How to Get Pregnant Fast

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

Are there things you can do to get pregnant fast? Definitely! The number one method is to have sex at least every other day during your fertile window. However, know that even if you're doing everything right, getting pregnant quickly won't happen for every couple. But you can boost your odds.

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

People have a variety of different reasons for wanting to conceive quickly. Maybe you want to space your children a certain number of years apart. You might want to get pregnant because your partner is in the military, and you'd like to conceive before deployment. Or, you may just be eager to become a parent.

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

Some couples will get pregnant after trying for a month or two. But, for most, it takes longer. Keep in mind that it may take many months to get pregnant—and one in 10 couples will experience infertility. The good news is that there is help out there.

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

It's important to remember that these tips may not work for everyone, particularly if you have underlying fertility issues. Unfortunately, pregnancy isn't something that can be planned exactly. If you can't get pregnant as quickly as you'd like, don't blame yourself. Instead, keep trying—the vast majority of couples will conceive within a year.

Stop Using Birth Control

Obviously, if you want to get pregnant, you need to stop using birth control. What you may not know is that you may need time for your fertility to return. It depends on what kind of birth control you were using. With most forms of birth control, your fertility will return the next cycle after you stop using it.

Stop Using Birth Control

There may be a few bumpy months while your cycle regulates itself, but it’s also possible to get pregnant in your first official fertile month.

Set Realistic Expectations

Getting pregnant is not always a simple and quick process. If you have an implant or an IUD, you’ll need to schedule a doctor's appointment for removal. That takes time. It may also take a few months for your cycles to regulate after hormonal IUD removal. (With a copper-only IUD, your fertility should return quickly.) If you’ve been on the birth control shot, it also may take several months for your fertility to return.

Set Realistic Expectations

Talk to your doctor so you have realistic expectations of when you can start trying to get pregnant.

Have Lots of Sex

Having sex often for the entire month is good for baby-making. Every other day or every two days is a good amount, according to research and the opinion of the Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Have Lots of Sex

You could aim to have sex every day of your cycle, but for most people, this will lead to burnout, and it's really not necessary. Having sex three to four times a week boosts your chances for success because it increases the odds of having sex on your most fertile days. If you're only aiming for ovulation and you make a mistake on timing, you may lose that month.

Have Lots of Sex

If you have sex every other day or every two days, you're likely to have sex at least once, if not twice, during your most fertile time. Frequent sex improves sperm health, too. Healthier swimmers mean you'll be more likely to conceive.

Maximize Your Odds

You may be able to get pregnant faster if you optimize your conception sex, which includes things like timing, frequency, and understanding of when in your cycle you are most likely to conceive.

Maximize Your Odds

One important thing to be aware of is that regular personal lubricants, like Astroglide and KY Jelly, are harmful to sperm. The best lubricant for conception is your own cervical fluid. But if this is an issue for you, there are sperm-friendly options available, such as mineral oil, canola oil, or hydroxyethylcellulose-based lubricants such as Pre-Seed and ConceivEase.

Maximize Your Odds

There is no evidence that certain sexual positions or lying down after sex will help you conceive.

Maximize Your Odds

However, research on Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) found that lying down after insemination boosts pregnancy rates. If you're trying to conceive faster, you may want to at least try lying on your back after sex for a few minutes. On the other hand, if the missionary position is a big turn-off for you, maybe more creative positions would help.

Maximize Your Odds

Research has found that sexual arousal plays a role in how much sperm is ejaculated. Female orgasms may also help with conception. So, having passionate sex may help you get pregnant faster as well. That said, don’t stress about having an orgasm. You can get pregnant whether you orgasm or not!

Track Your Ovulation

Your most fertile days are the two days prior to ovulation. You can figure out which days these are through several methods, including charting your body basal temperature (BBT), checking for fertile cervical mucus, tracking cervical changes, and using a saliva ferning microscope.

Track Your Ovulation

The problem with all these methods is they have a steep learning curve. For BBT charting, figuring out how to get your temps right in the morning and interpreting your chart can be a challenge for many people. You may have an easier time using ovulation predictor kits or ovulation monitors.

