Do you want to get pregnant now, long term, or never? Here’s everything you need to know about the menstrual cycle.
What days are fertile?
According to a survey by research institute Child Trends, 66% of young men and women don’t know when a woman’s fertile period is or how many days her fertile period lasts. And according to the American Infertility Association, at least 20% of “presumed infertility” (when a couple believes they can’t have a child without medical help) is based on misconceptions about when a woman can get pregnant. Whether you plan to have children in the near future or not, it doesn’t hurt to know on what days of your cycle your egg is fertilized. No, we’re not talking about contraceptive calendars. According to doctors, counting “safe” days is the same as relying on chance. But we have to admit it: if you focus on the phases of your own cycle, it will be much easier to avoid an unwanted pregnancy (or achieve a desired one). We’ll explain how it all works. No more confusion or assumptions.
What you need to know if you want to get pregnant
When should you have sex?
Many believe that daily sex is the safest way to have a child, but such care actually reduces the chances, according to fertility specialist “On average, it takes a man’s body 36 to 48 hours to build up enough sperm,” he explains. “If you have sex every day, you may not have enough sperm to conceive during ovulation. Doctors recommend having sex every other day during your fertile window.”
How long does it take?
If both partners are healthy and under 35, you have a 10 to 15 percent chance of conceiving per month. 88% of these couples reach their goal within one year, and 95% within two years. Couples under 30 need an average of six months, while 35-year-olds take nine months.
Health is important
Avoiding alcohol and caffeine can increase your chances of conception. And it’s definitely worth quitting smoking. Chemicals in cigarette smoke have been shown to reduce the production of estrogen, which is necessary for the maturation of eggs and the thickening of the uterine lining. Being too thin or even obviously obese also has a suboptimal effect on hormone levels and therefore fertility.
What do I mean by cycle changes?
The length of your menstrual cycle may vary from month to month, which is completely normal and does not affect your fertility. However, if your cycle is always shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days, or if the amount or color of your menstrual blood varies from time to time, you should see a doctor. These symptoms can indicate a variety of illnesses.
There’s no magic pose
Have you ever heard that lying down with your legs elevated after sex can help you get pregnant? Forget it. “As soon as you ejaculate, the sperm immediately rush to the cervix. Whether you’re standing or hanging upside down, the sperm are sure to reach the cervix,” explains gynecologist Hilda Hutcherson.
A cycle of 25 to 31 days is most common, but deviations of 21 to 35 days are also considered normal. To determine your approximate ovulation date, calculate your average cycle length and subtract 14.
What you need to know if you don’t want to get pregnant
Your most and least fertile times
Fertilization is only possible during ovulation, which is the 12-24 hour period in the life of a mature egg. “But you need to remember that because the length of your menstrual cycle varies from month to month, the most dangerous time to have sex is the day you expect to ovulate plus the two days before and two days after,” says fertility specialist David Adamson. But you should also be careful three days before this five-day “window.” If sperm enter your body during this period, they can easily survive until ovulation.
How to calculate ovulation date
When does ovulation occur?
“To determine the approximate date, calculate the average length of your menstrual cycle (for example, 32 days) and subtract 14. That means that day. Signs of ovulation Two to four days before the egg is released, your cervical discharge will increase (the more you notice it). “It will look and feel like egg white, and it will be clear and sticky,” says Adamson. During ovulation and afterward, once the egg has died or been fertilized, your cervical discharge will become thicker, more viscous, and probably less visible. Another sign that ovulation is approaching is pain in one ovary (indicating that an egg is about to be released).
