes people incapable of vaginal delivery, as 25% of the transgender men who had a cesarean delivery chose to do so based on their comfort levels and preferences.
However, this is exceedingly rare, and according to a
How Do I Get Pregnant If I Was On Birth Control
If youre on birth control and want to get pregnant, simply stop using your birth control method. With most methods , fertility usually comes back right after you stop using it often within the same month.
Birth control doesnt hurt your ability to get pregnant long-term, but a few types may temporarily affect your fertility for several months after you stop using it.
Figure Out When You Ovulate
Understanding when you ovulate, or release an egg from your ovary, may be key to getting pregnant faster.
You ovulate only once each menstrual cycle usually, about two weeks before your period starts. If you can tell when you’ll ovulate, you have a better chance of conceiving during that cycle.
You can use a few different methods to determine when you ovulate. Here are the three reliable ways to predict ovulation:
Pinpointing ovulation could be difficult if your periods are irregular. In this case, ask your provider for advice.
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What Medicines Are Used To Treat Infertility In Women
Some common medicines used to treat infertility in women include:
- Clomiphene citrate : This medicine causes ovulation by acting on the pituitary gland. It is often used in women who have polycystic ovary syndrome or other problems with ovulation. This medicine is taken by mouth.
- Human menopausal gonadotropin or hMG : This medicine is often used for women who don’t ovulate due to problems with their pituitary gland. hMG acts directly on the ovaries to stimulate ovulation. It is an injected medicine.
- follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH : FSH works much like hMG. It causes the ovaries to begin the process of ovulation. These medicines are usually injected.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: These medicines are often used for women who don’t ovulate regularly each month. Women who ovulate before the egg is ready can also use these medicines. Gn-RH analogs act on the pituitary gland to change when the body ovulates. These medicines are usually injected or given with a nasal spray.
- Metformin : Doctors use this medicine for women who have insulin resistance and/or PCOS. This drug helps lower the high levels of male hormones in women with these conditions. This helps the body to ovulate. Sometimes clomiphene citrate or FSH is combined with metformin. This medicine is usually taken by mouth.
- Bromocriptine : This medicine is used for women with ovulation problems due to high levels of prolactin. Prolactin is a hormone that causes milk production.
Perfect Use Or Typical Use
All the methods are listed here, showing how effective they are with “perfect use”. This is when the method is always used correctly.
Some methods are less effective with “typical use”. This is when the method is not always used correctly for example, missing a pill or getting the injection later than you need to. Some methods do not have typical use rates because they have no user failure.
Contraception is less effective at preventing pregnancy if not used correctly.
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When Is Your Fertile Window
what days can you get pregnant?
The truth is, your fertile window each month is actually pretty smallabout five to seven days total. To conceive, a mans sperm must fertilise a womans egg within 48 hours of ovulation .
The cycle can be broken into two primary phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase.
What If You Have A 28
The average menstrual cycle is 28 days, with the first day of menstruation as cycle day 1.
Most periods last two to seven days. Pregnancy is uncommon during this time, because your peak fertility window is still about a week or so away.
Around days 6 to 14 of your cycle, your body will start releasing follicle-stimulating hormone .
This helps develop an egg inside your ovary. Your body will also begin rebuilding the endometrial lining in your uterus.
Pregnancy is slightly more likely during this time. Sperm can live up to five days inside the body, so it could still be present when the egg matures.
Once the egg is mature, your body will release lutenizing hormone , triggering the eggs release from your ovary .
Ovulation usually occurs around cycle day 14. Pregnancy is likely on ovulation day.
That said, ovulation doesnt always happen like clockwork. It can occur anywhere from four days before to four days after the midpoint of your menstrual cycle.
The bottom Line
If you ovulate later in your cycle or start your period sooner than usual, you could become pregnant if you have sex in the days leading up to your period.
Lots of people dont have 28-day cycles. Some have cycles as short as 21 days and others as long as 35 days.
