Even though you can become pregnant at any time when you’re not using a form of birth control, there are points during your menstrual cycle when your body is much more prepared to conceive than others. That’s why It’s important to track the phases of your cycle to determine when you’re most fertile.
Your menstrual cycle lasts nearly the entire month, but your best chance to conceive is during the ovulation phase. By tracking your cycle, you can see when you’re ovulating so that you can plan for sexual intercourse at a time that will give you the highest likelihood of conception.
Read on to learn about the basics of your menstrual cycle, when you’re most likely to get pregnant during your cycle and what options to explore if you’re struggling to conceive.
What is your menstrual cycle?
Let’s start off with the basics. Your menstrual cycle refers to the first day of one period to the first day of the next. When you become pregnant, you’re stopping the menstrual cycle.
On average, the menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, but it’s normal for women to have a cycle that ranges from 24 to 38 days. It goes through four phases:
- Menstruation phase — Your menstrual period occurs when your uterus is shedding its lining because an egg wasn’t fertilized during the previous cycle. Blood, mucus and tissue are shed through your vagina. This phase can last up to seven days.
- Follicular phase — There is an overlap between the menstruation phase and the follicular phase, as the follicular phase starts on the first day of menstruation and ends on the first day of ovulation. On average, it lasts about 16 days. During this phase, your ovarian follicles prepare to be released during ovulation.
- Ovulation phase — You start ovulation on the day that your ovary releases a mature egg due to an increase in the luteinizing hormone. The egg only survives for one day before it dissolves or dies after not being fertilized by a sperm.
- Luteal phase — The remainder of your cycle is the luteal phase, which is when the uterine lining thickens up to prepare for pregnancy. It ends when you start your menstrual period, when the thickened lining is shed, starting the whole cycle again.
Why ovulation is the best time to get pregnant during your cycle
When it comes to fertilizing a mature egg with sperm for conception, having sexual intercourse on the day of ovulation will give you the greatest chance of getting pregnant. But that doesn’t mean you only have one day to fertilize the egg. The “fertile window” can start up to five days before the egg is released, with the height of infertility being the day before and the day of your ovulation.
During the average 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation will usually occur around day 14, or exactly halfway through your cycle. It’s possible to track or test your ovulation with apps or store-bought tests.
It’s important to note that it’s still possible to get pregnant before ovulation, as sperm can live up to five days to wait for a mature egg to drop from the fallopian tubes. That means having sex before ovulation starts can still lead to conception.
What to do if you’re struggling to get pregnant
Even when you’re tracking your ovulation and having sex when you’re meant to be most fertile, you may still be struggling to conceive. While it doesn’t always happen immediately for everyone, your fertility may also be affected by other factors such as stress, age or medical issues. But there are ways that you can help boost your chances of getting pregnant.
A fertility specialist can help determine the reason that you’ve been unable to conceive, such as thyroid issues, low sperm count, or even unexplained infertility. If you’re 35 years old or younger and unable to conceive after one year of trying, you may be dealing with infertility. If you’re over the age of 35, you may be infertile after six months of trying.
Your fertility specialist can set up a treatment plan with options that will help to increase the likelihood of conceiving, which may include:
- Ovarian stimulation and ovulation induction.
- Trigger shots.
- In vitro fertilization.
Fertility Cloud can help when you’re struggling to get pregnant, even during the best time in your cycle
While we all wish that conceiving a baby was as simple as having intercourse on the right day of your cycle, it’s often not that simple. But you shouldn’t lose hope, because Fertility Cloud can help guide you through your fertility journey while being there every step of the way.
Contact our team by phone today for more information or book an initial appointment online with a fertility specialist.