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7 Tips for Getting Pregnant Faster
By Denise Mann
Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on February 13, 2022
You are ready to get pregnant. Now. Once you are ready to start a family, waiting is the last thing you want to do.

Although Mother Nature has a hand in the timing, there are some things you can do — or not do — to help increase your chances of getting pregnant ASAP. Read on for seven expert-approved tips for getting pregnant.

1.Get a preconception checkup.
Before you officially start trying, get a checkup. Ask your doctor about prenatal vitamins that have folic acid, which helps protect against some birth defects, such as spina bifida. Folic acid works during the early stages of pregnancy, so that’s why it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough folic acid even before you get pregnant.

“Do this the cycle before you start trying,” says Paula Hillard, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University. “If you have any underlying medical problems, they need to be under control before you can safely become pregnant.”

  1. Get to know your cycle.
    How much do you know about your menstrual cycle? Really understanding helps you know when you’re most fertile, says Hillard. Ovulation is the best time to get pregnant. “This is the time to focus on having sex,” Hillard says.

It helps to become aware of the signs of ovulation, such as a change in your cervical mucus. It usually becomes thin and slippery when you are most fertile. Some women may also feel a one-sided twinge of pain.

Ovulation prediction kits can also help you predict the best time to get pregnant, says James Goldfarb, MD, director of the infertility service at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. Not only can they help assure you that you are ovulating, “if you are having infrequent intercourse, this tells you when to have it to increase your chances of getting pregnant,” he says.

Here’s how it works: The first day of your menstrual period is considered day one. “Start testing on day nine and keep going until you get a positive,” advises Joanne Piscitelli, MD, an associate professor of gynecology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Women with a 28-day cycle tend to ovulate on day 14. But many women have longer or shorter cycles, so casting a wide net can help you be sure.

What if you’ve been using birth control? Do you need to wait a while before trying to get pregnant? Not really, says Goldfarb. “Years ago, the conventional wisdom was to wait a certain amount of time after stopping birth control to try to get pregnant but that is no longer true. You can start trying to conceive right after you stop birth control,” Goldfarb says. The only thing to keep in mind is that you could get pregnant before you get your period, so tracking ovulation may be difficult, and it might be harder to figure out your due date. For this reason, “some people may feel better waiting until they get one period on their own,” he says.

  1. Don’t worry about the best positions for getting pregnant.
    Myths abound about the best positions for getting pregnant, but they are just that — myths. There is really no scientific evidence saying that the missionary position is better than the woman being on top when it comes to maximizing your chances of making a baby.

“Very rarely, a woman’s cervix is in an unusual position where certain positions can make a difference,” Goldfarb tells WebMD.

Certain gravity-defying positions, such as sitting or standing during intercourse, however, may discourage sperm from traveling upstream. “It’s a matter of gravity [and] you don’t want all the semen to run out — and semen are quick little critters,” Hillard says.

  1. Stay in bed right after intercourse.
    You have probably heard this one — lie in bed with your feet in the air after having sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant. The verdict? Not (totally) true.

“It’s good advice to lay in bed for 10 to 15 minutes after intercourse, but you don’t need your feet in the air,” Goldfarb says. “Your pelvis does not move when you put your legs in the air.” Don’t go the bathroom during this time either, he says. “If you wait 10 to 15 minutes, the sperm that is going to get into the cervix will be in the cervix.”

  1. Don’t overdo it.
    Having sex every day even during ovulation will not necessarily increase your chances of getting pregnant. “In general, every other night around the time of ovulation helps increase your chance of getting pregnant,” Goldfarb says. Sperm can live up to 5 days inside your body. The best suggestion is to have sex regularly — when you’re ovulating, and when you’re not.

Speaking of sperm, “wearing tight-fitting clothing can negatively affect sperm count,” Piscitelli says. So too can spending time in hot tub or Jacuzzi. Your man’s cell phone habits may also also need some work. A study in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed that men who used a hands-free device with a cell phone and kept their phone close to their testicles had poorer sperm quality.

They might need to pass on the edamame and other soy foods for a while, too. Men who eat a lot of soy foods may have a lower sperm concentration than men who don’t eat soy foods, according to a study published online in Human Reproduction.