In fact, in one study , only about 30 percent of participants had their fertile window fall within days 10 to 17 of their cycle. Only 10 percent had ovulation fall exactly 14 days before their next period.
You can do this a number of ways, including:
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Should I Take A Pregnancy Test
If youre worried your partner didnt pull out properly, then yes. But youll need to wait until the first day of your missed period to get a reliable result.
Pregnancy tests detect a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin . The hormone is only present once a fertilized egg is attached to the uterus.
Even if you feel youve used the pull-out method perfectly, you should take a pregnancy test if you notice any signs of early pregnancy, like:
Choose High Fat Dairy
High intakes of low fat dairy foods may increase the risk of infertility, whereas high fat dairy foods may decrease it.
One large study from 2007 looked at the effects of eating high fat dairy more than once a day or less than once a week.
It found that women who consumed one or more servings of high fat dairy per day were 27 percent less likely to be infertile.
To reap these potential benefits, try replacing one low fat dairy serving per day with one high fat dairy serving, such as a glass of whole milk or full fat yogurt.
This buffalo chicken dip made with full-fat Greek yogurt is divine.
If you take multivitamins, you may be less likely to experience ovulatory infertility.
In fact, an estimated
on fertility for women and men, especially those with obesity.
The trick is that moderation is key. Excessive high intensity exercise has actually been associated with decreased fertility in certain women.
Excessive exercise may change the energy balance in the body, and negatively affect your reproductive system. If you plan to increase your activity, add it gradually and make sure your healthcare team is aware.
See if your doctor is in favor of you adding these yoga poses to your routine.
If youre trying to conceive, stress is probably on the menu, too. As your stress levels increase, your chances of getting pregnant decrease. This is likely due to the hormonal changes that occur when you feel stressed.
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Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
If youre wondering how to increase your chances of getting pregnant fast, self-care can go a long way. Its no secret that your body goes through some major changes and challenges during pregnancy and delivery, so be sure to start your pregnancy journey in tip-top shape by taking important steps toward living a healthy lifestyle. Here, weve outlined some simple health tips to get pregnant .
How Many Months Does It Take To Get Pregnant
Its tempting to think that once you decide youre ready for a baby, youll get pregnant shortly afterward . But the reality of how long it takes to get pregnant can be a bit more complicated: around 1 in 5 couples experience difficulty conceiving, according to research published in the British Medical Journal. But dont be disheartened: The same research also found that couples hoping to get pregnant were most likely to conceive in their first month of trying, when they typically have a 30% conception rate compared to any month thereafter.
Often, couples trying to conceive believe that a pregnancy will happen right away. However, the chance of conception is not 100% per cycle, says Dr. DeTata. In fact, even in healthy women at the most fertile age , the chance of conception is at best 35%. Thats because pregnancy is the result of a process that has many steps, each one a potential hurdle, she explains.
Despite the relatively low chance of conception month-to-month, Dr. DeTata reassures that a majority of couples around 85% will conceive within the first year of trying to get pregnant. A 2010 study in Human Reproduction backed this up, finding that 45% of young couples will conceive after three cycles, and 65% will get pregnant after six cycles, but other research suggests the chances can be even higher.
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How Long After Trying To Conceive Should You See A Doctor
As we now know, if sex is timed correctly to coincide with ovulation, 85% of couples will typically conceive within a year of trying to get pregnant. Thats why, if youre under the age of 35, you have a regular menstrual cycle and no obvious health problems, the one-year mark is usually the recommended time to book a consultation with a gynecologist or fertility specialist if you havent yet conceived.
However, you should consider seeking medical help sooner if either partner has a risk factor for infertility. These include irregular or infrequent menstrual cycles, history of pelvic surgery or infection, previous testicular or erection problems, or endometriosis.
Just because your friend got pregnant right away but it took you months, doesnt mean theres a problem
If youre older than 35, its recommended you should speak to a doctor sooner book after six months of trying to conceive with no luck. Those trying to get pregnant over 40 are advised to consult a specialist right away.
