When you decide that it is your time to get pregnant, you may wonder if it will happen fast for you. You may even have friends that seemed to get pregnant really easy and you may feel like you will as well. You might be one of those lucky ones that has no trouble conceiving, but there is a chance it may take longer. Understanding the average time to get pregnant will help relieve any concerns you may have. There is no set time for conception and there are different factors involved. The article below can help you see the average time that it takes to get pregnant and how to increase the odds of speeding things up a bit.
What Is the Average Time to Get Pregnant?
The statistics for conception times are only an average. There are some people who are very fertile each month and they have a better chance of pregnancy each month. These couples have a good chance of getting pregnant quicker than most.
There is another group of people who have lower fertility and less chance of getting pregnant each month. These couples take longer than the above group to conceive.
Average Time to Get Pregnant
Most couples can conceive in about a three month period of time. The factors that can slow down the process include older age, medical conditions or lifestyle habits that reduce fertility.
Here is the average conception times:
- 30% of couples get pregnant in one menstrual cycle (1 month)
- 59% of couples get pregnant in three menstrual cycles (3 months)
- 80% of couples get pregnant in six menstrual cycles (6 months)
- 85% of couples get pregnant in 12 menstrual cycles (12 months)
- 91% of couples get pregnant in 36 menstrual cycles (3 Years)
- 93-95% of couples get pregnant in 48 menstrual cycles (4 years)
Doctor’s usually say you don’t really need to be concerned about fertility problems until you have been trying for a year unsuccessfully. There is always a chance that you will still get pregnant on your own without help after a year of trying, but it is a good idea to get checked by a fertility doctor to make sure there are not any fertility issues. This can help keep you from losing precious years from your biological clock.
Those Who Need Help Conceiving
On the average, around 90% of couples get pregnant on their own or “naturally.” There are about 10% of couples that have true fertility problems or complete infertility. However, the numbers are actually about 93-95% of people can get pregnant on their own if they kept trying for a longer period of time. Some people just wish to go to a fertility specialist sooner instead of waiting.
When couples are unable to conceive after one year, they are usually given a diagnosis of “infertility”. Getting help is very important if you are age 35 or older. Fertility diminishes each year after 35 until menopause. If you are 35 or older, get checked by a fertility doctor if pregnancy does not occur in the first six months of trying.
There are a few couples that decide to take other routes for having a baby such asadoption, a sperm or egg donor or even a surrogate mother.
How to Increase Chances of Getting Pregnant
Timing sex can often be tedious and unromantic. Work and other commitments can also get in the way of having sex at just the right time. When you want to speed up time to get pregnant, here are some things you can do to help:
- Find your ovulation time. Conception happens right around the time your body ovulates or releases an egg from the ovary. You can use an ovulation predictor or learn how to chart your morning basal temperatures. Also learn to look for cervical mucus (discharge) that happens right around ovulation.
- Have sex during ovulation. Timing sexual intercourse for the right time during ovulation can increase your chances of getting pregnant. The optimal time is a few days before ovulation and the day of ovulation. Sperm can live up to 72 hours so it is about a 3 day window.
- Do not overdo it. Most importantly, do not have too much sex. Relax and let it happen naturally every couple of days in your ovulation “window.” Having too much sex can actually lower the sperm count and decrease your chances of fertility.
The following video explains more on how to calculate your most fertile days:
There is a dramatic increase in numbers of people who are able to get pregnant the first year, just by timing sex with ovulation. In the meantime, work on things that can help increase your chances of conception including:
- See your doctor. See your regular doctor for a physical and see your OB/GYN for a female check-up. It is a good idea for your partner/spouse to get a physical too. Men’s health issues can affect sperm count.
- Eat the right diet. There are certain nutrients your body needs for optimal fertility. Look into pre-conception diets to help get your body ready.
- Keep your weight stable. Being overweight or even being too thin can affect fertility.
