When trying to conceive, it’s important to know your fertility window. Using ovulation monitoring techniques, such as tracking your basal body temperature or checking for stretchy “egg white” cervical mucus can help you pinpoint your most fertile days.
Many couples try to maximize their chances of pregnancy by having sex everyday during their fertile window. But does this really work?
The Fertile Window
The chances of getting pregnant through timed sex are highest in the days leading up to and on the day of ovulation (the day that the egg is released). This window of fertility lasts up to six days and can be pinpointed using a Clearblue Ovulation Test, among other tools.
It’s a myth that frequent ejaculation reduces sperm count or potency, but it is important to have as much sex as you want during the fertile window, especially after your LH surge. It is also important to note that the egg that’s released can only survive for 24 hours, so if you have sex outside of this window, your chance of pregnancy is much lower.
Knowing your ovulation window helps you avoid unintended pregnancy and maximize the likelihood of conception. However, it isn’t always easy to predict ovulation, and ovulation can happen in different days for each woman. Fortunately, there are many methods to help you identify your fertile window, including monitoring basal body temperature, tracking ovulation via a Clearblue Ovulation Monitor or app, and using cervical mucus tests. The more you use these tools to track your cycle, the more accurate your predictions will become. And remember, if you’re using any type of birth control, you should continue to use it every day of your menstrual cycle, not just during the fertile window.
Days Before Ovulation
The days before ovulation are the most fertile days of the menstrual cycle. This is because an egg can only survive for 12-24 hours after it leaves the ovary. During these days, sperm can fertilize an egg and cause conception.
This is why it’s important to have sex at this time. It is also the reason why so many people feel more sexually aroused at this time of the month. The oestrogen hormones that are released during this period cause cervical mucus to become stretchy and “egg white” in consistency, which increases sperm’s chance of entering the reproductive tract and fertilizing an egg.
In order to increase pregnancy rates, it is recommended that couples have sex every day or at least every other day during the fertile window. However, this may not be possible or enjoyable for everyone.
In addition to having sex regularly, other things that can help improve pregnancy rates are following a healthy diet, getting adequate exercise, managing stress, and maintaining a normal weight. If these factors are in place, the chances of conceiving significantly increase. In fact, a recent study showed that women under the age of 30 have an 85% chance of becoming pregnant within a year. This figure declines slightly as the woman approaches her mid-30s. For this reason, it is particularly important to be aware of your ovulation schedule and be aware of when you are most fertile.
Days After Ovulation
The days after ovulation are your least fertile. The ovulation window lasts up to six days, from the day before ovulation to one day after, and your chances of getting pregnant are very low after that.
You can have sex on the day after ovulation, but it’s unlikely that you will get pregnant. That’s because the egg released can only survive for about 12 to 24 hours. The sperm, on the other hand, can live for five days in the fallopian tubes, where it’s possible to fertilize an egg.
Your chances of getting pregnant are highest during the five to six days before and directly after ovulation, so you should have frequent intercourse (ideally everyday or every other day) during that time. This will replenish the supply of sperm in your reproductive tract, which is necessary for fertilizing an egg, says certified nurse-midwife and reproductive endocrinologist Tiffanny Jones.
The best way to know when you’re most fertile is to track your menstrual cycle, using an app or ovulation monitor like Clearblue. You can also use your basal body temperature and cervical mucus to pinpoint your most fertile days. Most women’s ovulation happens 14 days after the first day of their period, but the exact timing varies from woman to woman. You might need to try tracking your ovulation for several cycles before you’re able to predict it with accuracy.
Days In Between
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how often a woman should have sex while trying to conceive. However, research shows that the more sex a woman has in her fertile window, the more likely she is to get pregnant. Ideally, women should have sex every day or every other day in the week leading up to and the day of ovulation. This is especially important for people using intrauterine insemination (IUI) to try to conceive.
Ovulation occurs when a surge in the hormone luteinizing hormone triggers an egg to be released into the fallopian tubes where it can be fertilized by sperm. The most fertile days are the day before ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. The majority of pregnancies occur around this time.
It is possible to conceive during other days of the menstrual cycle, but these are usually less fertile. For the best results, you should use a fertility monitor like Clearblue to pinpoint your ovulation window.
If you are not using a fertility monitor, it is still good to have sex daily during the fertile window. This will increase your chances of getting pregnant, but you should always use a condom for backup birth control to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections. If you are unsure when you are ovulating, you can try to track your menstrual cycle by taking notes on when you have sex or using an online ovulation calculator.
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