Trying to conceive?
It’s well-known that the easiest time for a woman to get pregnant is in her 20s. And in her early 20s she will also run the lowest risk of having a miscarriage. But for many that is atime spent focusing on education and a career. For women past the age of 30 the chances of conceiving easily decreases, with a further significant decline past 38. But it’s not all aboutage. Lifestyle factors – essentially healthy living – play a big part as well. But there’s an even bigger factor to consider.
The fertile window
Contrary to popular belief a woman cannot get pregnant at any time. She can only get pregnant in what is known as the ‘fertile window’. Good timing and planning play a part in most things in life that work out well and getting pregnant is no exception. For couples wanting to conceive, the big factor they need to consider is the woman’s fertile window – the time when it is easiest to get pregnant. So, when is that?
It will depend on how long her menstrual cycle is. Twenty-eight days is a common length for a menstrual cycle, but it can vary a lot (around half of women’s cycles vary by five days or more). The fertile window is the few days whenhaving unprotected sex significantly increases the chances of pregnancy. With menstrual cycles varying so much the timing of ovulation will also vary. It can sometimes be difficult to work out exactly when that fertile window is.
The fertile window lasts for six days. With ovulation typically occurring approximately 14 days before your period, and fertility peaking in the few days prior. Pregnancy can occur during the five days leading up to ovulation (and including the day of ovulation) though the peak time to conceive is said to be on days 12-14. That, of course, assumes a menstrual cycle of 28 days. For those whose cycles are different that different timing needs to be factored in. When trying to conceive you also need to remember the ovulation date can vary from cycle to cycle. Read more about your fertile window here.
Things to consider
Having sex during that optimum time in the menstrual cycle will increase the chances of conceiving, though that doesn’t mean getting pregnant at other times is impossible. Doctors also talk about the ‘quality’ of sperm being a factor. Male fertility declines with age. Ejaculation frequency also plays a part. Frequent ejaculations create less sperm, but it will be more fertile.
According to Professor William Ledger sperm stored in the testicles for too long damages the DNA, making it less fertile. For couples having sex daily the man’s sperm count will belower per ejaculation, but the sperm will be more fertile. Having sex at least every other day leading up to ovulation is recommended.
Timing is important because the woman’s eggs deteriorate and die soon after ovulation – usually with 24 hours. Prior to that the egg cell loses quality and the chances of conception decreases.
Other factors can help with planning the best time to conceive during the fertile window. Increased basal body temperature is a good indicator as is consistency of cervical mucus. Apositive ovulation test showing the rise in hormones just prior to an egg being released also bodes well.
Luck?
Luck, of course, plays a factor in how long it takes to get pregnant but as we have seen, couples who focus on the fertilewindow increase their chances significantly.
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