Are you trying to get pregnant? Knowing when’s the best time to conceive is important for many reasons. If you don’t have any health issues preventing you from getting pregnant, knowing your monthly calendar will help you work out a schedule that’s best suited for both you and your partner but also increases your chance of getting pregnant. On the other hand, if you’re on any type of fertility treatment or you/your partner are on medication that affects conception, knowing the ‘best time of the month’ will help make therapy adjustments with the help of your doctor.  So, when exactly is the best time to conceive?

Pregnancy, conception, and menstrual cycle

Your chances of getting pregnant highly depend on the regularity of your menstrual cycle. Every delay or a shift in the monthly cycle will automatically affect the ovulation. Every change of the ovulation period, be it a delay or ovulating sooner than anticipated, might intervene with your conception plans.

Your menstrual cycle consists of the following stages:

  • Menstrual
  • Follicular
  • Ovulation
  • Lutheal

The follicular and menstrual stage of the cycle overlap, taking up the first 14 days of the cycle on average. Hypothetically, you can get pregnant during any day of the cycle. This is because no one can predict the actual stage of the cycle you’re currently in, as well as your hormonal status. Past your period and moving into the follicular phase (during which a follicle inside your ovary matures and eventually releases an egg), you can get pregnant even if you have sex before the ovulation. This is because sperm can survive in your uterus up to 5-6 days.

When should you have sex to get pregnant

Ovulation is the best time of the month to have sex to get pregnant. You can rely on your calendar to track your ovulation, but you should still have sex frequently. Your best chances of getting pregnant are between days 11-17 of the menstrual cycle. Still, there are a couple more important factors in conception to account for.

Factors that affect conception

If you’re trying to get pregnant, also consider the following:

Sperm quality

Sperm quality increases with the frequency of sex and decreases with less frequent intercourse. Regardless of your menstrual calendar, frequent sex will keep the sperm quality optimal for conception.

Illness

Chronic or acute, different types of illness can affect your menstrual cycle and the ability to get pregnant. Even if you have only as much like the flu, your ovulation can postpone that particular cycle.

Medication

Antibiotics are known to affect the menstrual cycle, most often causing a delay in period. If you’re on any type of medication, consult your doctor to see if it affects your menstrual cycle.

How to increase chances of getting pregnant

There are a couple of general guidelines to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Here are some of them:

Have frequent sex

It’s much easier and stress-free to enjoy regular intimacy with your partner than to obsess over the menstrual calendar, especially because the frequency of the ejaculation affects sperm quality.

Reduce stress

Stress directly impacts the menstrual cycle, your hormones, and the ovulation. If you’re spending a lot of time worrying about getting pregnant, you’re actually working against the cause.

Improve diet

Unhealthy diet, be it overly reduced or overly saturated in fatty foods reduces your chance of getting pregnant. Shift to a light, nutrient-dense and low-fat diet to increase your chances of conception.

Although your best chances of getting pregnant are during ovulation, focusing on frequent intimacy and a healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to conceive.