  1. De-stress any way you can.
    Try not to get stressed out about starting a family. You may roll your eyes if someone says, “Just relax and it will happen,” but stress can actually interfere with ovulation. So the more relaxed you are, the better!

Whatever helps you de-stress is fine, as long as it’s healthy. “There is some evidence that acupuncture can help reduce stress and increase your chances of becoming pregnant,” Goldfarb says. And although drinking too much alcohol when trying to get pregnant isn’t smart, a glass of wine won’t hurt.

  1. Live a healthy life.
    Exercising is a healthy habit — especially if it helps keep you at your ideal weight. Just like anything else, though, you can get too much of a good thing. “Too much exercise can cause you not to ovulate,” Goldfarb says.

What’s too much? It may be different for different women. If you are a hard-core exerciser and are still getting your period regularly, your exercise regimen is most likely not a problem, he says. But, Goldfarb adds, your menstrual period is not the first thing to go if you are exercising too heavily. “The first thing that happens is that you have a shorter second half of your cycle. You should have a period 14 days after you ovulate, but too much exercise can shorten this phase.” This would be the first hint that you need to curtail your fitness regimen. He suggests tracking how long it takes you to get a period after you ovulate as the best way to know for sure.

Goldfarb says the best way to increase your chances of getting pregnant while getting the health benefits of regular exercise is to do moderate exercise — think brisk walking — two and a half hours each week (or at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week).

Stop smoking to increase your chances of getting pregnant,” Hillard says. Aside from all the other negative health effects of smoking, this nasty habit also decreases fertility. “It affects estrogen levels and ovulation.”

And don’t worry too much about your day planner. “Eighty-five percent of women will become pregnant within one year of trying,” Hillard says.

How to Get Pregnant Fast
Can’t wait to get that positive test result? These expert tips for getting pregnant can help you on the path to parenthood.
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profile picture of Stacey Feintuch
ByStacey Feintuch
Contributing Writer
Updated
July 30, 2021
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Image: iStock

Once you’ve made the big decision to start a family, it’s hard to wait. And while your patience may be waning, you can (and should!) begin planning right away. That’s because—as it turns out—there’s more to getting pregnant fast than just having sex at the right time; it’s also about creating the perfect environment so that when sperm meets egg, a healthy embryo grows into a healthy baby.

Conceiving quickly may be the goal, but it’s never a guarantee. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to help kick start the process. So if you’re wondering how to get pregnant fast, read on for all the top dos and don’ts. From tracking ovulation to changing your diet, we’re sharing a few tips to help you on the exciting journey to parenthood.

In this article:
Step 1: Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Step 2: Stop taking birth control
Step 3: Track your ovulation
Step 4: Have well-timed sex
How long does it take to get pregnant?

Step 1: Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
If you’re wondering how to increase your chances of getting pregnant fast, self-care can go a long way. It’s 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, we’ve outlined some simple health tips to get pregnant (fingers crossed!).

See your doctor
First things first: Schedule a preconception check-up. Your ob-gyn can talk to you about your overall health and suggest any necessary lifestyle changes to help you get pregnant fast. Be sure to discuss any pre-existing conditions that might affect your pregnancy and medications you’re currently taking. You can also explore your family history to decide if genetic screening is advisable.

RELATED VIDEO
Visit your dentist
Don’t forget to pay your dentist a visit too. Gum disease has been linked to underweight and premature babies. Not only that, pregnancy is notoriously tough on teeth and gums. Your dentist can make sure your oral hygiene is in good standing before you get pregnant.

Get some exercise
Now is a great time to establish healthy exercise habits to prepare your body for pregnancy. Even squeezing in a short daily walk is enough to get your heart rate up and contribute to good health. What’s more, some types of exercise can help set you up for an easier labor and delivery! Just be careful not to overdo it; studies have shown that extreme exercise, especially working out to the point of exhaustion, may mess with your menstrual cycle and lead to fertility issues.

