Conception planning and your fertile window
Those who are trying to conceive should understand their fertile window and how to know when it may occur.
What’s a fertile window?
Your fertile window is the day that you ovulate and the five days leading up to that day. The last day of your fertile window, ovulation, is the phase of your cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg into a fallopian tube. If you’re TTC, this is the part where your egg awaits the company of sperm for fertilization. Once released, an egg only has a lifespan of about 24 hours to be fertilized. If the egg is not fertilized, it disintegrates, triggering your next period.
Even though the egg is only viable for about 24 hours, sperm are able to survive in the female reproductive system for up to five days. This means that if sperm is present in these few days before ovulation, it could result in conception. However, the closer to ovulation that the sperm is there, the higher the likelihood of conception will be. So if you’re TTC with a male partner, this means intercourse close to ovulation is best for baby-making.
When is it?
Old rules of thumb will tell you that ovulation occurs about halfway through a cycle, or 14 days after you get your period. However, time of ovulation can differ greatly from person to person and even cycle to cycle, depending on the length and consistency of an individual’s cycle and any outside influences like stress or malnutrition. Because there are more factors at play here than just time, we need to look beyond just period data to understand when ovulation occurs.
How can Ovia identify yours?
In the past, people have relied on a number of different methods to predict ovulation, but Ovia Fertility can pinpoint it with simple data logging. Enter your fertility data – such as cervical fluid, basal body temperature, and physical symptoms – each cycle, and Ovia will analyze that data and make accurate predictions about your fertile window.
Fertility Window Calculator
How to Determine Your Fertility Window
Before we talk about how to calculate your fertility window, it might be helpful to briefly review the stages of your menstrual cycle, as hormonal changes that occur during the different phases set the stage for ovulation and provide clues as to when ovulation is coming.
As you may already know, in order for conception to take place, at least one healthy and vigorous sperm must be waiting in the fallopian tube at the moment ovulation occurs and must be able to fertilize the egg within 12-24 hours of the egg being released from the ovary.
Since sperm can only live for a maximum of 5 days in the female reproductive tract, only a small number of sperm will even survive the long journey through the female reproductive tract. Therefore, couples trying to conceive should plan to have intercourse a number of times in the days just prior to ovulation.
To do this means you must be able to predict when you will ovulate, a task that is sometimes more difficult than you might think. Fortunately, for those of us who need help, there are several reliable ways to predict when your most fertile days will occur during each cycle.
Timing of Your Fertility Window: Before and After Your Period
In the first several days of the menstrual cycle (called the follicular phase), certain hormones, specifically follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), begin the maturation process of follicles (the sacs that hold the egg) in the ovaries. In the second week of your cycle, FSH levels begin to decline and a single dominant follicle continues to develop.
This growing follicle produces increasing amounts of estrogen, which initiates the ovulatory phase. Estrogen plays a key role in the ovulatory process and helps to prepare the body for pregnancy. This hormone helps build the lining of the endometrium, facilitates the secretion of fertile-quality cervical mucus (which helps to protect and transport sperm through the reproductive tract) and triggers the production of the luteinizing hormone (LH).
By paying close attention to how your body responds to increased estrogen in the first couple weeks of your menstrual cycle, you can begin to predict ovulation. For example, many women know ovulation is just around the corner when they see an increase in production of fertile-quality cervical mucus.
Tools for predicting ovulation
Here is a brief introduction to some of the available tests and devices that can be used to help you pinpoint your fertility window.
Because the estrogen surge typically precedes the luteinizing hormone surge (the luteinizing hormone is the hormone detected by urine-based ovulation tests), ovulation microscopes can often provide more advanced notice of ovulation, giving trying to conceive women more time to appropriately plan their “baby dancing”.
Using measurements obtained from the oral and vaginal sensors, the OvaCue produces a numerical reading that reveals the relative trends in electrolyte levels. This allows the OvaCue to identify the hormonal changes that occur during the ovulatory process, thereby allowing it to predict and confirm ovulation. There are a few different electronic fertility monitors available, the OvaCue is manufactured by Fairhaven Health, LLC.
