When Is The Best Time To Have Sex To Get Pregnant
When you’re trying to get pregnant, a lot comes down to timing. After all, nature gives us a brief window each month to conceive. While it’s possible to get pregnant any day of the month , you’re much more likely to score a fertilized egg if you work with your body’s regular reproductive rhythm.
Wondering when is the best time to get pregnant? Here are the ways to know exactly when to spring into action for the greatest chances of conception success.
Check Your Basal Body Temperature
It’s also a good idea to pay attention to the signs that your body is ready to ovulate. Checking your basal body temperature is one way to do this.
The BBT is your temperature first thing in the morning. Just after you ovulate, it rises slightly — sometimes by less than a degree — and stays higher until your period starts. If you record your temperature every day, you can spot the subtle changes that mean one of your ovaries has released an egg.
To take your BBT, you need to:
Use a basal body thermometer. It’s more sensitive than a standard one and will show temperature changes down to a fraction of a degree. You can get them at many pharmacies for less than $20.
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Take your temperature at the same time each morning. Always do it before you get out of bed. Even getting up to go to the bathroom can affect your body temperature. So can smoking, drinking, or getting a bad night’s sleep.
Remember, your BBT won’t tell you exactly when you’ve ovulated, and it may take a couple of months before you start to see a pattern. You’re most likely to get pregnant 2 or 3 days before your ovary releases an egg, and then another 12 to 24 hours after that. When your temperature has spiked for 3 days, your chances of conceiving drop.
When Are You Most Fertile If Your Cycle Is Irregular
It’s a little more difficult to predict, but according to Paulson, women typically ovulate 14 days before the start of their next period. So if your cycle is 35 days, you’re most likely ovulating on the 21st day since the start of your last period.
Lots of menstruation apps offer calendars and reminders for easy pregnancy planning, which can be particularly helpful since different months have different numbers of days and it can be hard to keep track. Visualizing your cycle with a calendar app will help you determine your window, especially if your period is less reliable from a timing perspective.
Other methods of tracking ovulation if your flow is inconsistent can include monitoring your cervical mucus and basal body temperature. According to ACOG, the amount of discharge you experience increases just before ovulation and becomes thin and slippery. Recognizing those changes can be an indicator that you’re within the fertile window.
Your basal body temperature your temperature when you’re at rest, and according to ACOG, it rises slightly during ovulation . If you’re looking to plan a pregnancy, it may not be the most effective way to conceive, simply because the temperature only changes once you’ve already ovulated, but paired with other tracking methods it can be a useful piece of insight into what’s happening in your body.
Thats the basics of fertility but like I said, everyones body is different.
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Can A Girl Get Pregnant If She Has Sex During Her Period
Can a girl get pregnant if she has sex during her period? Jamie*
Yes, a girl can get pregnant during her period. This might happen when:
- A girl has bleeding that she thinks is a period, but it’s bleeding from . Ovulation is the monthly release of an egg from a girls ovaries. It is the time when she is most likely to get pregnant if she has sex.
- Ovulation happens before the bleeding from a girl’s period has stopped.
- Ovulation happens within a few days after a girl’s period is over. Sperm can fertilize an egg for 3 days. So if a girl has sex on the last day of her period and ovulates in the next few days, the sperm may still fertilize the egg.
Having unprotected sex at any time is risky. Along with the risk of getting pregnant, you could also get an STD, such as chlamydia, genital warts, or HIV. The only way to completely prevent pregnancy and STDs is abstinence .
If you do have sex, use a condom every time to protect against unplanned pregnancy and STDs. For added protection, many couples use condoms along with another method of birth control, like birth control pills or an IUD. Talk to your doctor about the best type of birth control for you.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Truth: Ovulation Doesn’t Always Occur On Day 14 Of Your Cycle
Ovulation might occur on day 14 of your cycle. Butit also might not. Ovulating as early as day 6 or 7 or as late as day 19 or 20 isnt uncommon or abnormal.
When learning about female reproduction, most people are taught that the female cycle is 28 days on average and that ovulation occurs at the mid-point on day 14. The key phrase here is on average. A healthy woman with good fertility can have a cycle as short as 21 days or as long as 35 days, and all be considered fine. The day of ovulation shifts earlier or later, depending on how long a womans cycle is.
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Track Your Basal Body Temperature
This is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning. When you ovulate, it goes up slightly and stays up until your next period.
To track it, you’ll need a basal body thermometer, which measures small changes. You can get one at most drugstores and supermarkets.
