Starting a family isn’t a simple decision. There are many factors a couple needs to consider. Once you have decided to start a family, a new set of questions is bound to crop up. For example, how long does it take to get pregnant? What is the right time I should start trying? If you have these questions in mind, we have all the information you are looking for.
Every woman who wishes to conceive wishes to know how soon she’ll conceive and how long it usually and actually takes to get pregnant. Read to know some general and simple information on this. While there is no simple answer to this question, understanding the various aspects and factors behind getting pregnant may ease your mind and help you understand what you can expect.
How Long Does It Usually Take to Get Pregnant?
You can never really say, rather it is impossible to say, when and how long you would take to get pregnant. Every woman’s body reacts to situations differently from others. Factors such as age, general health, reproductive health, mental and emotional health, and sexual health are some of the key factors that are instrumental in improving your chances of getting pregnant.
Contraception methods also play an important role in the time to get pregnant. Some studies suggest that women can get pregnant within two months of stopping contraception. But this again depends on various factors such as the age of the woman, menstrual cycle length, health, and lifestyle factors (1).
As cited in a paper published in 2004 by David B. Dunson, a distinguished American statistician at Duke University, out of 100 couples that try to conceive naturally:
- About 20 conceive within a month
- 70 conceive within 6 months
- 85 will conceive within 1 year
- About 90 conceive within a year and a half
- 95 conceive in 2 years
Please note that these statistics are just averages. While some couples have high monthly fertility, making it possible to conceive in any given month, some have low monthly fertility, causing them to take longer to conceive than others.
On average, a couple should be able to conceive within one year of trying without using any contraception devices during this period. Failing to achieve pregnancy within this one-year period may warrant a trip to the doctor to get a complete checkup and rule out any issues with conception (2).
What Could Be the Reasons For a Delayed Conception?
There are some general reasons for non-conception or delayed conception. Knowing about these general and basic parameters could help you plan a baby better. Take a look:
1. Age
Your age plays a key role in your chances of getting pregnant (3). Female fertility begins to decline after the age of 30. Male fertility also begins to decline but at a later age than that of females. Hence, doctors suggest planning a baby before you turn 30 or at the most 35.
2. Diet
Your diet also affects your chances of conceiving. A healthy diet improves your chances of conception while consumption of high saturated fats and sugars can lead to a negative pregnancy outcome (4).
3. Smoking
Smoking is known to have a detrimental effect on getting pregnant. In men, smoking affects sperm count, motility, morphology, and density (5). Even in women, smoking can have a negative effect on fertility (6). Surprisingly, it is also seen that quitting smoking may reverse infertility in both men and women. So, if you are a smoker and planning to have a baby, this is the right time to quit to increase your chances of a healthy conception.
4. Alcohol
Alcohol is another lifestyle habit that can negatively affect your fertility levels. Consuming alcohol can affect both male fertility (7) and female fertility (8). Limiting the amount of alcohol intake, or even better, kicking the drinking habit completely can improve your fertility levels over a period of time.
5. Recreational Drugs
The use of recreational drugs such as marijuana has been on the rise in recent years, especially in the younger population. The use of recreational drugs has been associated with lower fertility levels in men(9) and women (10).
6. Obesity
Being overweight or obese can reduce your chances of a successful conception and cause you to take a longer time to conceive. Obese women have higher incidences of complications such as menstrual dysfunction, infertility, higher chances of miscarriages, and pregnancy complications (11). Women in the normal weight range of basal metabolic rate (BMI) 18-24 may find it easier to conceive than those beyond this BMI. Obesity in men can reduce male fertility, and sperm count and affect sperm health and composition leading to poor pregnancy outcomes(12).
7. Stress
With increasing work pressure and fast-paced lives, stress has become a part of the urban couple’s lifestyle. Your work, frequency of travel, critical timelines and so on also play a vital role in determining how early you could conceive.
While there is no sufficient research to establish the relationship between stress and infertility, stress is definitely known to have a negative impact. Women undergoing infertility treatments who had lesser stress levels were shown to have better pregnancy outcomes (13)
8. Underlying Health Conditions
Underlying health conditions can negatively impact your egg health, sperm health, and menstrual cycles, thus delaying your conception process. Chronic illnesses such as thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), pituitary gland disorders, or certain kidney or liver diseases can delay conception (14).
If you have any health issues and are planning to get pregnant, getting your health and hormones back on track becomes imperative before you try to get pregnant.
9. Frequency of Intercourse
How often you have sex, that is, your sexual health and relationship with your partner also determines your propensity of conception. Higher intercourse frequency is associated with better chances of getting pregnant quickly (15). Having sex once every 2 to 3 days may increase your chances of a quicker conception.
Whatever your condition, it is advisable that you see a gynecologist for a pre-pregnancy check-up.
