How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant After Sex
Lets say the egg and sperm are both winners and the sex is perfectly timed around the ovulatory cycle. Even when all the parts fall into place, conception and pregnancy dont happen immediately. In fact, it can take up to a week, Mukherjee says.
After vaginal intercourse, sperm swim or, technically speaking, spin up through the cervix toward the fallopian tubes. They can survive in that space for as long as 72 hours while they wait for the egg to be shuttled down the tubes from the ovaries. A more intrepid sperm might last even longer. Thats why couples looking to conceive shouldnt wait until ovulation to have sex, Mukherjee says. Pregnancy is most likely to occur when the sperm are already hanging out in the reproductive tract when the egg is released.
After fertilization, it can take another two to three days for the egg to begin dividing, then implant in the lining of the uterus, triggering a surge of hormones. Thats when pregnancy starts.
You’re Over 44 Years Old
Thanks to that good-old biological clock, a woman’s chances of getting pregnant wane over time. Women are born with some 1 million to 2 million eggs there’s only about 300,000 left when they get their first period and 25,000 left by their late 30s. This means that a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant in her early 40s are pretty slim, though it’s by no means impossible. “As we get closer to 40, the ticking of our biological clock becomes louder and by 44, it can be deafening,” she says. “Fertility decreases by as much as 95 percent in women between 40 and 45 years of age.”
How hard is it to get pregnant over 44 years old? According to Dr. Ross, women over the age of 44 have a less than 5 percent chance of getting pregnant each month.
If Youre Over 35 And Generally Healthy Your Pregnancy Should Be Too
This is why Dr. Minkin advises anyone whos pregnant at 35 or after to do their best to stay healthy with steps like exercising regularly. We can never guarantee that someone wont get gestational diabetes, she says. But trying to lower your risk if you can puts the odds more in your favor.
Ultimately, age by itself should not be major criteria for a high-risk pregnancy, says Dr. Kilpatrick. Its really age plus whatever else is going on with that woman.
Additional reporting by Zahra Barnes.
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Start Taking Folate Supplements
Also known as vitamin B9, folic acid is incredibly important if you are trying to conceive. Folic acid supports the neural tube formation of your baby, ensuring proper brain development.
Doctors recommend taking at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day leading up to conception and for the following 12 weeks after conception.
Why should you start taking folic acid before youre pregnant? The neural tube begins to develop quite soon after conception and is usually complete just four weeks into your pregnancy. Therefore, it might start to develop before you know youre pregnant.
Start taking a prenatal vitamin with folate as soon as you start trying for a baby. You can also get folate from eating beans, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains like brown rice.
While Egg Counts Decline As Women Age So Does The Quality Of The Chromosomes And The Dna Contained Within Each Egg
Most girls begin menstruating between nine and 13 years of age, but their ovaries dont start releasing eggs until a least a year or two later. Simple mathematics would suggest a womans egg supply would then typically exhaust itself around 33 years later. And in most women, fertility does indeed tend to cease up to eight years before the onset of menopause, which for American women is around the time of their 51st birthday.
While such crude calculations do not take the natural variability that can exist between women into account, or the time windows during which ovaries might release more than one egg in a month, or months in which no egg is released at all, they can give a rough estimate of just how long the female fertility timeline can be.
A more precise estimate of a womans egg count, also known as ovarian reserve, can be obtained by measuring the level of hormone called anti-Mullerian hormone in a womans blood. We now know that AMH, produced by the ovaries of fertile, adult women, plays a vital role in the metamorphosis of an immature egg cell into a mature, hopeful egg, complete with all the biological prerequisites to create a healthy baby. Better functioning ovaries, with larger egg stores, produce more AMH. Levels of the hormone decline as the timeline of female fertility progresses average levels in 30 to 35 year olds are roughly two-thirds that of younger women while levels in women aged over 45 years are a quarter of those seen in women in their 20s.
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It Does Get Harder To Become And Stay Pregnant As You Age
Thats something to consider: rates tend to go down with age, Dr. Minkin says. The chances of getting pregnant dont decline as sharply once you hit 35 as you might have heard, but there is scientific reason to believe thats when fertility starts to go down more quickly than before. The issue here basically comes down to your eggs, Dr. Minkin says, noting, Were born with all the eggs were going to have. As you age, your number of viable eggs goes down, and this generally starts happening more rapidly once you turn 35.