Some couples have the fortunate circumstance of a spontaneous pregnancy during the infertility evaluation process, so please keep trying while the evaluation is being done, Dr. DeTata says.
Use An Ovulation Calculator
When you have an important goal, you track what you need to do in a calendarso it makes sense when youre planning one of the biggest projects of your life to do the same. An ovulation or fertility calculator can help you figure out how to get pregnant fast by determining the length of your cycle. Just record the first day of your period, which is the first day of your menstrual cycle, for several months. Over time youll begin to see patterns as to when your period typically starts and when youre likely to ovulate. Your fertility is highest during the five days leading up to ovulation and 24 hours after. For quick, easy computation, plug the last day of your period and length of your cycle into The Bump ovulation calculatoritll do some fast math and highlight the days of the calendar on which you have the highest chance of getting pregnant.
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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 dont have any pregnancy symptoms for weeks after a positive test.
Take a home pregnancy test if you have any of the above symptoms and think theres a chance youre pregnant. Your healthcare provider can order a blood test to confirm pregnancy.
How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant If You Are Coming Off Of Birth Control
If youre planning a pregnancy, the chances are youve been using some form of birth control up until now. So how can a history of contraceptives impact your fertility when you do start trying?
Depending on the type of contraception youve been using, couples readying themselves for pregnancy should know that it can take a few months before fertility is fully resumed once you stop contraception. A Danish study from 2020 examined the average time it took to conceive after stopping various methods of contraception by looking at nearly 18,000 women in Denmark and North America. On average, they found it took:
- Up to two cycles for fertility to come back after using hormonal and copper IUDs and implant contraceptives
- Up to three cycles for fertility to return after using contraceptive pills and birth control rings
- Four cycles for fertility to come back after using the patch
- Between five and eight cycles for fertility to return after using injectable contraceptives
Remember, averages. It is possible to conceive right away, so its best to continue your contraceptive of choice until you are ready to be pregnant, Dr. DeTata says.
It is possible to conceive right away, so its best to continue contraception until you are ready to be pregnant
You may have heard that coming off of certain kinds of contraception may supercharge your fertility or that its easier to get pregnant following a miscarriage but Dr. DeTata notes that unfortunately, these are untrue.
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Couples Who Don’t Get Pregnant After One Year
What about those who don’t get pregnant after one year? If you’re not pregnant after one year of tryingor after six months if you’re 35 years or olderthen you should see your doctor.
While 10% of couples may not get pregnant after 12 months of trying, half of this group will get pregnant after 36 months of trying. About 4% of couples will try for four years and still not get pregnant. This group of couples is unlikely to ever get pregnant without medical help.
Ovulation And Timing Intercourse
Ovulation, or the womans release of an egg during her menstrual cycle, is a crucial component of getting pregnant. After being released from the ovary, an egg only lives approximately 12 to 24 hours. Because of this, it is essential a couple have sex on or prior to the day of ovulation. The most effective way of doing this is to monitor ovulation, as described below.
A woman who has a regular cycle, between 25 and 35 days, is likely ovulating regularly. This typically occurs two weeks before the womans menstrual period. For a normal 28-day cycle, ovulation should be expected on days 13 to 15.
For women with irregular cycles, or absent menstruation, further evaluation should be done to determine if ovulation is occurring. Treatment options may be considered if it is not.
Monitoring ovulation
Monitoring a womans ovulation can be done with ovulation kits, apps, or calendar tracking. Following are some methods of ovulation monitoring.
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Using An Ovulation Test
If you get your period on the same day every month , you can use an over-the-counter ovulation kit, which works by detecting the hormone LH in your urine. As LH levels spike, or surge, you are about to ovulate. To predict ovulation, count 17-18 days backwards from when you would get a period in your shortest cycles. Then use an ovulation kit to test your LH levels beginning on that day. For example, if you usually have a 30-day cycle, start testing day 12 or 13, and test once a day, around the same time, until your kit shows a positive. A good rule of thumb is to purchase the most affordable kit with the least bells and whistlesno need to overcomplicate the process.
