How often do you need to have sex to get pregnant? The best positions for conception

If you're trying or trying to get pregnant, you'll probably want to know how long it usually takes other women. Of course, you have friends or acquaintances who got pregnant very easily, and it seems that it should be the same for you. Perhaps you really are one of those lucky women who have no problems conceiving. But there is also always the possibility that it may take longer than desired. Knowing the average time for conception allows you to worry less about this. If conception does not occur immediately, there may be several reasons for this, many of which can be influenced.

It is impossible to tell in advance how long it will take a woman to become pregnant. There are many factors that must come together for conception to occur. For example, a couple should have intercourse during or just before ovulation, and not on what are called “safe” days. But regardless of whether a woman ovulates or not, a man must have a sufficient number of motile sperm.

• As one German study of 346 women shows, approximately one in three women who regularly try* or time their ovulation will become pregnant within a month. For most couples (80%), conception will occur within 6 months, and within a year - about 90%.
• The NHS England website says that around 1 in 7 couples have trouble conceiving. For those who have been trying to get pregnant for more than 3 years without success, the chance of getting pregnant naturally within the next year is 25% or less.

*Regular attempts mean unprotected sexual intercourse every 2-3 days (this is the optimal time for sperm recovery).

Factors that reduce the chances of getting pregnant include age over 27 years (beginning of decline in reproductive capacity), bad habits (smoking, alcohol and drugs), obesity, etc.

Statistical data

Of course, doctors cannot tell a specific woman how long it will take her to get pregnant. But there are some average statistics and research results that can help you understand the situation better.

Research results

Thus, the above-mentioned German study, in which 346 women took part and 310 of them became pregnant in the first year, showed the following results:

According to another German study (2005), the majority of pregnancies (80%) occur in the first six cycles with intercourse on favorable days. After this, in every second couple (10% of the total) serious subfertility, i.e. relative infertility, should be assumed. Although after 12 unsuccessful cycles, the majority of such couples (55%) still manage to get pregnant before 36 months have passed since the first attempts. But after this (48 months) approximately 5% of couples are completely infertile with almost zero chance of becoming pregnant in the future.

Other sources

Here are the statistics on the average period for pregnancy, which is given on the well-known peer-reviewed foreign pregnancy site Babycenter:

One popular and well-visited foreign portal about pregnancy and babies, The BUMP, conducted a survey among its subscribers on Facebook. Although these data cannot be considered scientific, they are interesting because they are closer to real conditions, when, for example, sexual intercourse is not always regular.

Is douching with soda an effective method of conceiving a child?

Sometimes in our lives there are situations when it is impossible to get pregnant, and the reasons for this are unknown.
It happens that the tests show good results, no pathologies are identified, but pregnancy still does not occur. It is possible that pregnancy does not occur because the environment in the vagina is too acidic. In this case, sperm simply cannot fertilize the egg because they die. In this case, you can try douching with soda, which will help make the environment in the vagina alkaline. And then there is a high probability that pregnancy will occur.

For douching, take half a teaspoon of soda and mix it with one liter of warm water. Under no circumstances should you douche with hot water, otherwise it may cause a burn in the vaginal mucosa. Then this solution must be poured into a syringe or Esmarch’s mug. To douche, lie in the bathtub with your feet on the edge, or sit over the toilet. All prepared soda water must be introduced into the vagina in a thin stream. The best period for douching is considered to be from the 11th to the 18th day of the cycle. These days you should douche daily. After this, the douche must be thoroughly disinfected so as not to introduce an infection into the vagina. To disinfect, you need to take a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and wipe the outside of the syringe with alcohol.

This method helps create an alkaline environment in the vagina, which is ideal for conception. When using this method, the following guidelines must be followed;

• - during ovulation, when douching is used, you should not drink alcohol, smoke or drink coffee in large quantities.
• - you should not visit the bathhouse or sauna at this time, since overheating at this time is contraindicated.
• - Be sure to ask your doctor if this procedure is contraindicated for you. If a woman has erosion, then douching with soda should not be done.
• - the syringe must be disinfected most thoroughly, as there is a huge risk of contracting an infectious disease.

How do the chances of conceiving change with age?

