How to Get Pregnant

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For some people, avoiding pregnancy is difficult; but for others, conceiving a child can be elusive and frustrating. Women are only fertile for a limited time during the menstrual cycle, and there are many factors that can affect fertility and conception. Follow the steps below to increase the likelihood of getting pregnant.

Steps

The Basics of Getting Pregnant

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   Stop using contraceptives. Some birth control methods have a longer "readjustment" period after stopping than others, so the time it takes for a woman's body to be again ready to become pregnant after discontinuing contraception varies.
   
   
   
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   • Many birth control methods make it difficult for some women to conceive for several months after they discontinue regular use.
   • If you have an implanted contraceptive, such as an IUD, you need to see a health professional to have it removed.
   • Getting off of birth control may enable you to become pregnant almost immediately, but take caution to prevent sexually transmitted infections if you previously relied on barrier methods for protection.
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   Evaluate your physical health. Most women find it easier to conceive when they are in good general health. This includes being at a healthy weight, adequately addressing any infections or chronic illnesses, and speaking with a health professional about improving physical wellbeing.
   
   
   
   • If you currently have unaddressed diabetes, high blood pressure, significant extra body weight, bacterial or viral infections, mental health issues, or other serious health concerns, you may be able to improve your chances of conceiving by first resolving your health issues.
   • In some cases, pre-existing health conditions can be aggravated or significantly worsened by pregnancy. Visit a health professional to make sure you are healthy enough for pregnancy and can adequately monitor your condition throughout the pre-conception and pregnancy phases.
   • If you are postmenopausal (you have stopped menstruating completely) or if you have had a surgery that removed your ovaries or tied your fallopian tubes, you will be unable to get pregnant.
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   Have sex. With the exception of certain assisted fertility methods, getting pregnant requires having unprotected sexual intercourse.
   
   
   
   • Pregnancy arises from the union of male and female sex cells; the sperm and egg must meet and travel down the Fallopian tubes to implant on the wall of the woman’s uterus. Without the introduction of sperm into a woman’s vagina, a natural pregnancy cannot be achieved.

Understand Your Menstrual Cycle

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   Track your menstrual cycle. Use a calendar to take note of the day your period starts and ends each month. Half the battle for achieving a natural pregnancy may be learning about your body. Women are fertile for only a few days during each menstrual cycle. Knowing how to identify those days with over the counter tests or symptom tracking can help you target your sexual activity and get pregnant sooner.
   
   
   
   • If you have regular cycles, you can often estimate the time of ovulation by dividing your cycle in half. For example, if your period usually lasts 28 days, you will likely ovulate around day 14 of your cycle (14 days after you begin menstruating). If you have a longer cycle, you may ovulate as late as 20 days after your period began.^[1]
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   Test for ovulation. Most pharmacies and drug stores sell ovulation test kits and tracking systems over the counter (without a prescription). Many can be used just like a pregnancy test, while others may come with additional hormone tests or ovulation calendar tools. If you want to track your cycle without tests, you can track your fertility through temperature and vaginal discharge.
   
   
   
   • When your vaginal discharge is clear and stretchy, like raw egg whites, you are most likely fertile and should plan on having sex daily for 3 to 5 days from the day you noticed this consistency in your discharge. Once the discharge becomes cloudy and drier, you are less likely to conceive.
   • Track your basal body temperature (BBT) daily by plotting your temperature when you wake up each morning to identify the days you are most likely ovulating.^[2] Look for a gradual or sudden rise in temperature (between 0.5 and 1.6 degrees F).^[1] Fertility is highest during the two to three days before your basal temperature rises^[1] so if you can observe any month-to-month patterns in when your temperature rises, you can predict the best time to conceive.
   • Keep your stress under control. Illness and stress can both affect the timing of ovulation, making it difficult to predict.^[1]
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   Recognize the symptoms of pregnancy. If you have missed a period or if you are tracking your menstrual cycle on a daily basis, you can often identify a successful conception very quickly.
   