Then theres the fact that the odds of miscarriage rise in pregnant people who are 35 and over, ACOG says. Around 80 percent of miscarriages happen in the first trimester, which is sometimes known as early pregnancy loss. Here are the rates of clinically recognized early pregnancy loss by age, per ACOG :
- 20-30 years old: up to 17 percent
- 35 years old: 20 percent
- 40 years old: 40 percent
- 45 years old: 80 percent
The reason for these rising rates becomes clearer when you understand that around 50 percent of early pregnancy losses happen because of chromosomal abnormalities with the fetus, according to ACOG. get older as we get older, Dr. Minkin says. In the process of eggs ripening and separating into gametes, which are the that get together to make babies, more abnormalities can happen proportional to age.
You Use The Pull Out Method
This old-school method of preventing pregnancy is a far cry from a myth. It’s not foolproof and it can certainly result in pregnancy, but it does significantly decrease your chances of getting pregnant. In case you need a refresher course on the pull-out method, also known as withdrawal, it involves the male partner pulling out of the vagina before he ejaculates. The problem, however, is that pre-ejaculate or precum, the bodily fluid that’s released from the penis before an actual ejaculation, very well may contain active and viable sperm.
Additionally, Mark Trolice, M.D., reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at My Fertility CARE: The IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida, explains that most men aren’t aware of when they release this precum. “Because it’s hard to predict when pre-ejaculation occurs, the withdrawal method is often fraught with peril and certainly not the most reliable method out there,” he says.
How hard is it to get pregnant while using withdrawal? Withdrawal is about 96 percent effective with perfect use and 82 percent effective with typical use. If you really want to avoid pregnancy, choose a different contraceptive method
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The Best Age To Get Pregnant According To Moms
Is there really a “right time” to get pregnant? As it turns out, everyone you ask will likely give you a different answer, but take it from these moms who’ve been there and know firsthand.
Being able to create life is undeniably one of the most beautiful gifts bestowed on women, but it also comes with a very loud and constantly ticking clock. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a woman who’s not uncomfortably aware of her biological clock and that her chances for getting pregnant and raising a family are up against it. But while a woman might be in her fertile prime in her 20s, this decade is not an ideal time for many women to tackle pregnancy and parenting. Some women aren’t even ready in their early 30s. That’s why most experts and moms alike agree that there is no perfect age to get pregnant.
“The younger you are, the less money and resources you have to take care of a child, but the earlier you are in your career to support maternity leave and time away for small children,” says Wendy C. Goodall McDonald, M.D., an ob-gyn in Chicago, Illinois. “The older you are, the more money you have, but the more money it may take to pay for assistance in getting pregnant if needed.” Also, Dr. McDonald points out that, the older you get, the more likely you are to find yourself in the sandwich generation, caring for aging parents and children at the same time.
Before you’re 20
Between 20-24
Between 25-29
Don’t Wait To Ask For Help
If you’re hoping to get pregnant, time is of the essence because age naturally lowers your monthly fertility odds. Don’t delay seeking help if you are not able to conceive after 6 months of trying. Some people might not conceive on their own in 6 months but go on to conceive naturally after a yearor even 2 years.
If you’re over 35, don’t wait a full year to talk to your provider. Ask about fertility testing if you aren’t pregnant after six months of trying. If you’re over 40, talk to your doctor before you start trying. Treatment success also is less likely as you age the sooner you start, the more likely it is to help.
If no obvious cause of your fertility problems is found, your provider might suggest that you keep trying to conceive naturally for a few more months, then come back if you are not successful.
Your provider might order blood tests, an ultrasound, and a specialized x-ray, known as an HSG. For a male partner, a semen analysis might be performed. Once the results of those basic fertility tests come back, you, your partner, and your provider can decide about the next steps.
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When Is The Best Time Of The Day To Have Sex To Get Pregnant
No specific time of the day is associated with a greater chance of pregnancy. Nevertheless, some people wonder if having sex in the early morning will help them conceive faster. The idea that morning sex may facilitate conception is often based on the belief that sperm conditions change throughout the day. Does this match the research? Lets take a look.
Several groups of scientists have investigated how different sperm parameters may change depending on the time of day. Some of them suggest that sperm count might rise in the morning, which means there might be more sperm to fertilize the egg. However, the reported difference is only slight.
Another study found that sperm count and motility may increase in the afternoon. In other words, sperm may be more abundant and mobile, increasing their likelihood of reaching the egg in the evening.
These findings look pretty contradictory, and there is no consensus among doctors. Instead, more important factors may help improve sperm quality rather than the time of day. While the time of the day makes almost no difference in sperm activity, a persons lifestyle, long-term health, medications, and even ejaculation frequency can influence sperm quality.
