How to get pregnant fast: Avoid these 7 major fertility mistakes
Dr. Prabha Sahgal, MD writes:
To get pregnant fast and have a healthy pregnancy, there are a few important steps you should follow to maximize your chances of conception.
1. Timing is everything - Having sex at the right time is key if you want to know how to get pregnant fast. You only get pregnant when your egg meets your partner's sperm, so it's important to have sex during this time of ovulation. You can help identify your "ovulation time" with the use of an ovulation predictor test, Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests, or by taking your basal body temperature each morning when you wake up.
2. Stop stressing - Take a deep breath and relax. Stress is not good for you or your baby -- before, during, or after pregnancy. Too much stress can increase the risk of preterm labor, low birth weight and possible miscarriage. A positive attitude toward the process of trying to conceive can be just as important as your physical health.
3. What your man can do - Here's a simple technique that your man can use to help build up his sperm count, so that the day before you ovulate he can deliver the maximum number of healthy sperm. Try abstaining for 3-5 days before you ovulate. Building up sperm count before ovulation and having sex during ovulation time can significantly increase your chances of getting pregnant fast.
4. What position is best - When it comes to getting pregnant fast, not all positions are created equal. Having your man on top is best for conception for the simple reason that sperm is helped by gravity to find its way to the cervix. Immediately after sex, you may consider propping up your hips with the support of a small pillow to help the sperm rest in the cervix for a short period of time.
5. Preventing miscarriage - If you tend to miscarry, avoid getting pregnant if you ovulate past day 15 of your menstrual cycle. Late ovulation can increase your chances to miscarry since the endometrial lining isn't optimal to allow for implementation. Late ovulation can also carry a higher risk of miscarriage because the older egg may not be as viable, and the corpus luteum may be unable to produce enough progesterone (the hormone that prepares your uterus for pregnancy and prevents you from getting your period).
6. Hold the latte grande - In this day and age, it should really go without saying that you should avoid smoking or drinking alcohol while trying to conceive. But many people often overlook a few other no-nos that can also negatively impact your chances of getting pregnant fast. Women with sensitivity to caffeine will find that eliminating it from their diet can often add an immediate boost to their fertility. As for your man, consider skipping the hot tub since heat can harm the production of sperm.
7. No skinny jeans - If you're like me, you probably struggle sometimes with your weight. But there's a common misconception about how weight affects your fertility. When you're trying to figure out how to get pregnant fast, being the correct weight or a little overweight is better than being too skinny. Studies have shown nearly two-thirds of women who were underweight struggled with infertility while being slightly overweight actually appears to help enhance your fertility.
Ask the ObGyn
Cancel replyJen
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Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Monday, 7:39pm
Try not to let your feelings overwhelm you. Instead get the support you need from a friend or professional. Find ways to share your feelings instead of holding them inside. Sharing your feelings can help you feel less alone and allow you to overcome a greater spiral of depression that can result from protracted infertility.
krying
Tuesday, 8:18am
tiffany
Tuesday, 7:23pm
Maureen Stephens, RN
Monday, 7:05pm
Claribel
Thursday, 2:44am
Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Monday, 6:52pm
Lilian
Wednesday, 9:41pm
sissi
Saturday, 8:55am
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Monday, 6:45pm
During your time of ovulation, your egg is able to be fertilized for about 12-24 hours. But since your partner's sperm can survive inside your body for 3-5 days, your total fertile time can be up to 5-7 days. I strongly encourage you to read about the Fertility Awareness Method and combine that with using an ovulation predictor kit to help you determine your time of ovulation. When used correctly, you'll have a 90% chance to successfully target your best times to get pregnant. Good luck and baby dust to you!
elicia moreno
Saturday, 5:09pm
hub cap
Saturday, 10:59pm
amber
Monday, 4:12pm
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Monday, 6:20pm
FertiBella can help speed the process of restoring your regular cycles and stimulate ovulation. But perhaps more importantly, FertiBella will help in the production of your fertile-quality cervical mucus (necessary to create the optimal environment for your partner's sperm) while promoting a thickening of your endometrial lining (crucial to accepting your fertilized egg). These are the two areas, 1)CM and 2) endometrial lining, that NuvaRing works directly against in order to disrupt your chances for getting pregnant each month. So I would start by addressing these two areas.