   
   
   • If you have missed a period, take an over the counter pregnancy test or visit a pregnancy center or physician’s office to confirm your pregnancy.
   • If you have had an abnormally light period or if you cannot remember when your last period occurred, symptoms of nausea, fatigue, vertigo, mood changes, increased breast tenderness and changes in appetite may occur when you get pregnant. Each woman is different, so it’s difficult to predict what symptoms you may have.

How to Have Sex to Get Pregnant

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   Have sex for up to 5 days before ovulation. A woman’s time of ovulation is the point in her menstrual cycle during which she is most likely to become pregnant. If you want to get pregnant as soon as possible, optimizing the timing of sexual intercourse can up the odds of conceiving during your upcoming menstrual cycle. Most women are actually infertile for the majority of the month, so don’t miss this important fertile window.
   • Because sperm can survive in the womb for several days, sexual intercourse prior to ovulation can increase the chance of pregnancy.^[1]
2. 2
   Have sex frequently. If you are not in a hurry to get pregnant, having sex 2 or 3 times each week may result in pregnancy within several months. During and before ovulation, aim for daily intercourse. Although healthy men generate sperm quickly and often have enough sperm to enable conception with multiple ejaculations per day, there is little evidence that having sex more than once per day increases the chances of getting pregnant.^[3]
   • In some cases, having sex only prior to ovulation and focusing solely on getting pregnant can actually reduce the likelihood of making a baby. Increased stress levels and partnership troubles may cause this reduction in fertility.^[4]
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   Do not use spermicides, lubricants, or chemical stimuli. Products aimed at enhancing pleasure or preventing conception should be avoided during intercourse if you are trying to achieve pregnancy.^[4]
   • If possible, avoid even basic lubricants unless sex is painful without it. If you must use lubricant, opt for canola oil, which does not interfere with sperm mobility and vitality like many marketed sexual lubricants.
   • Do not douche. Douching can upset the natural balance in the vagina and may interfere with the environment your body needs to help move sperm to your eggs, and to enable the fertilized egg to implant in the uterine wall.
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   Consider traditional methods of encouraging conception. Although many folkloric tips for improving the chances of getting pregnant are not supported by scientific research, it may not hurt to try.
   • Try to achieve orgasm after your partner ejaculates into you. The female orgasm helps pull sperm into the cervix, which may facilitate the movement of your partner’s sperm.
   • Lay on your back or angle your body with your knees in the air and your head on a pillow to potentially increase the chances of sperm entering your cervix and fallopian tubes.

Eat Foods that Make You More Fertile

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   Avoid foods and drinks that may reduce your ability to conceive or harm a newly conceived baby. Some substances are harmful to your chances of conception, while others can harm your newly developing baby.
   
   
   
   • Women planning to conceive should avoid alcoholic beverages for up to 2 months prior to attempting conception. This is especially true for couples who are having a difficult time conceiving.
   • Avoid excessive caffeine intake – this includes both food and drink. Women who drink more than 3 cups of a caffeinated beverage daily are significantly less likely to get pregnant compared to women who consume 2 cups or less.^[5]
   • Do not smoke or use drugs. Nicotine and illegal street drugs, such as cocaine or marijuana, can impair your body’s ability to get pregnant and develop a healthy baby. Tobacco affects cervical mucous in ways that may obstruct fertilization.^[1] Smoking also reduces sperm count and sperm health.^[6] Exposure to second-hand smoke can be just as counterproductive.^[6]
   • Consumption of pesticides may also be linked to pregnancy difficulties,^[7] so now may be a good time for couples to choose organic foods.
   • Avoid trans fat, often found in processed baked goods and sweetened foods. There is some evidence that a diet high in trans fat (especially relative to monounsaturated fat intake) can increase chances of infertility.^[8]
   • Avoid questionably prepared raw fish, unpasteurized cheeses, sprouts, prepackaged foods that don’t look fresh, and lunch meats containing nitrates. These foods and other foods that are undercooked or improperly cleaned can lead to food poisoning or illness, reducing your chances of supporting a healthy pregnancy.
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   Eat foods thought to increase fertility. Traditional medicine and folklore have long held that certain foods promote or decrease fertility and sexual appetite. In recent years, scientific research has confirmed some of the potential biological mechanisms for certain foods’ perceived effects on fertility.
   • Eat a diet rich in organic plant-based foods that includes grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. The antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals provided by these foods are thought to improve cellular health and even promote a healthy uterine lining.
   • The right kinds of protein can help boost fertility; tofu, chicken, eggs, and some seafood are high in omega-3 fatty acids, iron, selenium, and other fertility-enhancing components.
   • Consuming full-fat dairy products, such as whole milk or full-fat frozen yogurt, can potentially improve fertility over a diet of only low-fat or fat-free dairy.^[9]
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   Eat as if you were already pregnant. One of the best ways to prepare your body for conceiving and hosting a baby is to eat as if you were already nurturing a developing baby. Not only that, but following a healthy diet before pregnancy can be essential to conception and will make it easier to maintain a healthy diet during pregnancy.
   