Aim for a healthy weight
According to the Mayo Clinic, attaining a healthy weight before conception can help set you up for success, both improving your odds of getting pregnant fast and reducing your risk of certain complications. Obesity is associated with irregular ovulation, so it may take longer to conceive if your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher.

Start taking prenatal vitamins
It’s never too early to start taking prenatal vitamins. Among other important nutrients, they contain folic acid, which numerous studies have found to be critically important for baby at every stage of development—plus, it helps promote ovulation, encourages fertilization and supports early embryo survival, says Audrey Gaskins, ScD, an instructor of nutrition and dietetics at Harvard Medical School. Your ob-gyn can prescribe a prenatal vitamin or offer recommendations for some good over-the-counter options. Foods like strawberries, spinach, beans and orange juice are also naturally high in folate.

Don’t smoke
Smoking can impact your chances of getting pregnant fast. It’s linked to a greater risk of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancies. “Smokers have significantly lower levels of estrogen, which could lower the probability of ovulation in a given menstrual cycle and potentially affect pregnancy maintenance,” Gaskins says. It’s a habit your partner should also kick to the curb—smoking can lower the quality and quantity of their sperm.

Watch your caffeine consumption
You don’t have to cut out caffeine completely, but stick to one to two 8-ounce cups a day. The research is limited and the results are mixed, but somes studies suggest that excessive caffeine intake may lead to fertility issues.

Cut back on alcohol
While an occasional glass of wine isn’t going to affect your fertility, you might consider avoiding alcohol altogether while you’re trying to conceive. No amount of alcohol is considered safe to drink while pregnant, and since you won’t know the exact moment you conceive, doctors suggest skipping it altogether. Your partner may want to limit their drinking as well. Research has found that heavy alcohol consumption can affect a man’s sperm count and quality.

Eat a healthy diet
You should try to eat a nutritious, balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Gaskin explains that healthy foods help increase progesterone levels (a key hormone in maintaining pregnancy), support ovulation and encourage early implantation—three critical factors in conceiving.

Reduce outside stress
Want to know how to get pregnant fast? Take a breath and slow down. While the research is mixed, many studies have found a link between stress and infertility. Of course, if you’re having trouble conceiving, you may find yourself even more agitated; it’s a vicious cycle. To that end, you’ll want to find a calming activity that brings you joy; try some gentle yoga or meditation, and consider talk therapy if you’re struggling with your mental health.

Swap out your partner’s tight underwear
Time to make the switch to boxers (sorry tighty-whitey fans!) and trade your partner’s favorite skinny jeans for a less restrictive pair. Tight underwear and pants can have a negative effect on a man’s sperm count and quality; a study found that men who wear more forgiving options have higher sperm concentration and count than those who prefer bottoms that leave little to the imagination.

Ask your partner to avoid hot tubs
It’s not just an old wives’ tale; hot water really can have a negative effect on a man’s sperm count, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If you and your partner are looking to get pregnant quickly, it may be time to cut back on long soaks.

Step 2: Stop Taking Birth Control
It may seem obvious, but if you want to get pregnant fast, you’ll need to quit your method of birth control. Depending on what form you’re using, fertility doesn’t necessarily return right away. With barrier methods, like condoms, upping your chance of getting pregnant is as easy as leaving them in your nightstand drawer. If you have a non-hormonal IUD removed, your body will immediately be ready for pregnancy. But for women who have been using hormonal forms of birth control, it can sometimes take a few weeks for your body to regulate and ovulate.

“Especially when women have been on birth control for a very long time, cycles may not occur right away. They may be absent or very irregular for a month or so,” says Eric D. Levens, MD, medical director at Shady Grove Fertility Clinic. Typically with the pill, “after about six to eight weeks, you should start seeing your cycle. If after 8 to 10 weeks you’re still not getting a period, it’s wise to seek help from a doctor to figure out what’s going on.”

Step 3: Track Your Ovulation
Determining how to get pregnant fast is secondary. First, you’ll need to figure out how your body works. Knowing when you’re going to ovulate—and, therefore, when you’re most fertile—is key. Nailing down the timing isn’t always easy, but luckily there are several ways to track your ovulation.

