Your chance of getting pregnant after ovulation is small. One day past ovulation, your odds are between zero and 11 percent. But don’t let that stop you from having sex! You may be mistaken about your exact day of ovulation. Plus, sex after fertilization may boost your odds of pregnancy. Your Odds of Conceiving Before and After Ovulation Ideally, if you want to get pregnant, you need to have sex before you ovulate. If you were confused about this before—and thought sex needs to come […]

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Getting pregnant after vasectomy reversal is possible. With micro-surgical repair, an average of 90 percent will regain sperm after three to six months, and an average of 73 percent will achieve pregnancy after a year. That said, success rates and time frames vary significantly depending on how many years have passed since the vasectomy, whether the couple has had a child together in the past, the skill of the surgeon, and what kind of repair is required. […]

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If you are trying to get pregnant, you’re likely aware that fertile cervical mucus and a sustained rise in temperature are two important signs that it’s time. But what does it mean if you have days of fertile cervical mucus but your temperature seems to be all over the place? What could be causing this and what are the next steps? Fertile Cervical Mucus, Temperature Rise, and Ovulation Usually, fertile cervical mucus—a watery to raw egg-white like […]

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Ever visit the zoo and witness the bright red bottoms of female baboons and macaques? Those blush butts signal the male mates that it’s breeding time. Thankfully, humans don’t experience such obvious (and embarrassing!) signs of impending ovulation and fertility. But… our most fertile days don’t go without notice. A woman’s fertile window — the time sex is most likely to result in a pregnancy — lasts up to six days each month. A woman is most fertile […]

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You can get pregnant without having sexual intercourse. While ideally, semen should be deposited as close to the cervix as possible to get pregnant (as it would be after vaginal intercourse), you can conceive as long as semen gets anywhere near the vagina or vaginal opening. This may occur if a man ejaculates outside the vagina, or it can occur if semen gets on someone’s fingers and those fingers are placed near or inside the vagina. Pregnancy […]

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Sperm friendly lubricants are important when you’re trying to conceive. Using common lubricants probably won’t keep you from getting pregnant, but they can lower your chances for success. Regular lubricants have been shown in research to inhibit sperm movement, cause DNA damage, and even kill sperm. Many couples who are facing infertility need to use lubricants. One reason, the stress of having sexual intercourse on a “schedule” can lower sexual desire, which in turn can lead to a […]

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If you are considering pregnancy, you might wonder how easy it is to get pregnant. I mean, can’t you just stop taking birth control? The answer is that yes, you may be able to just get pregnant by discontinuing your birth control. This goes for almost any type of birth control. (Remember that some forms of contraception like the intrauterine device (IUD), implants, etc.) will need to be removed by your doctor or midwife.) While it is absolutely […]

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Can you get pregnant without having a period in months? Yes, it’s possible. But it’s not likely. If you’re not getting your periods, this is a good reason to see your gynecologist. There are some normal—and some not-so-normal—reasons this can occur. What could cause you not to get your periods? Could you be pregnant and not know it? What do your periods have to do with getting pregnant? And, if you want to get pregnant, how can your […]

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You’ve been trying to have a baby for some time with no success. Should you see a fertility doctor? If you’re under 35, have been actively trying to conceive, and have not been using birth control for 12 months or more, make an appointment with a fertility doctor, or reproductive endocrinologist (sometimes referred to as an RE). If you’re over 35, wait only six months before getting help. Either way, expect to go through an array of evaluations and […]

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Women may experience what appears to be egg white or very watery vaginal mucus a few days before ovulation. So, what happens when the amount is excessive and lasts longer than the usual period of time? When should you be concerned? A Normal Amount of Vaginal Mucus It’s normal to have one to five days of egg white vaginal mucus just before ovulation and have another patch of egg white or watery vaginal mucus just before menstruation begins. If […]

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Is your cervical mucus watery or dry? Clear and stretchy? Believe it or not, paying attention to your normal vaginal discharge can help you get pregnant. You may have heard of The Billings Ovulation Method. The Billings Ovulation Method is a natural family planning method that relies heavily on cervical mucus changes. Women use it to conceive or avoid conception. However, you don’t need to be using that particular method to gain benefits from tracking cervical mucus changes. Many […]

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Ovulation symptoms aren’t difficult to notice. Once you know what to look for, you’ll be surprised how easy it can be. Just about every person trying to get pregnant wants to know when it’s ovulation day. Ovulation is when an egg is released from the ovary. When the egg is ovulated, you want sperm waiting in the fallopian tubes available to fertilize that egg. In other words, ideally, sexual intercourse should occur before the moment of ovulation in order to increase your odds of […]

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