   
   
   • This does not mean increasing your calorie intake, but it does mean avoiding fatty and sugary foods, high-mercury fish, caffeine, and alcohol while upping your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy or dairy substitutes like coconut and soy-based alternatives, whole grains, and lean protein sources.
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   Take prenatal vitamins. There is some evidence that iron, folic acid, and a good balance of essential vitamins and nutrients can assist in conception. For example, taking folic acid supplements before trying to conceive may reduce the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.^[1]
   
   
   
   • The nutrients in prenatal vitamins are excellent to already have in your diet once you get pregnant.^[10] As a bonus, you will already be in the habit of taking a prenatal vitamin once you are pregnant.
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   Encourage your partner to eat foods that promote sperm health. Men should take a multi-vitamin that contains vitamin E and vitamin C, eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine, and fat and sugar intake.^[11]
   • Men should also make sure they get plenty of selenium (55mcg per day), as selenium is suspected to increase fertility particularly in men.^[12]

Overcome Common Fertility Problems

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   Visit a health professional if you have difficulty conceiving. Healthy couples under the age of 35 engaging in regular (twice weekly) intercourse should be able to conceive within 12 months (plus time for readjusting after discontinuing birth control).^[1] If you’re over 35, this time frame reduces to 6 months. If you are tracking your cycle and targeting intercourse, that window should shrink up to 6 months. If you have not conceived in the expected time frame, consult a health professional.
   • When couples are having difficulty conceiving, many common practices or health issues are to blame. Many physicians first recommend lifestyle changes – from losing weight and improving diet to beginning exercise and having sex more frequently – to address fertility concerns. Only after non-invasive, natural methods for improving fertility fail do many physicians recommend more stringent tests or lifestyle changes to achieve pregnancy.
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   Get tested for common fertility problems. Everything from illness and stress to excessive exercise and medications can decrease fertility.
   • Certain medications can prevent or complicate conception. Provide your health practitioner with a complete list of medications, herbs, supplements, and any specialty drinks or foods you are eating so that he or she can evaluate your list for potential fertility blocks.
   • Get checked for sexually transmitted infections. Some infections can decrease your ability to conceive, while others can cause permanent infertility if left untreated.
   • Women over the age of 35 and women who are peri-menopausal may experience difficulty in getting pregnant due to the natural decline in fertility that occurs as women age. In most cases, pregnancy can still be achieved but may take longer and require more targeted intercourse and lifestyle changes.
   • Have a gynecological examination. In some cases, women may have a removable tissue barrier that is preventing sperm from reaching the egg, or may have a physical condition that affects the menstrual cycle, such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.^[13] In general, it’s a good idea to have regular gynecological exams once a year to make sure that you’re healthy.
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   Consider in-depth fertility testing for you and your partner. If both you and your partner have been given a clean bill of general health by a physician, consider sperm testing and medical monitoring of your fertility.
   • Men should have a semen analysis to check the quality and number of sperm emitted during ejaculation. Additional male fertility tests include a blood test to check for hormone levels and ultrasounds that monitor the ejaculation process or sperm duct obstruction.^[14]
   • Fertility tests for women often include hormone tests to check for thyroid, pituitary, and other hormone levels during ovulation and at other times during the menstrual cycle. Hysterosalpingography, laparoscopy, and pelvic ultrasounds are more involved procedures that can be used to evaluate the uterus, endometrial lining, and fallopian tubes for scarring, blockage, or disease. Ovarian reserve testing and genetic tests for inherited infertility problems can also be performed.^[14]

