This article was last updated May 14, 2021. Show
Anyone who has been trying to get pregnant for more than a few months has probably heard comments from friends and family about all the "fun" involved in the process. (“At least you can have a good time trying!”) Remarks like this are usually well-meaning, but they can also put a lot of pressure on people to remain optimistic while waiting for that positive pregnancy test — even when the waiting feels more stressful than enjoyable. Whether you’ve been trying for a while or are just starting to think about expanding your family, if your plan is to conceive without medical assistance, there's one tried-and-true way you can increase your chances of conception: by understanding the best days of the month for getting pregnant and timing intercourse around those days. While your healthcare provider will likely talk to you about timed intercourse in your preconception visit, consider this article a leg up on the conversation. Here are the biggest takeaways:
What is timed intercourse?Timed intercourse is exactly what it sounds like: carefully scheduled sexual intercourse around your fertile window or the time you’re most likely to conceive. It might be a pretty unsexy term, but it actually has a lot of success when done properly. First of all, let's talk about the fertile window because it’s important to know yours if you want the best chances of getting pregnant:
As Dr. Nataki Douglas, MD, PhD, a reproductive endocrinologist and the chair of the Modern Fertility Medical Advisory Board, explains it, "We recommend sex every 1-2 days especially during this fertile window [which comes before and during ovulation] because we know that sperm have a lifespan that's longer than the egg." Sex during this six-day window (every other day, as Dr. Douglas recommends) gives you the highest chances of sperm meeting up with egg. Does more sex = better odds of conception? "Anything more frequent than that has not been shown to increase chances of conception and runs the risk of turning sex into a chore, which is the opposite of what it should be," says OB-GYN and Modern Fertilitiy medical advisor Dr. Jenn Conti, MD, MS, MSc. How well does timed intercourse work?Your chances of conception can be dramatically improved by the timing of intercourse — assuming there aren't other factors that impact fertility at play (like issues with the uterus, fallopian tubes, or fertility hormone levels, as well as male infertility). We know this in part because of our general understanding of the menstrual cycle and conception:
In one 2003 study, women between the ages of 20 and 44 were taught how to use natural family planning (e.g., monitoring cervical mucus and basal body temperature) when they started trying to conceive (TTC) — meaning they were likely able to get a good grasp on ovulation and their fertile windows:
Timing intercourse during your fertile period is simple and cost-effective compared to other fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), or other methods of ovulation induction, so it’s good to try before moving on to other more expensive options — provided there aren’t other factors impacting conception. Getting the timing right: How can you make sure you have sex during your ovulation window?Many people have a lot of trouble actually knowing when their fertile window is open for business. So, we've rounded up a variety of ways you can pinpoint your fertile window — from the analog to the digital: 1. Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs): Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) like the Modern Fertility Ovulation Test work by detecting a rise in luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. This LH surge occurs 24-48 hours before you ovulate, so it’s a biology-backed signifier of your fertile window:
Since not everyone has a textbook 28-day cycle with ovulation occurring on day 14, follow these steps to help you catch your surge:
2. Physical signs of ovulation: By monitoring physical symptoms from month to month and using what's called fertility awareness methods, you can track your ovulation even without a predictor kit:
3. Cycle-tracking apps: You can also use an app that tracks your periods and ovulation to predict when your fertile window may arrive:
What if timing intercourse doesn’t work?If you’re in your 20s or early 30s and have been trying to conceive for a year with no success, you're over 35 and have been trying for six months, or you have a medical condition such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that can impact fertility, it's a good time to seek out help from your OB-GYN or fertility specialist. They can test your fertility to look into why conception hasn’t happened yet or help you figure out a treatment plan to make conception more likely. To better understand your ovulation patterns and reproductive health before you start timing intercourse, Modern Fertility’s at-home tests and digital tools can help:
From tracking down your fertile window for timed intercourse to figuring out how your egg count is changing over the years, Modern Fertility is here to help you make every moment on your road to parenthood easier to understand. This article was reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Conti, MD, MS, MSc. Do you ovulate the day after positive test?The LH surge triggers ovulation, which is the start of a woman's fertile period. When an ovulation test result is positive, it means that LH levels are high, and ovulation should occur within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Can you ovulate the same day as a positive ovulation test?This is because (LH) luteinizing hormone, the hormone measured by OPKs and the hormone responsible for triggering the rupture of the ovarian sac, typically surges the day before ovulation. In some cases, however, you will see ovulation on the same day as the positive result.
How long after LH surge does the egg release?When the amount of estrogen reaches its upper threshold, the egg is ready for release. The brain then produces a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH), triggering ovulation. The release of the egg from the follicle and ovary happens about 24 hours later (10–12 hours after LH peaks) (13, 17).
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