Learn when ovulation happens
It’s a good idea to understand the basics of how ovulation works so you can monitor your body for signs and symptoms. It’s a common misconception that ovulation always occurs on the 14th day after your period starts, but that only happens if your menstrual cycle is consistent and 28 days long. Every woman’s cycle is different. “The average cycle is anywhere from 24 to 35 days, and it doesn’t vary by more than three to four days on any given month,” Levens says. Depending on how long your cycle is, ovulation can actually happen between 11 to 21 days after the first day of your last period (or even earlier or later, if you have a particularly short or long cycle). But while the timing of ovulation depends on the woman’s unique cycle, all healthy women will get their periods 12 to 14 days after ovulation.

Use an ovulation calculator
When you have an important goal, you track what you need to do in a calendar—so it makes sense when you’re planning one of the biggest projects of your life (hello, baby!) 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 you’ll begin to see patterns as to when your period typically starts and when you’re 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 calculator—it’ll do some fast math and highlight the days of the calendar on which you have the highest chance of getting pregnant.

Recognize ovulation symptoms
An app can crunch the numbers and give you likelihoods, but one of the simplest ways to get pregnant is to listen to your body and watch for symptoms of ovulation. You may have just one or two, or you may have several of the following signs:

• Light spotting
• Clear, stretchy cervical mucus
• Increased libido
• Breast sensitivity and tenderness
• Heightened sense of taste, sight or smell
• Bloating
• Change in cervical firmness and position (it’ll feel softer, higher and more open)
• A sudden and sustained increase in your basal body temperature

Boost your odds with an ovulation kit
While recognizing ovulation symptoms helps you get more acquainted with your cycle, there’s a chance that, by the time you notice them, you might already be past your most fertile window. So if you’re looking for how to get pregnant fast, ovulation tests can help. These over-the-counter predictor kits track your ovulation by measuring the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), a hormone produced by your pituitary gland, in your urine. Your body is always creating LH, but it makes more of it 24 to 48 hours before you ovulate.

For the best results, take the test at the same time each day for several days and refrain from drinking or urinating two hours before testing. Typically, you place the test strip in a cup of your urine or directly in your urine stream, then watch for results on a digital monitor. A certain color or sign will appear to signal an LH surge. When this happens, it means you’ll be ovulating soon and should plan to have sex. Just keep in mind that these tests aren’t 100 percent accurate, since they usually only test for one indicator of ovulation. Certain health conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome or Luteinized Unruptured Follicle Syndrome, and some fertility medications can result in an inaccurate reading.

Chart your basal body temperature
Charting your basal body temperature (BBT) is another way to find out when you’re ovulating. While your non-ovulating, normal temperature is 96 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit, your BBT changes throughout your cycle, and during ovulation it may be a half-degree higher. To track your BBT, take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed using a special BBT thermometer designed to measure temperature in tenths of degrees. Record your BBT on a chart for several months and look for a pattern to emerge. You can assume you’ve ovulated when you have a slightly higher BBT for three or more days. If you’re having trouble seeing a pattern or change in your BBT, you might want to try taking your BBT rectally or vaginally for more accurate results. Unfortunately, though, you don’t have much time to try to conceive by the time your BBT has risen; this method is more about getting to know your body and figuring out your overall pattern of fertility. When you figure out that monthly pattern, you can plan to have sex a few days before your anticipated BBT spike.

Step 4: Have Well-Timed Sex
When you’re trying to conceive, it gives you an incentive to hit the sheets all the time. But like anything, too much of a good thing can backfire. Experts say the best way to get pregnant fast is to have sex once a day, every other day, during the fertile window right before and after ovulation. If you have sex too often, your partner’s sperm count may be reduced, and if you don’t have enough sex, the sperm may be old and unable to swim as fast. Suffice to say: Getting pregnant isn’t necessarily as simple as getting busy—and there are some considerations to keep top of mind when it’s finally time for baby-making activities.

Don’t use lube
If getting pregnant is the goal, you may want to lay off the lube. While it can make you feel more comfortable during sex, some lubricants can make sperm more likely to die before reaching the egg. Opt for a lubricant that’s “sperm-friendly,” or try ramping up the foreplay to enhance your own natural lubrication.