Take your temperature before you get out of bed every morning. Note the first day it goes up.
“Once you identify the day you ovulated, you can predict that ovulation will happen on or close to that day in future cycles,” Manglani says.
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Increased Risk Of Severe Illness
Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people. Pregnancy causes changes in the body that could make it easier to get very sick from respiratory viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. These changes in the body can continue after pregnancy.
Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may need:
- Hospitalization
- Intensive care
- A ventilator or special equipment to help them breathe
People with COVID-19 who become severely ill can die. See why pregnancy is included in the list of underlying medical conditions that increase a persons risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
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Chances Of Getting Pregnant After Ovulation
Also known as the luteal phase, this final portion of your cycle lasts a minimum of 12 days and a maximum of 16 days. Progesterone starts to rise, signaling that the ovaries don’t need to release any more eggs this month. Your cervical mucus will dry up and create a plug to prevent any additional sperm from entering the uterus.
It takes about six days for any fertilized eggs to travel to your uterus. If one implants in your endometrium, you’ll start to see the rise in human chorionic gonadotropin , the hormone measured by home pregnancy tests, within a week.
Your chances of conceiving: Low. Once the egg has been released, there’s not much that can be done until next month. But there’s certainly no harm in having sex if you’re in the mood!
Don’t sweat it if it’s time for your cycle to start over again and you’re still not pregnant. You may not have tracked your most fertile days accurately, in which case your guy’s swimmers never had the chance to work their magic. The vast majority of couples who are trying to conceive do so within a year, with only about half achieving their goal by 6 months. Talk to your doctor or a fertility specialist about any concerns regarding your chances of getting pregnant.
How To Get Pregnant If You Have Endometriosis
Endometriosis is another common reproductive condition, affecting more than one in 10 women in the United States. It occurs when tissue found in the uterus grows in other parts of the body, such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
Even mild endometriosis can reduce fertility, while severe endometriosis can distort a woman’s pelvic anatomy and, for example, block her fallopian tubes, according to a 2015 study in The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of India.
It is still possible for a woman with endometriosis to become pregnant, and, once pregnant, the pregnancy is expected to be no different to that of a woman without endometriosis. Medical treatment through drugs does not improve fertility, according to Endometriosis UK, an endometriosis-focused charity. These medications involve regulating a person’s hormones, and can slow the growth of endometrial tissue and prevent new pieces from developing, said the Mayo Clinic. But because these drugs are based on hormones , they actively stop a woman from getting pregnant.
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I Was On Birth Control When We Had Sex Can I Be Pregnant
No method of birth control outside of not having sex offers 100-percent protection. Most forms are pretty dependable if carried out properly, were talking in the 90ish percentile, but even if there was a condom or birth control, it is still possible to become pregnant. The chance is just very small.
If You Have Further Questions Contact Your Ob
Don’t have an ob-gyn? Search for doctors near you.
FAQ060
Copyright 2021 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. Read copyright and permissions information.
This information is designed as an educational aid for the public. It offers current information and opinions related to women’s health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care. It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. Read ACOGs complete disclaimer.
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How To Spot The Signs Of Ovulation
Ovulation usually happens about 10 to 16 days before the start of your next period, so it helps to know your cycle length before you start trying to conceive.
You may never have considered when you might ovulate within your cycle, and if you have been using a hormone contraceptive such as the Pill, you wont have had a natural menstrual cycle for a while.
As a first step, mark on your ovulation calendar the dates that you bleed during a period. You can then count how many days from the first day of your period to your next period to work out the length of your cycle.
So When Are You Most Fertile
Right, so back to the whole point of the article. A personsfertile window is clinically defined as the six-day window that includes the five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation. This is when your chances of conceiving are the highest. Experts recommend having sex daily or every other day during this time, especially the 2 or 3 days right before you ovulate. This is when your chances of conceiving are the highest.
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How Long Does It Take For Birth Control Pills To Work
The time it takes birth control pills to work depends on when you start taking them and what type of pills you use. You may begin taking the birth control pill any day of the month. It is however, advisable to use a backup birth control method, such as condoms, for about a week once you start taking the pills.
Combination oral contraceptive pills
- When started within five days after the first day of your period, the combined pill will protect you from pregnancy right away.
- If you get your periods on a Monday morning and you start taking the combined pills any time before Saturday morning, you will be instantly protected from a possible pregnancy.
- If the pills are started at any other time, it is best to use an additional method of birth control, like a condom, for the first week after you start taking the combined pills.