The above statistics do not take into account age, and, as we know, it is more difficult for mature women to get pregnant compared to younger ones. First, the quality of the egg tends to decrease. Secondly, the older the woman, the higher the likelihood of miscarriage and the inability to fertilize the egg. In addition, after 35 years, the frequency of ovulation gradually decreases.

By age 31, your chances of getting pregnant begin to decline by about 3% per year until age 35, when the decline begins to accelerate even further. At the age of 40, a woman’s chance of conceiving is on average five percent in one menstrual cycle, and by age 45 it is 1%.

As the results of one American study show, absolute infertility occurs in approximately 1% of people, and this proportion does not change with age. But the proportion of relative infertility (when there are any reasons that interfere with conception that can be eliminated) changes: at the age of 19-26 years, 8% of women are relatively infertile, at 27-34 years old - 13-14%, at 35-39 years old - 18%. The estimated percentage of relatively infertile couples who would become pregnant after an additional 12 cycles of trying ranged from 43-63% depending on age.

As men approach 40, age also begins to be an important factor that can affect the average time it takes to conceive. Moreover, the percentage of failures to conceive within 12 cycles increased by approximately 18-28% from the age of 35 to 40 years of men. .

Effect of maternal age on average pregnancy rate calculated from studies in 10 different populations that did not use contraception

How to conceive a boy

It is believed that every man wants his wife to give birth to a boy.
Is it possible to conceive a boy using some methods? There are a lot of links on the Internet to articles about what you need to do to conceive a boy. There are frankly funny ones, based on lunar and solar cycles, etc. For example, one of them says: “To conceive a boy, a couple needs to have their heads facing the North during sex.” The purpose of this note is not to offend fans of Feng Shui, but to summarize the observations of gynecologists and help answer the question of whether it is possible to conceive a boy “by order.” Some doctors, albeit with serious reservations, say that in order to conceive a boy it is necessary to very accurately determine the time of ovulation. At this moment, due to the greater mobility of sperm carrying the Y chromosome, there is a chance “to have time to fertilize the egg before those carrying the X chromosome reach it.” Taking the timing right is the best method to conceive a boy. It seems to us that such advice is more like fortune telling on coffee grounds. The chances of conceiving a boy are always 50%, so those couples who have male children can support this theory, instilling hope in those suffering to conceive a boy. There are articles that directly recommend, with reference to secret knowledge (either Japan or Tibet), to adhere to a certain diet. They say eat more calcium and conceiving a boy will no longer be a problem, eat potassium - and here you have a girl! With the same success, we can recommend reading books whose main characters are men in order to conceive a boy. And God forbid you read detective stories about Miss Marple - only girls will be born.

It has been proven that it is possible to accurately (99.9%) predict the sex of the unborn child only with IVF. Therefore, I would like to give advice to young couples. Don't bother yourself with nonsense! A child of any gender will be happiness for you. Well, if you really want to conceive a boy, then follow all the recommendations of various specialists except those dangerous to health) and you will increase the chances of conceiving a boy by up to 50%. =)

How does body weight, bad habits and other factors affect?

The Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, in collaboration with the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, once again updated its recommendations for physicians helping couples become pregnant in 2020. They provide a long-established table (present in this document since 2008) that roughly shows how certain factors can increase the time it takes for pregnancy to occur.

Basic recommendations

In the modern world, both women and men are often exposed to stress. This is the most common reason for failure to conceive in couples who are physically healthy. You are unlikely to be able to get pregnant the first time if you do not relax properly. To relieve tension, you can use decoctions of soothing herbs, aromatherapy, yoga and meditation. For some, it is enough to go on vacation and fully relax there; in this case, all everyday worries must be left in the city.

Bad habits greatly affect your chances of getting pregnant. The semen of smoking men contains fewer sperm, which means its quality is reduced. In addition, they are less active, which also cannot help you in solving your problem if you are thinking about how to get pregnant quickly. A smoking woman's chances of pregnancy are also reduced. Please note that the effect of caffeine on the body is the same, so you should give up coffee, just like smoking and drinking alcohol.