Don’t douche after sex
Douching after sex can sabotage your chances of getting pregnant. What’s more, it can also put you at risk for a pelvic infection—which is why most doctors advise against it, even if you’re not actively trying to get pregnant.

Skip oral sex
While there’s no definitive proof, some early research has found that large amounts of saliva may inhibit sperm’s motility. So if you know you’re ovulating and you’re actively trying to get pregnant (and fast!), you may want to abstain from this particular activity—just in case.

Don’t worry about specific sex positions to get pregnant
Believe it or not, research hasn’t discovered any particular positions that are better at helping women get pregnant fast—you can conceive in just about any sex position. “The position you have sex in will not prevent you from getting pregnant and will not cause infertility,” says Rachel Gurevich, fertility expert and coauthor of Birth Plans for Dummies. So it’s okay to experiment and find a sex position that works best for both you and your partner. “One of the things to keep in mind when selecting a position is choosing one where both partners are comfortable and able to enjoy the encounter, as well as orgasm,” says Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, a certified doula. If you want, you can try lying on your back after sex, bending your knees and tilting your pelvis backward at a 45-degree angle for 30 minutes, which may help hold in the semen.

Keep the fun (and intimacy) alive
One of our top tips for getting pregnant: Have fun with it. It’s easy to become so hyper-focused on the end goal that you forget to enjoy yourselves; baby making shouldn’t become a chore, so try to keep things spontaneous and sexy. Trying to get pregnant can sometimes make doing the deed feel like a business transaction, so don’t overthink it. You might as well take pleasure in the journey.

Make sure to stay connected outside of the bedroom too. Share your feelings, and listen to your partner. This is especially important if you encounter obstacles while trying to get pregnant; you want this experience to be a positive one—and that starts with honesty, intimacy and open communication.

How Long Does It Take to Get Pregnant?
Most healthy couples who have frequent, unprotected sex become pregnant within a year, according to the Mayo Clinic. One study found that 38 percent conceived after one month, 68 percent after three months, 81 percent after six months and 92 percent after 12 months. Still, sometimes you might need some help.

If you’re in your early 30s or younger and you and your partner are both healthy, it’s okay to actively try for a year without using birth control before speaking with your ob-gyn or a fertility specialist. After all, it’s important to keep in mind that even at the peak of fertility, the chances of getting pregnant in any given month is only about 1 in 5, Levens says.

Since fertility decreases as you age, you may want to get help at the six-month mark if you’re over 35. The sooner you see a doctor, the more likely you are to get pregnant fast. “Some causes of infertility worsen over time,” Gurevich says. “And by waiting, you may be reducing the odds for success with fertility treatments.”

The key is to not blame yourself if you aren’t getting pregnant. Infertility is common—one in eight couples have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy, according to a survey by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And don’t assume you’re the problem; difficulty conceiving may be linked to the woman, man or a combination of factors. If trying to get pregnant is stressful, reach out to a trusted friend or family member, or seek out a therapist. Also consider joining an in-person or online support group so you can share your feelings with others going through the same experience.

You want to get pregnant fast, but it may take time and patience. Some couples have immediate success, others will have a long journey ahead. The most important thing you can do right now is take control of your physical and mental health, so you can feel empowered as you embark on this path. Be proactive now—and then take it one step at a time.

How to get pregnant: Tips and facts to increase fertility
By Cari Nierenberg , Sarah Wild published December 10, 2021

We’ve spoken to the experts to come up with 10 tips for how to get pregnant quickly and safely.

How to get pregnant: Woman receiving results of pregnancy
(Image credit: Getty)
Jump to:
Tip 1: Track period
Tip 2: Monitor ovulation
Tip 3: Find ‘fertile window’
Tip 4: Strive for healthy weight
Tip 5: Take a prenatal vitamin
Tip 6: Eat healthy foods
Tip 7: Find balance in workouts
Tip 8: Know the impact of age
Tip 9: Kick smoking
Tip 10: Know when to seek help
How to get pregnant if you have PCOS
What if you have endometriosis?
Other questions
Additional resources
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 ten 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, according to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine. This 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, while a man’s sperm can survive in a woman’s body for up to five days according to the American Pregnancy Association.