I would also recommend that you continue to use ovulation tests or start charting your basal body temperature to identify your peak fertility days. Following this advice, should help getting pregnant fast, if otherwise healthy and having regular intercourse.
Ula
Tuesday, 9:12am
Michelle
Wednesday, 6:16pm
Carrie
Friday, 8:14pm
meg
Friday, 7:28pm
summer
Sunday, 8:31pm
Monica Scott, BS, RN
Thursday, 5:18pm
Since you've established that your husband's sperm count is normal and you are both otherwise healthy, I would strongly encourage you to turn your focus to timing and frequency of intercourse around ovulation. We often find these two things to be the most commonly overlooked obstacles in trying to conceive. You should use an ovulation predictor kit or the Fertility Awareness Method to confirm your peak fertile days and be sure you are timing intercourse everyday around these days. If you do this, I am confident that you will experience success.
nay
Monday, 4:45pm
kimber
Tuesday, 12:52am
amie
Tuesday, 6:46am
Monica Scott, BS, RN
Thursday, 5:51pm
The next logical step would be to focus on stimulating ovulation, and FertiBella can be highly effective in your situation. The good news is that your risk of another ectopic pregnancy is fairly low, so your chances of an intrauterine pregnancy should be excellent after ovulation induction.
Mirinda
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Pamela
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Monica Scott, BS, RN
Wednesday, 6:33pm
bjustme2009
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Joan Villar
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courtni
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Dr. Allison Rosen, MD
Thursday, 8:17pm
Brenda
Sunday, 10:36pm
victoria
Tuesday, 6:35am
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Tuesday, 7:21pm
While FertiBella can be very effective in helping women with PCOS successfully conceive, if you're not actively trying to get pregnant, I'd encourage you to visit your ObGyn for a check-up. Since you don't have insurance, s/he might suggest hormone therapy to manage the cyst growth rather than costlier surgery.
merri
Sunday, 3:30pm
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Tuesday, 9:43pm
TiffanyAmber
Sunday, 6:24am
thandie
Monday, 2:39pm
Maureen Stephens, RN
Tuesday, 6:05pm
andrea
Wednesday, 6:44pm
sammy lopez
Saturday, 8:14pm
Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Tuesday, 5:51pm
Embryo transfer can be effective when both fallopian tubes are absent or blocked. However, you may wish to consider avoiding such an invasive and expensive procedure if you have one unobstructed fallopian tube and working ovaries. In double blind clinical studies, FertiBella has been shown to be highly effective in helping women with one fallopian tube conceive naturally.
tiffanylikesdiamonds
Wednesday, 5:25am
michelle2
Saturday, 3:45pm
Brittanyluvsbrad
Wednesday, 4:28am
Dr. Prabha Sahgal, MD
Tuesday, 5:45pm
However, some telltale signs of steroid use include mood swings, increased acne, water retention, or a sudden increase in body mass. Steroid use can have serious side effects on the male reproductive system and may affect fertility permanently, so I would certainly encourage you to discuss your concerns with your husband.
kimberly
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Doleen
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Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Wednesday, 2:38am
bero
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paula
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Monica Scott, BS, RN
Tuesday, 7:51pm
baby #1
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Dr. Allison Rosen, MD
Thursday, 6:52pm
Many doctors recommend waiting 3 months before trying to get pregnant again, to give your body time to heal. However, one of my tips on how to get pregnant, is if there are no other outstanding medical issues, I strongly encourage patients to begin trying as soon as they are ready. Many of my patients experience a successful pregnancy in the very next month of trying.
Shawna
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Marie alva
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Dannyel
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StilettosGirl
Tuesday, 2:53am
Dr. Prabha Sahgal, MD
Saturday, 8:09pm
There are fertility supplements for women you can take. Eating healthier, quitting smoking and drinking are all naturally important. But it also sounds like you may be putting yourself under a lot of pressure. Remember that stress can have a very real impact on your ability to conceive, so don’t forget to take care of -YOU- first.