Track Your Ovulation

Ovulation tests work like pregnancy tests. You pee on a stick or strip of paper to get a result. They are a little more difficult to interpret than pregnancy tests, so read the instructions carefully.

Track Your Ovulation

Fertility monitors take much of the learning curve out of ovulation tests. The digital device tells you when you're most fertile. They are more expensive, though, so you may want to combine charting with ovulation predictor kits.

Boost Your Fertility

In the short term, there are quite a few things (many of which are probably obvious) that a people can do—and not do—to increase their chances of getting pregnant.

Boost Your Fertility

Do – Get enough sleep. Odd sleep and wake cycles can throw off the menstrual cycle, which could make getting pregnant quickly more difficult. – Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water. – Cut back on caffeinated beverages.

Boost Your Fertility

Don't – Get too stressed out. It's still unclear whether or not stress leads to infertility. However, acute stress can throw off a person's cycle. – Douche. When you do, you disrupt the vagina's natural pH balance, wash away cervical mucus (which keeps sperm moving), and partially eliminate good bacteria. – Exercise intensely. Extreme exercise regimes can reduce fertility.

Boost Your Fertility

To keep sperm healthy, keep the testicles away from heat. Hot tubs, laptops placed directly on the lap, seat warmers, and sitting too long with the legs close together can all increase the scrotal temperatures. This can negatively impact sperm counts.

Boost Your Fertility

And finally, the most oft-repeated health tip—quit smoking and cut down on alcoholic drinks. This is important for both male and female reproductive health. This will not only improve your health now but also help you have a healthier pregnancy and child.

Boost Your Fertility

There are other things you can do to improve your fertility and overall health that take more effort and time. Being at a healthy weight before trying to conceive can help, as being just slightly overweight has been shown to decrease fertility. Obesity may also negatively impact male fertility.

Boost Your Fertility

One thing everyone should do before they get pregnant is to make sure they're getting enough folic acid, which is essential for a healthy pregnancy.

Wait to Take a Pregnancy Test

Taking pregnancy tests won’t change how quickly you get pregnant, but it can affect your perception of time. Especially if you take multiple early tests, “peeing on a stick” frequently can make the days and weeks feel much longer.

Wait to Take a Pregnancy Test

Instead, commit to only taking a pregnancy test when your period is at least one day late. In other words, if you expected your period on Tuesday or Wednesday of a particular week, don’t take the test until Thursday. Better yet, wait until Friday.

Wait to Take a Pregnancy Test

It’s not easy to wait to see if you’re pregnant, but remind yourself that when you take an early test, you are more likely to get a false negative anyway. (In other words, even if you did conceive, the test may not reveal that you're pregnant.)

Get Help

If you don't conceive within six months (if you're over 35) or within a year (if you're younger than 35), see your doctor.

Get Help

If you don't conceive within six months (if you're over 35) or within a year (if you're younger than 35), see your doctor.

Get Help

Getting help doesn't mean you're giving up; it just means you're brave enough to find out if there's a reason why you're not conceiving, and what steps you can take to address it. Some causes of infertility get worse with time. Getting help when you need it may help you get pregnant faster with the help of treatment.

A Word From Verywell

There are many factors that influence how long it will take you to get pregnant. However, using the above methods will help boost the odds in your favor of conceiving sooner than later. Be sure to get help from a fertility specialist if you have any concerns or you haven't gotten pregnant after trying for six months to a year.

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How to Get Pregnant Fast

Read more

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

Are there things you can do to get pregnant fast? Definitely! The number one method is to have sex at least every other day during your fertile window. However, know that even if you're doing everything right, getting pregnant quickly won't happen for every couple. But you can boost your odds.

Read more

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

Read more

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

Some couples will get pregnant after trying for a month or two. But, for most, it takes longer. Keep in mind that it may take many months to get pregnant—and one in 10 couples will experience infertility. The good news is that there is help out there.