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What is the Fertile Window?
One of the principal purposes of a female is the ability to give birth to a baby. But pregnancy is not always as easy as you would like. An important factor for impregnation is female fertility, which is an indicator of the health of the entire woman’s reproductive system. If you are interested in information about pregnancy planning, ways to conceive a child, contact our agency “Parens Fertility”: https://parensfertility.com/surrogacy/.
What is Fertility?
Surely a woman often hears the word “fertility” from a gynecologist when she plans to have a baby. In simple terms, this is a woman’s ability to safely conceive, bear, and give birth to a baby. The definition also applies to men. When planning pregnancy, many women pay heed to ovulation but forget about the fertile window.
The medically and biologically recommended period to give birth to a child is between 20 and 40 years of age. Conception and carrying are possible much earlier or later; therefore, in general, a woman’s fertility period is determined within 15-49 years.
It is well known that fertility peaks at 20 years of age and begin to decline after 30 years; after 35 years, the indicators of natural conceiving begin to fall considerably. Nevertheless, in the modern community, lots of women, for comprehensible financial and social motives, prefer to postpone the birth of a child until the age of 30. Therefore, we face a paradoxical condition where many women who have long sought to prevent pregnancy in their young years meet circumstances where they begin to search for purposes to raise their opportunity of conception.
How to Identify Fertility?
It is advisable to control and monitor your body in time to point out the specific signs of the onset of the desired fertile period:
But, in any case, everything is committed individually since every female organism is distinct. And the cycle can be contingent upon a variety of aspects, among other things fluctuations in weather or changes in place of residence. So, be careful while identifying.
Fertile Window — the Best Opportunity to Get Pregnant
The fullest fertility in a woman 5 days before and on ovulation day. But if the couple cannot get pregnant, you should contact a gynecologist. The best option will be to appeal to the agency “Parens Fertility.”
There are several effective ways in which a woman can ascertain the most advantageous time for impregnation:
Some women can trace the pattern of changes in vaginal discharge. As the fertile window approaches, they change consistency, become sticky. Signs of approaching ovulation cover increased sexual attraction, pain in the breast and lower abdomen. The signs are not obvious because not all women show such symptoms of ovulation.
How to Prevent Pregnancy During a Fertile Window?
If you are very likely to compute the fertility period, this can also prevent pregnancy or control it. To do this, you need to use protection methods or refrain from sexual activity at all. Nevertheless, you should be sure to note that the day the ovulation begins may change from cycle to cycle.
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How to Use a Fertility Calendar
This article was co-authored by Debra Minjarez, MS, MD. Dr. Debra Minjarez is a board certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist, Fertility Specialist, and the Co-Medical Director at Spring Fertility, a Fertility Clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has previously spent 15 years as the Medical Director of Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine (CCRM) and has also worked as the Director of the Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Kaiser Oakland. Throughout her professional life, she has earned awards such as the ACOG Ortho-McNeil Award, the Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences NIH Research Service Award, and the Society for Gynecologic Investigation President’s Presenter Award. Dr. Minjarez received her BS, MS, and MD from Stanford University, completed her residency at the University of Colorado, and completed her fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern.
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A fertility calendar is an easy way to track your menstrual cycle and know when to expect your period each month. You can also use it to check for signs of fertility, which is useful if you want to achieve or prevent pregnancy. Knowing the length of your cycles will help you to perform the necessary calculations to find your most fertile window. Depending on your family planning goals, you can either avoid or increase intercourse during this window.
How to get pregnant: Tips and facts to increase fertility
We’ve spoken to the experts to come up with 10 tips for how to get pregnant quickly and safely.
You may have many questions about how to get pregnant, particularly if you have an underlying condition. Taking care of your body is a good first step to optimize your fertility. But what else can you do to improve your odds of having a baby?