Jenni
Monday, 11:06pm
candy bowen
Wednesday, 3:14am
Lakeisha
Tuesday, 10:19pm
ASHLEY
Wednesday, 8:39pm
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Thursday, 6:30pm
I would also encourage you to discuss your feelings with your husband. A frequent question I get asked is, “what else can me and my husband do to conceive without taking fertility drugs?” Ideally, your OBGyn should provide an excellent resource for ideas and alternatives you can explore. You may also wish to browse our article library, which discusses many free or low-cost ways to get pregnant naturally.
bethany
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esther
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Cherie
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robin
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Eboni
Thursday, 1:52pm
MichelleBurian
Monday, 1:29am
Cynthia
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Shaquina
Wednesday, 6:03am
Dr. Allison Rosen, MD
Sunday, 8:17pm
Most women who suffer miscarriages do go on to have healthy babies, so I recommend you continue trying. I know it can be difficult for you emotionally, but I don't see any reason to be overly concerned at this point. Should you experience a third consecutive miscarriage, you may wish to consult your Ob-Gyn for further testing.
Holly
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Jenny
Wednesday, 8:11pm
Nene
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Brittsy
Monday, 2:30am
heather
Sunday, 9:05pm
elizabeth
Tuesday, 4:00pm
Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Saturday, 8:53am
I encourage you to spend a little time learning about your ovulation and you will quickly discover just how absolutely amazing your body really is. Read about understanding your signs of ovulation and for a more thorough reading on the subject, I encourage you to check out Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler from your local library. It's an invaluable resource to helping you understand your body.
krystals
Thursday, 11:28am
Latanya
Wednesday, 4:51am
jacoyia
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Leah
Monday, 8:05pm
victoriab
Tuesday, 6:01am
sashley
Tuesday, 11:54pm
SHANDRIA CRAWFORD
Monday, 9:52pm
Monica Scott, BS, RN
Saturday, 8:22am
Your chances of becoming pregnant with FertiBella tend to increase the longer it has been since the procedure was performed, because your tubes can actually repair themselves and grow back together. While there is no guarantee that you’ll experience success, the ability to get pregnant is possible and FertiBella can help to increase your chances of becoming pregnant again.
Princess
Tuesday, 1:14am
Bianca Evans
Tuesday, 9:23pm
Maureen Stephens, RN
Friday, 2:01pm
Consider talking with your partner about making a commitment to take a break from smoking for the sake of your chances to get pregnant. Good luck!
Safiyah Hanif
Sunday, 9:36am
ambermom2two
Tuesday, 1:50pm
Alisha
Thursday, 5:57am
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Thursday, 2:55pm
Britt
Saturday, 4:38pm
Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Monday, 10:07pm
You'll also want to make sure no lifestyle factors are interfering with your ability to become pregnant. Focus on stress-reducing activities like yoga or meditation. Quit smoking or moderate to heavy drinking. Eat a healthy diet and exercise two or three times a week. Be sure to chart your ovulation days and have sex during your ovulation days (which is the only time you can get pregnant).
Next, you may want to try a fertility aid like FertiBella, which can help stimulate ovulation and increase your chances to get pregnant faster. Your last course of action will be checking to see if there is a fallopian tube or cervical obstruction, or having your partner checked for male infertility issues.
shanene
Saturday, 10:26pm
Maureen Stephens, RN
Monday, 9:56pm
Similarly, trace amounts of Depo-Provera hormones have been known to last in a woman’s body for up to 12 months after stopping use. It sounds like the combined use of both contraceptives may delay ovulation. You may want to consider trying fertility pills like FertiBella to help with your hormone levels and become more regular, get on a regulated menstrual cycle, and help get pregnant faster.