To get pregnant, you need to eat right and consume foods that are healthy for the body. The diet of a woman who wants to get pregnant the first time must include greens, vegetables, bread and cereals; in addition, it is useful to eat sunflower and olive oils, which contain folic acid, necessary for the absorption of vitamin E, in large quantities. Vitamin E has a positive effect on human sexual function (both men and women). In addition, it improves ovarian function. A mandatory component of the diet is fruit in large quantities.

If a woman has difficulty releasing an egg from the follicle, in other words, if she has anovulation, then it is necessary to introduce legumes and nuts into her daily diet. In addition, be sure to eat yogurt, cottage cheese or high-fat milk every day.

The most beneficial effects on male sexual function are nuts, fish, and meat. The microelements contained in these products can increase sperm motility.

Flour products and sweets in large quantities are prohibited for you. Avoid products containing carcinogens, dyes and other artificial additives. It is necessary to make your diet as natural as possible.

Problems with conception may be associated with excess weight or, conversely, excessive thinness. And this applies to representatives of both sexes. It is necessary to bring your weight back to normal and stabilize it; fluctuations in weight have a negative impact on health, and in men it also contributes to the release of fewer sperm. As a rule, the weight problem can be solved if you give up bad habits and revise your diet in accordance with previous recommendations.

Reduce the use of medications for various purposes. It is recommended not to plan to conceive during a period when you are forced to take antibiotics due to a health condition. You don’t have to think about how to get pregnant the first time for women who regularly take antihistamines or analgesics, since these medications prevent the full maturation of the egg. Avoid using artificial lubricants as they kill sperm during intimacy.

When to go to the doctor?

Women under 35 who have been trying to conceive for one year or more should consult a doctor. Reasons that prevent pregnancy can be identified. If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the egg does not descend into the fallopian tube, so sperm are unable to fertilize it. Men have problems such as undescended testicles and low sperm count in semen. Some of the possible causes are easy to treat.

Women over 35 years of age are advised to visit a gynecologist earlier. After age 35, fertility begins to decline relatively quickly each year as egg production decreases.

But to make sure that you do not have health problems, it is better to undergo a gynecological examination even earlier than after half a year or a year of unsuccessful attempts. This can help you save valuable time on your body clock.

Physiological positions for conception

After sex, you shouldn’t rush to get up right away; it’s better to lie on your side, take the “birch tree” position (raising your legs high), etc. The choice of position directly depends on the structure of your uterus (for example, with an internal bend, it is recommended to lie on your stomach, leaning towards the bend, and with a bicornuate organ, on the contrary, lift the small pelvis up, etc.).

You don’t have to stretch your legs like a gymnast, the main thing is to lift your pelvis, preventing sperm from flowing out. Whether a concrete wall or the warm shoulder of your spouse will serve as a support is up to you. Advice from your gynecologist in this case will also not hurt.

Maintaining intimate hygiene after sexual intercourse is also important. Most doctors recommend avoiding douching, hygienic soap and similar products. Anything that changes the pH value in the vagina can harm sperm.

If you can’t “catch” a period favorable for conception, modern diagnostic equipment is ready to help you. The exit and maturation of the follicle (especially during stimulation) can be tracked using ultrasound so that your active sexual energy has its focus on the right day and time.

How to reduce the time it takes to conceive?

The average time to conceive is just a general statistic. In a particular case, you can always try to speed up the onset of pregnancy.

Indeed, planning sexual acts often seems tedious and unromantic. Work and other commitments can also interfere with intimacy at the right time. But if you dream of getting pregnant, you better try to do the following:

You can increase your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby by following these simple tips:

• Determine the time of ovulation. Conception can occur after ovulation has occurred in the body, that is, when a mature egg has descended from the ovary into the fallopian tube. And this happens only about once a month (per menstrual cycle). You can use a test to determine ovulation or measure your basal body temperature every morning and evaluate its changes to predict the onset of ovulation in subsequent cycles. You should also pay attention to cervical mucus (vaginal discharge), which usually changes before ovulation.
• Have sex during ovulation. Having sexual intercourse at the right time, i.e. just before ovulation, dramatically increases the chance of getting pregnant. The optimal time is a few days before ovulation and on the day of its occurrence. Sperm can live up to 72 hours (sometimes up to 5 days), so that's roughly a 3-day period.
• Do not overdo it. It is important not to try too many times. Relax and let it happen naturally every couple of days during the auspicious days. Having too much sex can actually lower your sperm concentration and reduce your chances of getting pregnant. Research has shown that the optimal time to renew sperm quality is 2-3 days between sexual intercourse. Often pregnancy occurs when a couple gives up persistent attempts to conceive. There are many stories about how couples who have been treated for infertility for years give up, and after a few months nature suddenly answers their aspirations.
• See your doctor. Go through a general medical examination and a gynecological examination. It would also be useful for your partner to undergo a medical examination. In men, health conditions can affect sperm count.
• Eat right. Include the nutrients you need to maintain optimal fertility in your diet, including taking folic acid. Learn recommended diets to help your body prepare for pregnancy.
• Maintain a stable body weight. Excessive as well as underweight can have a negative impact on a woman’s reproductive abilities, and therefore the time it takes to conceive.
• Eliminate interfering factors, including bad habits. You should take care of your health, reduce caffeine consumption, and eliminate alcohol, smoking and drugs.

Find out a lot more about how you can improve your chances of conceiving.

How many sexual acts are needed for this during the week?

The level of seminal fluid decreases with frequent sex. If a couple has sex several times a day, the chances of getting pregnant are reduced due to the worse quality of the seminal fluid.

Even with a lower frequency, the chances may be small. Having sex once a week, the likelihood of getting pregnant will also be low , since it will be difficult to get into the fertile period.

Simply put, for a baby to be born healthy, nature allocates 36 hours, of which the best time for conception is 24 hours after the egg leaves the follicle .

The post-ovulation day is the ideal time to conceive a child.

After this, the egg will age, increasing the likelihood of birth defects in development. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to get into this time period.

Two tactics to promote conception

Although there is no ideal schedule for pregnancy, there are two tactics that you can follow to get closer to pregnancy. They show how often you need to have sex to get pregnant.

The first can be called the tactic of hope. However, you should not keep an ovulation calendar. It is not even recommended to check on the calendar when the days are favorable for conception. In the second option, you cannot do without keeping calculations and conducting tests. The choice of tactics depends on the couple’s temperament, as well as the girl’s desire to keep track of ovulation days.

How should you have sex when planning a pregnancy? With pleasure! This is what affects the mood of partners. The higher the desire, the greater the chance of receiving good news.

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Period before and after

However, it is a mistake to pay attention to sex life only during ovulation. There is a high chance of getting pregnant five or six days before, as well as the day after ovulation. During this period, it is recommended to carefully take care of protection for those who do not want to have children, and also not to neglect their intimate lives for those couples who want to have a baby.

To correctly and accurately determine the day when ovulation occurs, it is recommended to use special tests, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, as well as pregnancy tests. They are used in the same way. There is also an older method, according to which it is necessary to monitor the temperature in the vaginal area.

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Frequency of sex and pregnancy: is there a pattern?

Many couples choose to have sex every day, believing that this way they can increase their chances of conceiving. There is another, radically opposite opinion. Its adherents make love only during the period of ovulation.

Both options are unacceptable. If sex turns into a routine, then nothing good will come of it. The same applies to rare sexual acts. However, experts say that the answer to the question “how often do you need to have sex to get pregnant” simply does not exist.

Doctors recommend choosing a middle ground. Don't go to extremes. The sex life of partners should be regular, but also not turn into a duty. However, if the couple's temperament and strength allow them to have sex every day, there is nothing wrong with that.

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Ovulation. On what days can you get pregnant?

Female physiology suggests that a woman can become pregnant during the period of ovulation, which gives the highest chance of getting a baby. That's why many couples have sex on this day. Approximately, it occurs after two weeks from the beginning of the critical days. However, this figure is approximate.

It’s no secret that every woman is unique, each has her own special cycle, so you shouldn’t rely on standard numbers. Today there are many programs for smartphones that help calculate the cycle, the duration of menstruation, and the time of ovulation.

During the period of ovulation, a girl may notice that her appetite increases. Many people call such days “empty”, that is, their stomach constantly requires food, no matter how much it receives. It is also possible to increase body temperature by half a degree. Many girls note slight discomfort in the lower abdomen. However, they should not be confused with pain! There should be no painful sensations. However, heaviness or a feeling that everything is “bare” below may be present.

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