Best Time to Conceive: When to Have Sex to Get Pregnant

Want to know when is the best time to try for a baby? You have come to the right place. It is important to know and understand that you could get pregnant at any time during the menstrual cycle; this is true even if you’re having your period. 

Getting pregnant (or conception) happens when a male sperm fertilizes a woman's egg. Although some women this can happen very quickly, for others it may take longer.

It is worth mentioning that out of every hundred couples engaging in intercourse for pregnancy, 80% to 90% will get pregnant just within one year. On the other hand, the rest would take longer, or might even need help to conceive.

Women tend to be most fertile and, hence, have the best chance to get pregnant in their 20s. Keep in mind that this is the time when most women have the highest number of healthy or good quality eggs available; also, your pregnancy risks are at their lowest. Your chances of conceiving at age 25, after three months of trying are only 20 percent or less.

Fertility slowly starts to decline at around age 32. And that decline speeds up after age 35. Women are born with around 1 million eggs. With time the number of eggs slowly drops. According to estimates, at age 37, you’ll have about 25,000 eggs left. Your chances of getting pregnant after three months of trying are around 12 percent by age 35. Also, keep in mind that the risk for genetic abnormalities and miscarriage also begins to increase after age 35. 

There is a rapid decline in your ability to conceive naturally in your 40s. Although most women who are in their 40s can have a healthy pregnancy, the risks tend to increase considerably during this time. Some of these risks include:

• Premature birth
• C-section delivery
• Low birth weight
• Stillbirth 
• Birth defects

There are just 6 days during any cycle when you can get pregnant - the 5 days that lead up to ovulation along with the 24 hours after ovulation. It is mainly because sperm can live in your body for up to 5 days while the ovum lives for just 12-24 hours.

That being said, the key to understanding when is the best time to try and get pregnant is to know when you ovulate. Determining the precise timing of ovulation could be tricky, as it doesn’t happen at the same time each cycle.

Ovulation is when you release a mature egg from the ovary. This egg then travels down your fallopian tube where it is fertilized. It is more likely that the egg would be fertilized if the sperm is in your fallopian tube at the time the egg is released, and create an embryo, which will grow into a baby. Technically, pregnancy is only possible when you’ve had sexual intercourse during the 5 days before ovulation or on the day you ovulate.

However, your most fertile days are often the 3 days that lead up to and include ovulation. Having sexual intercourse during this time usually gives you the best chance to conceive.

Temperature rise

After ovulation, your basal (or resting) body temperature increases by 0.4-1.0°C. While this rise in temperature is usually too small for you to notice, you can detect it with an accurate thermometer.

LH surge

As you approach ovulation, your body will produce increasing amounts of estrogen. The high estrogen levels in your body will trigger an increase in another hormone known as luteinising hormone (LH). The LH surge will cause the release of mature eggs from your ovary — this is called ovulation. As ovulation usually occurs about 24 to 48 hours following the LH surge, the LH surge is often an excellent predictor of peak fertility.

Changes in saliva

Research reveals that a woman’s saliva changes considerably depending on the amount of estrogen in the body. During your monthly cycle, you will experience a large increase in estrogen a couple of days before ovulation and yet another minor increase a few days before your period is due.

Using a number of different tools you can easily track ovulation with irregular periods.

Chart your cycle

Although your cycle is irregular, it’s a good idea to track it on your calendar for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, you might notice a few clues that can indicate a pattern. Second, in case you experience any fertility problem, the information from your tracking efforts can be shared with your fertility specialist or gynecologist.

Cervical mucus

Note that your cervical mucus will change when you ovulate. Cervical mucus will be dry during the first couple of days after the menstrual cycle. Then your cervical mucus would start to increase. As you gradually approach ovulation, your cervical mucus would be plentiful, clear, slippery, and stretchy. A lot of women compare its consistency with that of egg whites.

Scientists have revealed the best time of day to have sexual intercourse to become pregnant. According to new research from the University Hospital in Zurich, sexual intercourse before 7.30am throughout April, March, and May has the best outcomes.

The Swiss researchers state that sperm tend to have their own 24-hour clock and, hence, are most likely to travel to the egg very early in the morning. Also, they suggest that sperm is the healthiest in terms of morphology (shape and size) - during these three months of spring. It is worth mentioning that sperm morphology could impact fertility - normal sperm with an oval head and a long tail are in the best shape to travel to the egg, and fertilize it.

Pregnancy doesn’t start the same day that partners have sexual intercourse — it could take up to 6 days after sex for the egg and sperm to join and create a fertilized egg. Then, it could take 6 to 11 days for your fertilized egg to fully implant itself in your uterus.

Keep in mind that pregnancy starts during implantation when all the hormones required to support pregnancy are fully released.

The best way to be certain of your pregnancy is taking a pregnancy test. You can buy home pregnancy tests easily at drugstores and pharmacies or go to a health center in order to take your pregnancy test. 

According to one research study, there is a chance to get pregnant even if you have sexual intercourse 6 to 7 days before ovulation. Although it is a very slim possibility (less than one percent), it is important to keep this in mind. So, based on this, it is possible that your fertile window might last up to ten days.