Amykins
Sunday, 8:50pm
Monica Scott, BS, RN
Tuesday, 8:24pm
FertiBella helps to regulate your hormonal balance, stimulate ovulation, and boost your body's natural fertility. You may want to consider trying the all-in-one TTC Starter Kit as a good option for those who want to become pregnant fast.
nayeli
Sunday, 9:58pm
Dr. Allison Rosen, MD
Monday, 9:29pm
tasha
Monday, 1:40am
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Monday, 9:19pm
It’s been my experience that the majority of women who have been on Depo-Provera take anywhere from 9 to 12 months to get all the hormones out of their bodies, start ovulating, and become pregnant. This is nothing to be terribly concerned about, but is one reason why I steer patients who may want to become pregnant soon away from choosing Depo-Provera for contraception.
kmt
Monday, 2:19am
Dr. Allison Rosen, MD
Friday, 10:45am
A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that smokers were more likely to take longer than 9.5 months to conceive than underweight or obese non-smokers. According to a study published by the British Medical Association, conception rates drop by up to 40 percent in female smokers. The best thing you can do now is to focus on quitting by using the patch, undergoing hypnosis, or trying a product like Chantix.
Mecca
Monday, 11:03pm
khesia karen minor-basaen
Tuesday, 5:06am
Monica Scott, BS, RN
Monday, 6:22pm
1. Get a preconception checkup to rule-out underlying issues.
2. Begin taking prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor.
3. Track your ovulation by using ovulation tests or charting your BBT. Count the first day of your period as Cycle Day 1 and begin testing on Cycle Day 9 until you get a positive result.
4. Try missionary style sex.
5. Lie in bed for 10-15 minutes after intercourse with your hips slightly elevated.
6. For top quality sperm, have sex every other night around ovulation. Sperm can live up to 72 hours after intercourse. Have your partner wear loose underwear & stay out of Jacuzzis.
7. Focus on reducing stress: drink a glass of wine or take a yoga class.
8. Some exercise is good, but 45 minutes of vigorous workouts, 7 days a week, could actually reduce your likelihood of ovulating.
9. Stop smoking.
Esme
Tuesday, 5:27pm
Maureen Stephens, RN
Sunday, 12:47pm
First and foremost, is timing your ovulation. I recommend charting your basal body temperature to determine your ideal time for conception. If necessary, be sure to get your body weight nearer to your ideal weight by switching to a diet that is low in fat and carbohydrates. If you need help stimulating ovulation, you may want to try a fertility aid like FertiBella or discuss stimulating your ovaries via HCG shots with your ObGyn.
You should keep in mind that women with PCOS do have an increased risk of miscarriage, hypertension, gestational diabetes and premature delivery, so you'll want to work closely with your doctor to limit your risk factors.
Ash
Wednesday, 12:41am
Dr. Lynette Weiss, MD
Thursday, 9:12am
During your cycle, it is customary for wet, slippery vaginal secretions to increase on the day of ovulation. Immediately following the day of ovulation, your discharge thickens. Vaginas also secrete when stimulated, lubricated, or douched.
If you’re pregnant, you’ll notice there is a lot more discharge due to increased estrogen production and greater blood flow to the vaginal region. Later in the pregnancy, your cervix thins out and dilates, expelling cervical secretions resembling egg whites. If you are concerned that you may be leaking amniotic fluid, contact your ObGyn.
Tiffany Griffin
Wednesday, 3:24am
Dr. Allison Rosen, MD
Monday, 12:03pm
I recommend you chart your basal temperature, pinpoint your day of ovulation using a free ovulation calculator, and time your intercourse around ovulation to help become pregnant faster. If it takes more than a year, then you may want to look into fertility drugs or seeing a fertility specialist to discuss your options.
EBONIWILLIS
Saturday, 5:35pm
victoriab
Sunday, 10:12am
EBONIWILLIS
Friday, 8:38pm
Babyhungry
Wednesday, 12:08am
Monica Scott, BS, RN
Wednesday, 12:31am
Good luck on your TTC'ing journey!
jenn
Tuesday, 8:42pm
Dr. Renee Hanton, MD
Thursday, 11:39am
Late ovulation also results in a a higher risk of miscarriage, as the older egg may be defective, and the aging corpus luteum may not be able to produce enough progesterone, which is the hormone that prepares your uterus for pregnancy, and prevents you from getting your period.