Progestin-only pills
- Progestin-only pills, POPs or mini pills can be started any day of the month. They will protect you from pregnancy after 48 hours of taking the first pill.
- In this case, you must use another method of birth control to prevent pregnancy during the first two days.
You must always discuss with your nurse or doctor about which birth control pill option would be best for you.
Chances Of Getting Pregnant During Ovulation
Welcome to prime time for conception! No matter the length of menstruation, ovulation generally starts about 14 days before your next scheduled period. When it happens, your body temperature rises about a half a degree but bear in mind that this also takes place after you’re already ovulating, which could be too late for conception.
“That’s where ovulation test kits become so helpful,” Dr. Bayer explains. These kits detect a surge in luteinizing hormone that happens about 36 hours before you ovulate. After the test kit shows this surge, Dr. Bayer recommends having sex in the next 24 to 36 hours. Sperm can survive for some time in the reproductive tract, so it will be ready to meet the egg once it’s released during ovulation.
Another good indication of fertility is a change in the consistency of your cervical mucus. “You’ll see vaginal discharge that increases in amount and has the consistency of egg whites, signaling it’s the perfect time to have intercourse,” Dr. Bayer says. Test yours by sticking your index finger and thumb in your vagina to get a sample, then tapping your finger and thumb together. If the consistency is thin and spreads easily between two fingers, you’re good to go.
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Record Menstrual Cycle Frequency
A woman who wants to have a baby should monitor whether the first days of her periods tend to occur the same number of days apart every month, which is considered regular. Conversely, her periods may be irregular, meaning her cycle lengths vary from month to month. By tracking this information on a calendar, a woman can better predict when she might be ovulating, which is the time every month when her ovaries will release an egg. There are also some apps that can help with the tracking, such as GlowOvulation period tracker .
A woman’s egg is fertile for only 12 to 24 hours after its release, according to the American Pregnancy Association. However, a man’s sperm can survive in a woman’s body for up to five days.
Your Cervical Mucus Has An Egg White
When is the last time you checked your underwear? Or, ahem, felt your down-there discharge? It may sound odd, but your cervical mucus can provide a tip-off to when sex will be most fruitful. You’re looking for discharge that feels like egg whites, which indicates your body’s in ovulation mode.
Once you start monitoring your CM all month, you’ll see a pattern: You’ll likely be dry for several days to a week after your period. Next, your CM may get sticky for a day or two. Then, on around day eight, it will amp up and turn creamy it could be white or pale yellow.
The next stage is the biggie: ovulation mucus. Your discharge will not only be plentiful but slippery and stretchy . This egg-white stage is a clue that you’re ovulating and you and your partner may want to skip dinner and a movie and get busy being intimate.
Incidentally, that CM texture is nature’s way of ensuring sperm make their way to the egg. Finally, after ovulation day, you may become drier down there.
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Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Sex During Your Period
Most likely you will not get pregnant having sex while on your period. Thats because your ovulation time is several days away decreasing any chances of getting pregnant during this time. However, there are exceptions. This applies to women who have a typical 28 to 30 day or longer cycle. If you have a shorter cycle, say every 21 to 24 days, that means you are ovulating earlier in the cycle. Because sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days, you could have sex towards the end of your period and then conceive 4 or 5 days later with your early ovulation. To verify, inexpensive, early detection pregnancy and ovulation tests can be purchased online from our corporate sponsor Fairhaven Health.
The probabilities of getting pregnant during your period are low, but the possibilities are there. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to get pregnant.
What Other Ways Are There To Track Overall Fertility
If you want an even clearer picture of what’s happening inside your body, you can ask your doctor for blood work to determine overall fertility. This will provide insight into how many eggs you have by measuring the level of anti-mullerian hormone in your blood and measure other relevant hormone levels that can indicate if you have conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome or thyroid disorders that could impact your ability to get pregnant while trying to conceive.
Because those tests can sometimes be expensive, start-ups like Modern Fertility also offer at-home tests and give you similar insights that you can then bring to your primary care doctor or OB-GYN to talk about next steps.
Having all that information available for you as you begin to plan for your familys future will end up giving you more options, Paulson.
The most important thing about fertility is that there is no one size fits all to pregnancy, but knowing the basics is the exact right place to start.
Caroline Moss is the host of “Gee Thanks, Just Bought It!” a product-recommendation podcast produced by Forever35. She is the co-author of “Hey Ladies!” and a series about women in work for kids called “Work It, Girl.” She has been writing and editing for the internet for the last 10 years and lives in Los Angeles.
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