When Is the Best Time of Month to Get Pregnant?

Considering a whopping 45% of all pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended, it may seem that any and every act of sexual intercourse can potentially result in conception. But it may surprise you to learn that the fertility window is actually quite small.

In this blog, our fertility experts at IVFMD take a closer look at ovulation, the best time of the month to attempt conception, and the obstacles that may thwart your efforts.

If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and are ready to get pregnant, keep reading to gain some valuable insight about preconception strategies.

Know your body

If you’re trying to get pregnant, it helps to understand some key facts about the female reproductive system — in particular, the concept of ovulation.

Ideally, your body follows a fairly regular pattern during your menstrual cycle. It begins on the first day of your period when menstrual blood flows. It ends on the day before your next period arrives and marks the start of a new cycle.

About 14 days before your period starts, you ovulate, which means one of your ovaries releases a mature egg that travels into the fallopian tube and is prime for fertilization. The key to getting pregnant is being able to recognize when you’re ovulating so you can have sex at the right time.

The right time for sex

Most days of the month, you’re unable to conceive. There’s only a short period of time — about six days — when your egg is available for fertilization.

Because sperm can live up to five days, you may conceive if you have sex on any of the five days leading up to ovulation as well as the day of ovulation. Once you release the egg, it meets the sperm in the fallopian tube, creates an embryo, and travels into your uterus to develop further.

Although the fertility window is technically six days long, the two days prior to and the day of ovulation are considered the most fertile.

If you have sex six or more days prior to ovulation or any other time during the month, there’s almost no chance of getting pregnant. But don’t count on this timing method to prevent pregnancy; it’s best to use more reliable forms of birth control.

How to figure out when you’re ovulating

To increase your chances of getting pregnant, you need to know when you’re ovulating.

In general, women’s menstrual cycles are about 28 days long. If your periods are regular and your average cycle is every 28 days, then you likely ovulate around day 14, which means your most fertile time is on days 12, 13, and 14.

That’s the average scenario for most women, but your menstrual cycle may be shorter, longer, or irregular, which makes predicting ovulation trickier.

If your periods are regular regardless of the length of your cycle, you can still plan conception by using an ovulation calculator, or come see us to get more information about your unique ovulation cycle.

Potential ovulation problems

If your periods are irregular and unpredictable, we offer treatments to get you back on track. Here are some of the many factors that may interfere with ovulation:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Hormonal imbalance
• Extreme stress
• Thyroid disorders
• Substance abuse
• Pituitary tumors
• History of eating disorders

If a medical condition is causing your ovulation problems, treatment of the underlying cause may resolve your ovulation issue as well.

We can also address your ovulation-related fertility problems with ovulation induction. This treatment — either an oral pill or an injection — tricks your brain into thinking your ovaries have shut down and aren’t releasing eggs.

The medication signals your pituitary gland to release a follicle-stimulating hormone to promote the development of the egg follicles in your ovaries, and triggers a predictable ovulation cycle.

The timing of the medication is critical to the success of the treatment, and our team works with you every step of the way to increase your chances of success.

If you have low egg reserve or poor quality eggs, we have several advanced treatments that can help you overcome your fertility obstacles and start your family.

To get help figuring out the best time of the month to get pregnant, book an appointment with our specialist by phone or online. We have three offices in the great Dallas area to serve you. They’re located in Irving, Arlington, and Grapevine, Texas.