The most important advice for a woman who wants to get pregnant is to get to know her body, specifically her menstrual cycle, said Dr. Mary Ellen Pavone, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, and medical director of the in-vitro fertilization program at Northwestern Medicine’s Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility division in Chicago.
«It’s important to know how far apart her cycles are so she can more accurately time intercourse to try to get pregnant,» Pavone said.
We’ve highlighted the top 10 tips that may help increase your chances of becoming pregnant. As always with this type of information make sure to speak to a medical professional as this advice is broad and you may require specialist attention. You should still find this article and accompanying video on how to get pregnant useful.
In addition, because pregnant women are more likely to get a severe case of COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant individuals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends you get a COVID-19 vaccine. «The CDC health advisory strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccination either before or during pregnancy because the benefits of vaccination for both pregnant persons and their fetus or infant outweigh known or potential risks,» the CDC said in a statement on Sept. 29, 2021.
How to get pregnant: Step-by-step instructions
1. 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 (see below).
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.
2. Monitor ovulation
Women with regular cycles ovulate about two weeks before the arrival of their periods, Pavone said. It’s harder to predict ovulation in women with irregular cycles, but it usually occurs 12 to 16 days before the start of her next period.
According to a 2019 paper published in the journal Nature, there is a wide variety in the lengths of cycles of people who menstruate, and the time and duration of ovulation changes over a person’s lifetime. This variability means that it is best to monitor ovulation to find out when the person is most likely to conceive.
There are several methods women can use to help determine their most fertile days each month.
—Another method to predict ovulation is to track cervical mucus, which involves a woman regularly checking both the amount and appearance of mucus in her vagina. Just before ovulation, when a woman is most fertile, the amount of mucus increases, and it becomes thinner, clearer and more slippery, according to the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization that campaigns for maternal and baby health. When cervical mucus becomes more slippery, it can help sperm make its way to the egg. A study published in 2013 in the journal Fertility and Sterility found that women who checked their cervical mucus consistently were 2.3 times more likely to get pregnant faster, over a six-month period.
—Basal body temperature is also a good way to monitor for ovulation. To do this, check your temperature every morning at the same time, before you get out of bed, and keep a chart or record of each day’s reading. Why measure this at-rest temperature? Right before a woman ovulates, meaning one of her ovaries is about to release an egg, basal body temperature dips slightly, with an average body temperature of between 97 and 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit (36.1 and 36.4 degrees Celsius), according to the University of Michigan Health System; and then, 24 hours after the release of the egg, your basal body temperature rises and will stay at that level for several days. A woman’s basal body temperature right after ovulation averages between 97.6 and 98.6 F (36.4 and 37 C), the University of Michigan Health System reported.
This egg will remain fertile for about 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, the university said.
Because your basal temperature change will be slight, it’s important to use either a digital thermometer or a special basal thermometer, the university recommended.
The «fertile window» spans a six-day interval — the five days prior to ovulation and the day of it, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Every month, a woman is most fertile on these days.
Many women are turning to new technology tools, such as fertility-tracking apps and websites, to help them keep tabs on when they may be more likely to conceive, but a 2020 review in the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health suggests that there is limited independent research on their accuracy. In a study published in 2016 in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, scientists analyzed 50 popular fertility-tracking websites and apps with a hypothetical woman, and found that the results varied wildly, with many mistakenly tagging days outside of the fertility window, Live Science reported.
Researchers evaluated hundreds of fertility and menstruation apps in the Apple app store, particularly for the quality of the app. The app quality score was based on several factors, such as the app’s usability, accuracy of information and tools provided, general features and specific fertility features, they reported in 2019 in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. While 31 of the apps showed serious inaccuracies, a few rose to the top. Here are the top 3 starting with the apps with the highest AQS scores:
But she said there are some water-based vaginal lubricants that can decrease the movement of sperm, so Pavone recommended using Pre-Seed rather than Astroglide or K-Y Jelly when lubrication is needed.