Read more

Boost your odds by knowing when and how to have baby-making sex

Read more

Stop Using Birth Control

Read more

Stop Using Birth Control

There may be a few bumpy months while your cycle regulates itself, but it’s also possible to get pregnant in your first official fertile month.

Read more

Set Realistic Expectations

Read more

Set Realistic Expectations

Talk to your doctor so you have realistic expectations of when you can start trying to get pregnant.

Read more

Have Lots of Sex

Having sex often for the entire month is good for baby-making. Every other day or every two days is a good amount, according to research and the opinion of the Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Read more

Have Lots of Sex

Read more

Have Lots of Sex

If you have sex every other day or every two days, you're likely to have sex at least once, if not twice, during your most fertile time. Frequent sex improves sperm health, too. Healthier swimmers mean you'll be more likely to conceive.

Read more

Maximize Your Odds

You may be able to get pregnant faster if you optimize your conception sex, which includes things like timing, frequency, and understanding of when in your cycle you are most likely to conceive.

Read more

Maximize Your Odds

Read more

Maximize Your Odds

There is no evidence that certain sexual positions or lying down after sex will help you conceive.

Read more

Maximize Your Odds

Read more

Maximize Your Odds

Research has found that sexual arousal plays a role in how much sperm is ejaculated. Female orgasms may also help with conception. So, having passionate sex may help you get pregnant faster as well. That said, don’t stress about having an orgasm. You can get pregnant whether you orgasm or not!

Read more

Track Your Ovulation

Your most fertile days are the two days prior to ovulation. You can figure out which days these are through several methods, including charting your body basal temperature (BBT), checking for fertile cervical mucus, tracking cervical changes, and using a saliva ferning microscope.

Read more

Track Your Ovulation

The problem with all these methods is they have a steep learning curve. For BBT charting, figuring out how to get your temps right in the morning and interpreting your chart can be a challenge for many people. You may have an easier time using ovulation predictor kits or ovulation monitors.

Read more

Track Your Ovulation

Ovulation tests work like pregnancy tests. You pee on a stick or strip of paper to get a result. They are a little more difficult to interpret than pregnancy tests, so read the instructions carefully.

Read more

Track Your Ovulation

Fertility monitors take much of the learning curve out of ovulation tests. The digital device tells you when you're most fertile. They are more expensive, though, so you may want to combine charting with ovulation predictor kits.

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

In the short term, there are quite a few things (many of which are probably obvious) that a people can do—and not do—to increase their chances of getting pregnant.

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

Do – Get enough sleep. Odd sleep and wake cycles can throw off the menstrual cycle, which could make getting pregnant quickly more difficult. – Eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water. – Cut back on caffeinated beverages.

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

To keep sperm healthy, keep the testicles away from heat. Hot tubs, laptops placed directly on the lap, seat warmers, and sitting too long with the legs close together can all increase the scrotal temperatures. This can negatively impact sperm counts.

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

And finally, the most oft-repeated health tip—quit smoking and cut down on alcoholic drinks. This is important for both male and female reproductive health. This will not only improve your health now but also help you have a healthier pregnancy and child.

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

There are other things you can do to improve your fertility and overall health that take more effort and time. Being at a healthy weight before trying to conceive can help, as being just slightly overweight has been shown to decrease fertility. Obesity may also negatively impact male fertility.

Read more

Boost Your Fertility

One thing everyone should do before they get pregnant is to make sure they're getting enough folic acid, which is essential for a healthy pregnancy.

Read more

Wait to Take a Pregnancy Test

Taking pregnancy tests won’t change how quickly you get pregnant, but it can affect your perception of time. Especially if you take multiple early tests, “peeing on a stick” frequently can make the days and weeks feel much longer.

Read more

Wait to Take a Pregnancy Test

Instead, commit to only taking a pregnancy test when your period is at least one day late. In other words, if you expected your period on Tuesday or Wednesday of a particular week, don’t take the test until Thursday. Better yet, wait until Friday.