[Read : Having Sex Every Day When Trying to Conceive – Is it Safe?]
How Could You Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant?
After having known all the above, you may be wondering about all the things that you and your partner should indulge in and do to improve your chances of getting pregnant. Well, read on to know about it.
1. Have Regular Sex
Having sex twice or thrice a week can increase your chances of getting pregnant. You could also time your intercourse as per your most fertile days around ovulation. If you are not sure when you will be ovulating, it is advisable to get an ovulation prediction kit or look for signs of ovulation like cervical mucus to make it simple for you. Also, most importantly remember to enjoy each other’s company and not worry about getting pregnant at such times.
[Read : Diet and Lifestyle Changes When Trying to Conceive]
2. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Make positive alterations to your diet and lifestyle choices. Cut down on caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes. Say no to recreational drugs and tobacco altogether. Get enough sleep, take measures to start relaxing and enjoying your life.
3. Get Fit
Bring fitness into your life by including exercises such as running, swimming, yoga, dancing, or aerobics into your everyday routine. If you are overweight, make a conscious effort to lose the extra weight, while if you are underweight, incorporate foods into your diet plan that will help you gain a decent amount of weight.
4. Start Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins contain many nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and additional compounds that support a healthy conception and pregnancy. Taking these supplements can be beneficial for your fertility levels (16). Talk to your doctor before starting these supplements to get advice on the right dosage and the type of supplements to be taken. Ideally, you can start these supplements at least 3 to 6 months before you start planning for a baby.
[Read : Sex Position to Conceive a Baby]
When to See the Doctor?
Despite your best efforts and in the event of non-conception beyond at least a year of trying to conceive naturally, it is wise to consult your gynecologist and get yourself and your partner tested to know the health of your individual reproductive system.
Your doctor will evaluate your case against these general parameters and then offer to take the next steps, in the form of further medical investigations and treatment. The doctor will perform tests to rule out fertility-related problems and explain a further line of treatment.
It is important to note that you must allow yourself enough and more time to get pregnant. Often, it is Mother Nature who plays her part. So, relax because the good news is that most couples will ultimately get pregnant even in a way that they have imagined. Also, medical science has answers in terms of sperm donation and intrauterine insemination, in-vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and adoption.
Just remember you are not alone on this journey. We wish you the best in your journey of conception and thereafter!
FAQ’s
1. What is the Average Time to Get Pregnant?
It may take anywhere between two months to one year of dedicatedly trying to be able to successfully get pregnant. During this time, avoiding contraceptives, charting your cycle, and timing intercourse around the time of ovulation may reduce the time needed to conceive. If you do not conceive even after a year of continuously trying, you may need to consult a fertility specialist.
2. Why Does it Take So Long to Get Pregnant?
Pregnancy is influenced by many factors such as the right timing to create a window where the egg and sperm meet, the ability of the sperm to enter and fertilize the egg, and the ability of the ovum to implant into the uterus. In addition to all these factors, egg and sperm health also matters. Any underlying health conditions of the couple and negative lifestyle factors may increase the time taken for conception.
3. Will I Get Pregnant After the First Try?
Research studies suggest that there is about a 30% chance of conceiving during their first try in the first month, with these numbers going down in the subsequent months (17). If you are unable to conceive within the first year of continuously trying, you may need to meet a fertility specialist.
References
- Factors affecting time to pregnancy – [https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/21/5/1279/987115]
- Diagnosis and Management of Infertility – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9302705/]
- Knowledge about the impact of age on fertility: a brief review – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7721003]
- The Influence of Diet on Fertility and the Implications for Public Health Nutrition in the United States – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6079277]
- Sperm concentration and semen volume increase after smoking cessation in infertile men – [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41443-022-00605-0]
- Associations between smoking status and infertility: a cross-sectional analysis among USA women aged 18-45 years – [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1140739/full]
- Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Male Fertility Potential: A Narrative Review – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8751073/]
- Effects of alcohol consumption on female fertility during an 18-year period – [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028203027171]
- Smoke, alcohol and drug addiction and male fertility – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5769315/]
- The effect of current and prior smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug abuse on IVF outcomes – https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(19)31590-0/fulltext
- Impact of obesity on infertility in women – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4456969/]
- Impact of obesity on male fertility, sperm function and molecular composition – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3521747/]
- The relationship between stress and infertility – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016043/]
- Endocrine disorders and fertility and pregnancy: An update – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9887196/]
- Coital Frequency and the Probability of Pregnancy in Couples Trying to Conceive Their First Child: A Prospective Cohort Study in Japan – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7399901/]
- The Impact of Preconceptional Multiple-Micronutrient Supplementation on Female Fertility – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6480978/]
- ABC of subfertility: Extent of the problem – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC188498/]
Read Also: How To Stay Positive When Everyone Is Getting Pregnant, But You?
