How to improve your chances of getting pregnant

If you’re trying to get pregnant it’s important to know how the menstrual cycle works. Find out when you can get pregnant and how to increase your chances. 

Overview {#overview}

Understanding your cycle and finding your ‘fertility window’ {#key-information}

How to increase your chances of getting pregnant

When to see a doctor {#when-to-see-a-doctor}

Key takeaways {#takeaways}

How to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

## Overview {#overview}
You may have heard that you can only get pregnant on certain days of your menstrual cycle. In fact, you can fall pregnant on any day of your cycle, but some days are more fertile than others. 

Read on to find out when you’re most likely to get pregnant and how to increase your chances.


## Understanding your cycle and finding your ‘fertility window’ {#key-information}
The length of the menstrual cycle differs from person to person – 21 to 40 days is considered normal, but often around 28 days is seen as more usual, even though the latest research is suggesting fewer than 20% of women tend to experience this. So you need to get to know your own body to be aware of what’s normal for you. Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and ends the day before your next period starts.  

You’ll ovulate around 10 to 16 days before the first day of your period (the start of your next menstrual cycle), no matter how long your cycle is. This is when you’re at your most fertile and your chances of getting pregnant are at their highest. These few days are often known as your ‘fertility window’.

If you’re trying to conceive (get pregnant) it’s advised that you have unprotected sex (sex without using contraception) around this window. Although your chances of getting pregnant are higher on these days, it’s still possible to become pregnant on any day of your cycle, [including when you have your period](/contraception/can-you-get-pregnant-having-sex-on-your-period) (although this is quite unlikely). 

[If you don’t want to get pregnant](/contraception/could-you-get-pregnant-any-time-you-have-sex), use a form of [contraception](/contraception) such as condoms to help prevent pregnancy. 

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*__DISCLAIMER:__ The content of this video is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and is for informational purpose only. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen on this video.*


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## How to increase your chances of getting pregnant

As well as trying for a baby at the right time in your cycle, there are a number of things you can do that may help to increase your chances of conceiving, such as:

- having sex every 2 to 3 days without using contraception
- maintaining a healthy weight
- cutting down or stopping drinking alcohol
- [stopping smoking](/stop-smoking/summary) (it helps if your partner quits too) 

__Find useful information on other areas of getting pregnant with our [complete Guide](https://www.livehealthily.com/guides/getting-pregnant).__

![Woman working out when she'll ovulate and marking it on a calendar](//images.contentful.com/iqo3fk8od6t9/5VVinDpXxBh22nuks2OpV8/c9acdc5f694aa504df4fd3719aaad715/Calendar.jpg)


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## When to see a doctor {#when-to-see-a-doctor}
You should speak to your doctor if you’re trying to have a baby and:

- have a long-term condition such as [diabetes](/diabetes)
- there’s a risk of passing a condition onto your baby such as [sickle cell](/blood-disorders/sickle-cell-anaemia) disease
- you regularly take medication 
- you’re 36 or older
- you feel stressed or anxious

You should also speak to a doctor if you’ve been trying for over a year with no success or have any worries about your fertility.

If you don’t want to become pregnant, a doctor or pharmacist can give advice on the best form of contraception for you. You should also talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you need emergency contraception.

If you’re trying for a baby and have abdominal pain and bleeding, do a pregnancy test. If the results come back positive you should go to the hospital, as this can be a sign of an [ectopic pregnancy](/pregnancy-problems/ectopic-pregnancy) (when the fertilised egg implants somewhere other than the uterus).  

There’s a lot of information available on fertility and getting pregnant, which can be confusing.


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## Key takeaways {#takeaways}
- it’s possible to become pregnant on any day of your cycle, including when you have your period
- your most fertile days are 10 to 16 days before the start of your next menstrual cycle
- having sex within your ‘fertility window’ and maintaining a healthy lifestyle increases your chances of conceiving
- there are a number of myths around fertility and getting pregnant
- to avoid becoming pregnant you should always use an effective form of contraception
- emergency contraception is available if your contraception has failed or if you’ve had unprotected sex
- you should talk to your doctor if you are finding it hard to conceive or have any concerns about getting pregnant
- your doctor can also give you advice on long-term contraception and emergency contraception


Former contributor

Dr Roger Henderson

Healthily's medical team

Healthily's medical Team

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References

Libby Williams

Morwenna Lawson

Dr Ann Nainan

Article information

All of Healthily's articles undergo medical safety checks to verify that the information is medically safe. View more details in our <a href="/safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">safety page</a>, or read our <a href="/legal/editorial-policy-principles" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">editorial policy</a>.

If you’re trying to get pregnant it’s important to know how the menstrual cycle works. Find out when you can get pregnant and how to increase your chances.