4. Strive for a healthy body weight
A woman’s weight can also impact the chances of conceiving: Being overweight or underweight may reduce those odds. Research has shown that a woman who is overweight can take twice as long to become pregnant as a woman whose body-mass index (BMI) is considered normal weight, Pavone said. A woman who is underweight might take four times as long to conceive, she said.
Having too much body fat produces excess estrogen, which can interfere with ovulation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A 2017 study suggested that couples in the study in which both partners were very obese, with BMIs of at least 35, took from 55% to 59% longer to become pregnant, compared with couples who were not obese, the researchers reported in the journal Human Reproduction.
In a study published in 2020 in the journal PLOS One, researchers looked at data from more than 50,000 couples in China trying to conceive over the course of a year; they found that women’s ability to conceive within a given timeframe decreased as their BMI increased.
Male obesity, which can disrupt the male endocrine system as well as sperm viability and concentration, can also affect a couple’s ability to become pregnant, scientists reported in 2020 in the journal Andrologia.
Women who are underweight, with a BMI less than 18, might not be getting regular periods or could stop ovulating, which also hinders their ability to become pregnant, according to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority.
5. Take a prenatal vitamin
Pavone recommends that women who are attempting to conceive start taking a prenatal vitamin even before becoming pregnant. This way, a woman can find one that’s more agreeable to her system and stay on it during pregnancy, she said.
Another possibility is to take a daily multivitamin, as long as it contains at least 400 micrograms (mcg) per day of folic acid, a B vitamin that’s important for preventing birth defects in a baby’s brain and spine, Pavone said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges women to take 400 mcg of folic acid every day for at least one month before getting pregnant, to help prevent birth defects.
Getting a head start on folic acid supplementation is a good idea because the neural tube develops into the brain and spine three to four weeks after conception occurs, before many women may realize they’re expecting.
6. Eat healthy foods
Although there may not be a specific pregnancy diet, eating a variety of healthy foods can help prepare a woman’s body for pregnancy by giving her adequate stores of critical nutrients, such as calcium, protein and iron, research has shown. This means eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, dairy and healthy sources of fat.
Besides taking a supplement containing folic acid, a woman can also obtain this vitamin from foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, fortified breads and cereals, beans, citrus fruits and orange juice.
When trying to get pregnant, eat lower amounts of high-mercury fish, such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. This is because mercury can accumulate in a pregnant woman’s bloodstream, which affects a baby’s development, according to the Mayo Clinic. Also, limit albacore (white) tuna to 6 ounces (170 grams) per week to reduce exposure to this toxic metal, the Food and Drug Administration recommends. A 2019 review found that mercury consumption could also impair men’s and women’s fertility.
Also, some science suggests that pregnant women should avoid caffeine: Health authorities in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom said that a woman having about 200 mg of caffeine (less than two cups of coffee) will not affect her baby, but a 2020 review study, published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, found that there was no safe level of caffeine consumption for pregnant women or for those trying to get pregnant.
7. Cut back on strenuous workouts
Being physically active most days of the week can help a woman’s body prepare for the demands of pregnancy and labor, and has been associated with a reduced risk of fertility problems, scientists reported in the March 2020 issue of the journal Human Reproduction. But getting too much exercise or doing frequent strenuous workouts could interfere with ovulation, Live Science reported.
Doctors see a lot of menstrual disturbances in women who exercise heavily, and a lot of times these women need to cut back on their workouts if they want to become pregnant, Pavone told Live Science.
8. Be aware of age-related fertility declines
As women get older, their fertility decreases. This is because of age-related changes in the ovaries that cause a decline in the quantity and quality of her eggs. With advancing age, there’s also an increased risk for some health problems, such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis and blockage of the fallopian tubes, which can contribute to a loss of fertility.
