Getting Pregnant 101
Starting a family is one of the biggest and most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. If you are ready for this experience, then the first step is to get pregnant, yet for almost 15% of women, this seemingly basic step results in a challenging journey. It's important to know the most effective methods to conceive, so here is a quick lesson on how you get pregnant.
A woman normally ovulates once a month, during which time an egg is released from the ovary. Once released, the egg travels down the fallopian tube where it’s able to be fertilized by sperm, and an embryo is created. The newly formed embryo then continues to travel down the fallopian tube, and if the embryo successfully implants in the uterus, it will develop into a baby. It sounds pretty simple, but research shows one in eight or 20% of couples trying to get pregnant miscalculate their most fertile days to have intercourse. This is a vital step because an egg can only survive up to 24 to 36 hours after ovulation. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed the best chance to get pregnant occurred with frequent intercourse within the six days before ovulation. The American Fertility Association offers information on tracking your ovulation cycle, so you can find out your most fertile days to get pregnant.
Maybe you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a few months and aren’t having much luck. Statistically, a woman under 30 has a 20 to 25% chance to get pregnant every month, and that number decreases to 10% for women over 35. The decline is a woman’s ability to conceive results from a loss of eggs number and quality. Beginning with 1-2 million eggs at birth, women possess approximately 200-400,000 eggs at puberty. The natural decrease in monthly fertility usually begins at age 32, though other factors can speed up this loss most noteworthy is cigarette smoking.
A highly debatable topic is the effect of stress on fertility. The average daily stress has not been shown to impair the ability to conceive. Neverless, prolonged stress can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, and in turn decrease your chances of becoming pregnant. Yoga, acupuncture, meditation and having a support system in place are just some of the things that women can do to help reduce stress.
The good news is 85 percent of couples under 30 will get pregnant within one year of trying. Nearly equally encouraging, 60% of infertility couples will have a child within five years if they have a normal complete fertility evaluation. Many women wonder when they should seek help with a fertility specialist. The current guidelines support obtaining an infertility evaluation after 12 months of attempts at conception in women less than 35 years of age and after six months of attempts in women above age 35 as long as they have regular menstrual cyles and no significant medical risk factor in the couple. If you think it’s time to see a fertility specialist, our website includes our Physician’s Network to help you find a Reproductive Endocrinologist in your area.
If you think you can’t get pregnant, you are not alone. One in eight couples in the U.S. will struggle with infertility. Our website offers you tips on how to get pregnant, expert advice on what to do if you can’t get pregnant and information on additional family building options, such as adoption and third party reproduction. Our library is constantly expanding with weekly articles by industry professionals and daily updates on current events and news in the field of fertility. The American Fertility Association is committed to spreading the joy of family. We are ready when you are!