Fertility FAQs

If you're trying to get pregnant, you may be unsure how to figure out your cycle, improve your chances of getting pregnant, and where you should seek help if you are having trouble conceiving. Knowing your fertile days can help you increase your chances of getting pregnant, as well as understand what's going on in your body. Below are some common questions that arise when discussing fertility.

Fertility & Ovulation

What is a fertile period and how can I determine mine?

Your fertile period is the time of the month you are most likely to become pregnant if you engage in intercourse. An informal way to determine your fertile time is by counting ahead 14 days from the first day of your menstrual period. It usually takes about 14 days after your period to begin ovulating. However, because your cycle is individual to you, the 14-day rule is not the most accurate way to determine your fertile period. Another option is the fertility awareness method (FAM).

What is the fertility awareness method?

FAM is a collection of practices designed to help you recognize signs of increased fertility so that you may either avoid intercourse on fertile days or plan intercourse if you are trying to conceive. There are three important components that make up this method: monitoring the consistency of your cervical mucus, tracking of your basal body temperature, and checking your cervical position. By charting your results every day, you will be able to understand where you are in your cycle.

Why is the consistency of my cervical mucus important?

Changes in the consistency of your mucus typically occur just before ovulation, so it gives a relatively reliable indication that you're approaching your most fertile time.

During most of a menstrual cycle, your cervical mucus is generally thick, opaque and sticky, similar to paste. It does not support sperm in their quest to find the egg because they cannot swim through it, and the acidity of the vagina soon destroys them. Fertile mucus is clear, stretchy, and usually has a thin, watery texture. It provides natural lubrication, so sperm can swim through it easily.

How do I check my mucus for its consistency?

First, wash your hands to avoid germs. The easiest and most accurate way to check your cervical mucus is by inserting your finger into your vagina and circling it around your cervix. If you would prefer to use toilet paper, simply use it to wipe the entrance to your vagina; however, this method will not provide the most accurate sample.

Once you have obtained some mucus, stretch it between your thumb and index finger to test its consistency. If it looks clear and stretches between your fingers, you are probably close to ovulating and your chances of getting pregnant are high.

How do I check my basal body temperature?

Your basal body temperature is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning, and though charting it may sound daunting, the task is really pretty easy. What you are looking for is a shift in your temperature of at least .4 degrees Fahrenheit over a 48-hour period, which indicates you have ovulated.

Keep your thermometer on a bedside table so you can take your temperature even before you get out of bed in the morning. Also, try to take your temperature at the same time every day. Staying within a half hour of your average time is best because your temperature can vary with time. Plot your readings on a chart each day for a few months and look for a pattern. Getting used to the routine may take some time, but once you've got it down, you'll practically be an expert in your own cycle!

How can my basal body temperature be relied upon if I sometimes get a fever?

While there are factors that can increase your temperature, such as having a fever, drinking alcohol, or getting less than three consecutive hours of sleep, they do not significantly diminish your ability to use your basal body temperature to predict ovulation. Patterns of low and high temperatures should be your focus rather than individual daily readings.

How do I check my cervical position?

Checking your cervical position takes some practice. First, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water. It's a good idea to clip your fingernails, too; you don't want to damage any fragile tissue or introduce any germs. A good time to check your cervical position is after a bath or shower. Sitting on the toilet or standing with one leg on the bathtub, gently insert one or two fingers into your vagina and move them up until you reach your cervix. It should feel something like a rounded cylinder. Like your basal body temperature, your cervix has a monthly pattern. It generally starts out firm, low and closed. During ovulation, it gets softer, shifts upward and feels more open. It only stays this way for a day or two around ovulation and the difference is slight. If you are unsure what is high and what is low, your cervix will be almost unreachable with your finger at its highest point, right around ovulation.

What are my chances of conceiving in any given cycle?

In perfect conditions (a fertile couple whose timing is exactly right), the average expectation for pregnancy to occur is only 25 percent per cycle.

Do I always ovulate on day 14 of my cycle?

Every woman is different, so days of ovulation can vary. However, the time between ovulation and menstruation is almost always between 12 and 16 days. If there is variation in the cycle, it will generally be during the time between when your period ends and ovulation begins.

What is the natal lunar fertile phase?

Sometimes a woman will get pregnant even when the most accurate ovulation chart tells her she is not fertile. Traditionally, doctors felt that these instances were due to a mistake made by the woman. But, according to Czech psychiatrist Dr. Eugene Jonas, ovulation can be triggered by a specific phase of the moon. This phenomena is called the natal lunar fertile phase.

After years of research during the 1950s, Dr. Jonas concluded that "the lunar phase at which a woman is fertile depends on the relationship between the sun and the moon at the moment she is born." In other words, when you were born, the moon was at a particular lunar phase. Every month when the moon returns to this position, it can trigger your body to spontaneously ovulate even if it is outside your normal fertile time. This may not happen every month, but there is a chance.

How do I know when I am ovulating?

The best way to know when you are ovulating is to use FAM by monitoring your cervical mucus, charting your basal body temperature every day, and checking the position of your cervix.

Can I feel ovulation happen?

The most obvious signs of ovulation are those you should monitor, such as your basal body temperature, your cervical mucus and your cervical position. But there are a few others, called secondary fertility signs because not all women experience them, that you may notice on a regular basis. These signs include mid-cycle spotting, abdominal bloating, breast tenderness and water retention. Also, about 20 percent of women feel discomfort or pain in their lower abdomen as the egg leaves the ovary. This is known as 'mittelschmerz' and it can last from a few minutes to several hours.

