Getting pregnant can be difficult for some women. It’s not always easy and sometimes a little extra help is needed. Often, a good place to start is to learn about the menstrual cycle and fertility.

The Menstrual Cycle

There is a time period during a woman’s menstrual cycle when they are most likely to get pregnant which is around the time when ovulation occurs. The menstrual cycle is how a woman’s body prepares for pregnancy. It is typically about 28 days but that can vary slightly for each woman. The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and ends when your next period begins.

During this time your body has hormone fluctuations that signal your body to carry out certain tasks. About halfway through a 28-day menstrual cycle, your body is signaled with hormones to release an egg from one of your ovaries. This egg then travels down the fallopian tube and waits to be fertilized by sperm. This is ovulation. The uterus’s lining gets thicker in preparation for a possible pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilized, meaning you don’t become pregnant, then the uterine lining sheds and you have your period.

When You Are Most Likely to Get Pregnant

The days near ovulation are when you are most likely to get pregnant. For most people, it is about five days leading up to ovulation to the day after ovulation. By tracking when this occurs, you can calculate when you should have sex in order to conceive and become pregnant.

If you are trying to get pregnant, you should try to have sex every day or every other day during the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and the day after ovulation. This will increase your chances of getting pregnant.

What If It Isn’t Working

Some women don’t have a typical menstrual cycle, may not be ovulating, or may have a medical issue that is preventing them from getting pregnant. In these cases, it is best to discuss your concerns with a healthcare provider. Many women do not get pregnant right away. If you are under 35 years old and have been trying to get pregnant for more than a year or over 35 years old and trying to get pregnant for at least six months, reach out to your healthcare provider to discuss your options.