Getting Pregnant : What You Need to Know
Identify Your Fertility Window to Optimize Your Efforts to Get Pregnant
You may never need to see a fertility specialist like Dr. James Douglas with IVF Plano. Most women will get pregnant within an average of three months, simply by timing intercourse to coincide with ovulation.
Fertility Fact: The best odds of conceiving a baby fall in a woman’s 20s and 30s. During that age range, a woman has a 30 percent chance of getting pregnant each month.
Dr. Douglas, a fertility specialist with two decades of experience, supports your goal to get pregnant, and provides this primer on reproductive best practices.
The Miracle of Conception: Understanding Basic Female Biology
Every woman should possess a basic knowledge of female biology, whether waiting for a first period, trying to conceive or experiencing the onset of menopause.
A woman is born with a million eggs in her ovaries; that number decreases to 300,000 with the onset of puberty. A monthly cycle (on average, 28 days) called menstruation signals the beginning of a woman’s reproductive years and the release of those eggs. |
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Follicular and Ovulatory Phases (Days 1-14): Each month, follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) prepare one of the ovaries to grow a follicle(s), which houses and matures an egg(s). Meanwhile, estrogen prepares the cervical lining and luteinizing hormone (LH) activates ovulation. The mature egg then travels down the fallopian tube where it will meet the sperm. This act is called fertilization.
—Optimal days for conception are the 2-3 days before and 12-24 hours after ovulation occurs—
Luteal Phase (Days 15-28): Progesterone and estrogen nurture a fertilized egg by enhancing the uterine lining for implantation (around day 20). When pregnancy does not occur, the body sheds the uterine lining and begins a new menstrual cycle.
Click below to watch a short movie about the female cycle
from Fertility Lifelines
Time-Tested vs. High-Tech Methods for Detecting Ovulation
A notepad, basal body thermometer and observation skills can help you determine how regularly you ovulate. For centuries, this basic method has enabled
women to time intercourse to become or avoid getting pregnant.
Chart your basal body temperature
A woman’s body temperature will lower before ovulation, and spike by at least .4 degrees after ovulation. Record your temperature each morning over several months to reveal a pattern. Online ovulation charts provide a template for this exercise. While not the most accurate way to chart ovulation, it’s a place to start.
Examine your cervical mucus
The body prepares for pregnancy by secreting sperm-friendly mucus around the time of ovulation. Early-cycle mucus feels dry or sticky, but becomes stringy and stretchable as ovulation approaches.
-Your cue to increase the frequency of sexual intercourse: cervical mucus with a raw egg white consistency.-
Ovulation predictor kits
Ovulation predictor kits, available at drugstores, provide an accurate, convenient assessment of luteinizing hormone (LH) surges that indicate ovulation will occur within 24 to 48 hours. Dr. Douglas does not recommend a particular brand, but advises women to check with a pharmacist before purchasing a kit.
Timed intercourse. When is the Best time to Have Sex?
Now that you have identified the date of ovulation, and are more aware of the body’s signs of ovulation, you can time intercourse to increase your chances for
getting pregnant. Signs may also include breast tenderness, spotting, and/or one-sided pain or cramping in abdomen near an ovary.
“I’ve tried for a year, and I’m still not pregnant.”
For the 1 in 7 couples that experience infertility, a reproductive endocrinologist can intervene to help Mother Nature along. Maternal age, male factors, health habits such as smoking and weight and certain medical conditions can negatively impact fertility.
Dr. Douglas with IVF Plano identifies fertility inhibitors through testing, including an in-office procedures such as blood testing, sonograms, and hysterosalpingogram, and can help get you back on track with your plans to start a family.