Is it normal to feel more sexual around ovulation?

Yes. Women typically experience a wet, slippery sensation due to the increased level of estrogen their bodies produce around the time of ovulation. Because this cervical fluid feels similar to sexual lubrication, it can be experienced as a sexual feeling. Women may experience a 25 percent increase in their sexual desire and activity during a three-day period around the time of ovulation, according to one study.

How many days past ovulation can I accurately use a home pregnancy test?

The earliest you can get an accurate result on the most sensitive pregnancy tests is seven days after ovulation. The hCG hormone is produced only after implantation, which generally occurs 6 to 12 days post ovulation, so you should wait at least 10 days after ovulating to take a home pregnancy test to decrease the chance of getting a false negative.

Is it possible to get pregnant while I'm on my period?

Yes, if you have intercourse during your period, there is a chance you could get pregnant. There are two reasons why this can happen. One, not all vaginal bleeding is the result of a menstrual period; some women also experience bleeding during ovulation and mistake it for a period. Secondly, there is a possibility that ovulation could occur before your period has ended or just a few days after. You and your partner could have sex near the end of your period and his sperm could live long enough to fertilize one of your eggs up to several days later.

Can I be pregnant and still get my period every month?

It is unusual to be pregnant and still have a normal period, considering women menstruate because of the drop in progesterone that occurs only when fertilization does not happen. If you were pregnant, your progesterone levels would remain high and prevent you from having a period. Usually when pregnant women bleed, it is due to implantation spotting or hormone shifts occurring during pregnancy. The bleeding that occurs in these instances is different in quantity and quality from that which occurs during a menstrual period.

Is it safe to start trying to get pregnant right after going off the Pill?

Yes. Women used to be encouraged to wait several months before trying to conceive after going off the Pill, but today many doctors recommend trying shortly after you discontinue use because they believe there is a higher chance of conception within that time. It really depends on your body and how soon your cycle returns to the way it was before you started taking the Pill. Some women's cycles go back to normal immediately, while some experience a short delay and others may even take a few months.

How long can a human egg survive?

An egg can live for 24 to 48 hours after being released.

How long can sperm live in my body?

Sperm can live in your body for up to 7 days, or 168 hours.

Can douching affect my ability to conceive?

Yes. You should not douche when you're trying to conceive. In fact, douching at all is unnecessary because it alters the normal acidity of the vagina. Research shows that douching may make it more difficult for a woman to get pregnant, as well as boost her chance of an ectopic pregnancy. In one study of women trying to get pregnant, those who douched more than once a week took the longest to get pregnant.

Are there any sexual positions that can increase my chances for conception?

There is no scientific proof that any one position is best for baby-making, but any position in which your partner's sperm is not likely to leak out of you is thought to be the best. Many experts suspect the traditional missionary position (man on top) presents the best opportunity for conception because it allows for the deepest penetration and deposits sperm closest to the cervix.

Will lying still after intercourse improve my chance of conception?

Some experts believe you can increase your chances of conception by staying in a horizontal position on your back for up to half an hour after intercourse. Elevating your hips with a pillow is also suggested, which could help the sperm travel up the fallopian tube with the forces of gravity.

How soon after having a baby will I start ovulating again?

If you don't breastfeed, your cycle should resume as early as 4 to 8 weeks after giving birth to your baby. If you are fully or nearly fully breastfeeding, however, your periods may not come back until you stop breastfeeding completely. But not getting your period doesn't mean you cannot get pregnant, so you should not use breastfeeding as a form of contraception. Ovulation usually begins about two weeks before your period, opening up the possibility of another pregnancy.

Infertility

What is infertility?

Most experts describe infertility as the inability to conceive after at least one year of having regular, unprotected sex. In 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control, about 7.3 million women in the United States from the ages of 15 to 44 had difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a baby to term.

What are the common causes of infertility?

Infertility in women can result from various conditions, such as blocked fallopian tubes due to past infection, problems with ovulation like irregular or absent periods, and uterine fibroids. In men, infertility is most often caused by sperm abnormalities or low sperm count.

What is secondary infertility?

Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or maintain a pregnancy after having successfully done so before. It is also thought to be more common than primary infertility. Some couples say secondary infertility is more emotionally painful than primary fertility because the causes can be even more mysterious. Furthermore, secondarily infertile couples may not receive as much support or empathy as primarily infertile couples because they have already had a child.

When is it time to see a specialist?

If you are in good health and under the age of 30, you shouldn't worry about infertility unless you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for at least one year. If you are in your 30s and have been trying to conceive for six months, however, you should set up a fertility evaluation with your doctor as soon as possible. Your chances of having a baby decrease every year after your turn 30, so a timely evaluation is especially important.

How is infertility tested?

First a fertility specialist will conduct physical exams and evaluate your and your partner's health and sexual histories. If there are no obvious problems, like poorly timed intercourse or absence of periods, further tests will be needed. A man's sperm is tested for number, shape and movement. A woman's ovulation is monitored, and other procedures, such as a hysterosalpingography or a laparoscopy, can be done to look for problems in the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes.

It can take months to determine the cause of a couples' infertility, so don't be surprised if your doctor doesn't find the source of the problem right away.

How is infertility treated?

In most cases, infertility is treated with medicine or surgery, but it can also be treated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) through procedures like in vitro fertilization and egg donation.

How successful is infertility treatment?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about two-thirds of couples who are treated for infertility are able to have a baby. In recent years, success rates have improved especially dramatically for couples who undergo ART. While the majority of couples who are treated for infertility are eventually able to conceive, success rates vary from couple to couple.