How Long Is Too Long To Get Pregnant
Just because youve been trying to get pregnant for longer than a year doesnt mean youre infertile. Remember, even for people with average fertility, seven percent of couples wont get pregnant within a year. And if you do discover a condition impacting your fertility, it doesnt necessarily mean you need medical intervention to conceive, Mukherjee says.
When youre trying to get pregnant, the components that matter are quality eggs, regular ovulation, healthy sperm, and a healthy uterus and fallopian tubes, Mukherjee says. If theres a problem with two or more components, the chances are higher that a couple will need medical intervention to make a baby. But if theres a problem with only one of those components, the chances are good that a couple will be able to get pregnant without assistance. Itll just take more time.
For example, polycystic ovarian syndrome is a major cause of irregular periods, impacting 6 to 12 percent of women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People with PCOS often take longer to get pregnant because they tend to ovulate less often. Instead of 13 opportunities per year to conceive, you might be down to six or seven, Mukherjee says. But in the long-term, women with PCOS conceive at the same rate as women without PCOS.
The problem is, not all couples have time. If you start trying to get pregnant at 35, you cant afford to wait, Mukherjee says. But if youre in your 20s or early 30s? It might just take patience.
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How To Get A Woman Pregnant
This article was co-authored by Jennifer Butt, MD. Jennifer Butt, MD, is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist operating her private practice, Upper East Side OB/GYN, in New York City, New York. She is affiliated with Lenox Hill Hospital. She earned a BA in Biological Studies from Rutgers University and an MD from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She then completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Dr. Butt is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of the American Medical Association.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 3,582,060 times.
If you and your partner want to get pregnant, you might be wondering what you can do to help. While most methods of improving fertility tend to focus on tracking a woman’s cycle, as a man, you can take steps that may improve your sperm count. There’s no way to guarantee that you and your partner will conceive, but there are things you can do to increase the odds!
When Should I Get Help With Conception
Around 1 in 7 couples have difficulty conceiving. This is approximately 3.5 million people in the UK.
Speak to your GP if you have been trying for a year conceive.
Many doctors prefer you to have been having regular sex without contraception for at least a year before referring you for fertility tests. Regular sex means 2-3 times a week.
You should see your GP sooner if:
- you are over 36
- you have a known fertility issue, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome
- your partner has a known fertility issue, such as low sperm count
- you are concerned you or your reproductive partner may have an undiagnosed medical issue that may be affecting your ability to get pregnant.
There are ways to help couples conceive if they’re having problems getting pregnant. Find out more about fertility problems.
Find out more about how you will know when you are pregnant.
Sozou PD,Hartshorne GM Time to Pregnancy: A Computational Method for Using the Duration of Non-Conception for Predicting Conception. Plos One. Published: October 4, 2012
Gnoth C, Godehardt D et al Time to pregnancy: results of the German prospective study and impact on the management of infertility, Human Reproduction, Volume 18, Issue 9, 1 September 2003, Pages 19591966,
RCOG Reproductive Ageing. Scientific Advisory Committee. Opinion Paper 24. London: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. www.rcog.org.uk
Review dates
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What Age Can You Get Pregnant
A female can get pregnant and have a baby as soon as she begins to ovulate. That means producing eggs. This usually happens about a year after they first begin to have their period, or menstruating. The age varies based on your genetics.
For girls in North America, this usually happens between the ages of 11 and 12. Some start ovulating later, and others can start much early.
A Peruvian girl gave birth when she was five years and seven months in 1945. She got pregnant after being raped. She gave birth via Caesarian section and her son was born and raised as her brother.
Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy If Youre Pregnant At 45
The best ways to tip the odds so that your pregnancy is a healthy one are to:
- See your doctor before you try to conceive to make sure that any appropriate testing is performed and medications are adjusted to maximize the safety of your pregnancy.
- See your doctor regularly during your pregnancy and follow all recommendations, including the ones about screening and diagnostic tests.
- Stay on top of any chronic conditions by taking your doctor-recommended medications.
- Eat well by following a healthy pregnancy diet.
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Chances Of Getting Pregnant With Intrauterine Insemination
For many women, in vitro fertilization will likely not be their first treatment option. In fact, half of all treatment performed at Shady Grove Fertility is a more basic form of intervention called intrauterine insemination or IUI. The goal of this treatment is to increase the number of sperm that reach the Fallopian tubes and subsequently increases the chance of fertilization. IUI provides the sperm an advantage by giving it a head start, but still requires the sperm to reach and fertilize the egg on its own.
The goal of IUI treatment is to improve the rate of conception to that of the fertile population, or roughly 15 to 20 percent per attempt. Age, along with the cause of infertility, will ultimately determine what your chances of success are per cycle of IUI.