There’s a gradual fertility decline in women beginning in their 30s, a sharper decline after age 37 and a steep fertility decline after age 40, Pavone said. These declines mean that it may take longer to become pregnant.
9. Kick the smoking and drinking habits
Smoking can lead to fertility problems in both women and men. Chemicals found in cigarette smoke, such as nicotine and carbon monoxide, speed up the loss rate of a woman’s eggs, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Smoking ages a woman’s ovaries and depletes her supply of eggs prematurely, according to the Mayo Clinic. In a study published in 2020 in the journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, researchers looked at scientific findings around smoking, alcohol, addiction and fertility; they found that smoking is linked to decreased fertility.
It’s also a good idea for women to stay away from secondhand smoke, which may affect their chances of becoming pregnant. Marijuana and other recreational drug use should also be avoided while trying to conceive.
It’s safest for a woman to avoid alcohol when she is hoping to become pregnant. A woman should also stop consuming alcohol if she stops using birth control because she wants to get pregnant. That said, a 2019 Danish study of 1,708 women over a five-year period did not find a link between regular alcohol consumption and binge drinking, and fertility, according to the study published in the journal Human Reproduction.
However, a 2017 study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that about half of pregnant women in the United States drink alcohol around the time they become pregnant or in early pregnancy, usually before they know they are expecting.
Drinking alcohol at moderate (one to two drinks per day) or heavy (more than two drinks per day) levels can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Once a woman becomes pregnant, there’s no safe amount of alcohol, Pavone said.
10. Know when to seek help
Pavone also recommended that a woman who is under 35 and her partner should consult a fertility specialist if she hasn’t become pregnant after one year of having unprotected intercourse on a regular basis.
What if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder, is one of the most common reasons for female infertility. It affects between 6% and 12% of American women of reproductive age.
There is no single test to identify PCOS, but a doctor will determine if a woman fulfills two of the following three criteria, the CDC said:
It is not clear why some women develop this syndrome, although it is often diagnosed when they struggle to get pregnant.
There is a strong link between PCOS-related infertility and weight. About 40% to 60% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese, and healthy eating and exercise have been shown to improve reproductive problems in women with PCOS. A number of prescribed medications may also induce ovulation and regulate insulin levels, such as letrozole and metformin. High levels of insulin push the pituitary gland to release large amounts of hormones that disrupt ovulation.
Another intervention is laparoscopic ovarian drilling, in which a surgeon makes small holes in a woman’s ovaries to help reduce the amount of male hormones they produce, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. This procedure, which is done under general anaesthesia, is not without risk, and can also negatively affect fertility if there is too much damage to the ovaries.
Doctors recommend in-vitro fertilization if other interventions have not worked, or as a primary treatment if monitoring, cost and accessibility are not issues.
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 (such as birth control therapies, and drugs that block ovulation or reduce the amount of estrogen), they actively stop a woman from getting pregnant.
Endometriosis presents differently in different women, so its treatment depends on the individual, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Surgery to excise the endometrial and scar tissue may improve fertility rates and help reduce pain associated with endometriosis, researchers reported in the 2015 study in The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India.
Other fertility treatments –– such as IVF, ovulation induction, artificial insemination and techniques that stimulate a woman’s ovaries to produce more eggs –– can also help a woman with endometriosis to become pregnant. But the option depends on the severity of the endometriosis, the woman’s age and whether other fertility issues are involved. One concern about fertility treatments is that they can overstimulate ovaries and give rise to high-order multiple pregnancies, as multiple eggs are fertilized, Endometriosis UK said.
Other questions about getting pregnant
Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding?
Yes, a woman can get pregnant while breastfeeding. It is possible to become pregnant as soon as three weeks after giving birth, even if the person is exclusively breastfeeding and has yet to begin menstruating again according to the U.K.’s National Health Service.
Can you get pregnant on your period?
How to get pregnant fast
This article is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to offer medical advice. This article was updated on March 23, 2021 by Live Science contributor, Sarah Wild.