  1. 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.

Related: Signs of labor: 6 clues baby is coming soon

—Home ovulation-prediction kits can reduce the guesswork needed to figure out when a woman is ovulating. Sold at drug stores, the kits test urine for luteinizing hormone, a substance whose levels increase each month during ovulation and cause the ovaries to release an egg. The three days right after a positive test result are the best time for couples to have sex to increase their odds of becoming pregnant, the American Pregnancy Association said.

—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.

calendar for tracking ovulation

Tracking ovulation can help women to get pregnant faster. (Image credit: Getty)
—Basal body temperature is also a good way to monitor ovulation in most cases, according to research in the journal Fertility and Sterility. 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.

  1. HAVE SEX EVERY OTHER DAY DURING THE FERTILE WINDOW
    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.

When a woman has identified that fertility window, should they have sex every day? Research has shown that there hasn’t been a big difference in pregnancy rates between couples who had sex every day during the “fertile window” (37%) compared with couples who did it every other day (33%), Pavone said. “And having sex every other day might be easier for a couple to pull off,” she added.

Related: Trying to conceive: 10 tips for men

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:

Glow Ovulation, Period Tracker
Fertility Friend FF App
Clue: Health & Period Tracker
There are plenty of pregnancy myths about conception. For example, there’s no evidence that sex position will influence a couple’s chances of having a baby, nor does a woman lying on her back for a certain amount of time after intercourse increase the odds of conceiving, Pavone told Live Science.

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.

  1. STRIVE FOR A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT
    woman exercising outside

A healthy body weight increases the chances of pregnancy (Image credit: Getty)
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.

  1. 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.

  1. EAT HEALTHY FOODS
    pregnant woman choosing food

The body needs the right nutrients for a healthy pregnancy (Image credit: Getty)
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, according to the Mayo Clinic. 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.

  1. 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.

Related: Can you run while pregnant?

  1. 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.

  1. KICK THE SMOKING AND DRINKING HABITS
    If you want to get pregnant, you should quit smoking.

(Image credit: Science Photo Library/Getty Images)
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, according to a 2009 study published in BMJ Journals. Taking marijuana while pregnant or attempting to conceive should also be avoided.

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 in the United States, half of all pregnant women drink alcohol around the time they conceive or during 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.

  1. KNOW WHEN TO SEEK HELP
    A couple visits a fertility doctor to help them figure out how to get pregnant.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Both the woman and the man should consider having an infertility evaluation if the woman is 35 or older and has not become pregnant after six months of having sex regularly without using birth control, Pavone said.

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:

Irregular periods or no periods, caused from lack of ovulation
Higher than normal levels of male hormones that may result in excess hair on the face and body, acne or thinning scalp hair
Multiple small cysts on the ovaries
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, according to a 2019 article in the journal Therapeutic Advcances in Reproductive Health. 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
uterus anatomy

Endometriosis presents itself differently in different women (Image credit: Getty)
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.

Related: Three weeks pregnant: What to expect

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 (NHS).

Can you get pregnant on your period?

Yes, it is possible to get pregnant if a woman has sex during their period, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A woman is less likely to get pregnant during menstruation, but it is still possible. Women are most fertile around the time they ovulate, but predicting this window is not an exact science — and this is particularly true for women who have irregular periods.

How to get pregnant fast

Many people want to know how to get pregnant as quickly as possible. There is no sure-fire way of ensuring a speedy conception, however by following the science and evidence the above tips can help you find the most optimal times to have sex and get pregnant.

Are pregnancy tests accurate?

When used properly, pregnancy tests are claimed to be up to 99% effective, according to the Mayo Clinic. If your test reads positive, this is rarely an error, however false negatives are more common, according to the NHS.

Some pregnancy tests are designed to detect pregnancy as soon as 8 days after conception, while the majority are accurate 21 days after unprotected intercourse. As pregnancy tests can differ, it is essential to read the instructions before taking a pregnancy test.

A pregnancy test works by detecting the human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG). Around six days after successful fertilisation, the body produces this hormone.

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