Consider Fertility Treatments to Get Pregnant

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   Thoroughly discuss your next steps with your partner. Because fertility treatments can be expensive, stressful, and time-consuming, it is best to discuss the matter thoroughly and objectively with your partner before committing to the process.
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   Speak with a trusted health professional before visiting a fertility clinic. A health professional who has no motivation for promoting a particular therapy or procedure can help you and your partner understand the basic options for assisted reproductive therapies.
   • Some procedures carry risks, and others may only be advisable in women without certain health characteristics. A health professional that has your best interest in mind will not promote the use of technologies that are not appropriate for your individual situation.
   • Many physicians can also give advice about understanding costs and insurance coverage and provide a realistic, unbiased idea of how long and how successful attempted reproductive assistance may be for you and your partner.
   • Ask for recommendations regarding particular fertility specialists or clinics, and get a referral if necessary.
   • Fertility treatments may also be useful for women over 35 and women who have difficulty carrying a pregnancy to term.
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   Visit a fertility specialist or fertility clinic. Set an appointment just to talk about your situation and your expectations for getting pregnant. It can also be useful to develop a list of questions you have for your first visit.
   • At your first visit, do not expect to have a physical evaluation or to begin treatment. Just show up ready to ask questions and learn about your options.
   • Ask about the clinic’s prices, success rates, and the types of fertility assistance they provide. Do not feel obligated to commit to a particular treatment center after a single visit; visit several and keep your options open until you identify the best clinic for you.
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   Ask about NaPRO technology to get pregnant.^[15] NaPRO attempts to correct individuals’ causes of infertility through improved, personalized fertility monitoring and targeted surgical intervention. In small trials, the process produced better results than In Vitro Fertilization, and the procedures involved in NaPRO may be covered by many insurance plans.
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   Consider using In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant. IVF is considered the most effective and common method of achieving pregnancy through assisted reproductive technology.^[16]
   • IVF involves the removal of mature eggs from your body (or that of a donor) and its fertilization with your partner’s (or a donor’s) sperm in a laboratory, with subsequent insertion of the fertilized egg into your uterus to promote implantation.
   • Each cycle can last 2 or more weeks, but most insurance companies pay for few – if any – IVF cycles. The process is invasive and both the egg extraction and the implantation portions of IVF carry risks.^[17]
   • IVF is less likely to succeed in women with endometriosis, women who have not previously given birth, and women who use frozen embryos. Women over the age of 40 are often counseled to use donor eggs due to success rates of less than 5%.^[18]
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   Ask about Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). If your fertility troubles are caused by difficulties in sperm reaching the egg or by sperm inadequacies of your male partner, artificial insemination or donor insemination may provide a solution.^[19]
   • Artificial insemination involves the injection of sperm into the woman’s body to circumvent male ejaculatory problems. If the male partner’s sperm is infertile, a donor’s sperm can be injected into the woman’s body in an attempt to conceive as well. This process is often performed 1 day after ovulation hormones rise in the woman, and can be done in a doctor’s office with no pain or surgical intervention.^[20]
   • IUI may be used for up to 6 months before trying alternate, more expensive, and more invasive therapies. In some cases, the therapy can be combined with fertility drugs for the woman, and the injection of healthy sperm works the first time.