How to Get Pregnant Fast

Are there things you can do to get pregnant fast? Sure, but they don’t work for every couple.

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

Some couples will get pregnant after trying for a month or two. But, for most, it takes longer. Remember that it can take months to get pregnant — and one in 10 couples is infertile. The good news is that there is help there.

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 it may take time for your fertility to return. It depends on the type of birth control you are using.

With most forms of birth control, your fertility will return the next cycle after you stop using it. There can be a few rough months while your cycle corrects itself, but it’s also possible to get pregnant during your first official conception month.

Set realistic expectations

However, it is not always a simple and quick process. If you have an implant or an IUD, you’ll need to make an appointment with your doctor to have it removed. That takes time. It may also take a few months for your cycle to adjust after the hormonal IUD is removed. (With a copper-only IUD, your fertility returns quickly.) If you’ve had the birth control shot, it can take several months for your fertility to return.

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

Have a lot of sex

Regular sex for a whole month will be good for childbirth. According to research and opinion by the Practice Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, every other day or two is a good amount.

You can aim to have sex every day of your cycle, but for most people this will lead to burnout and it’s really unnecessary. Having sex three to four times a week increases your chances of success because it increases the odds of having sex on your most fertile days. If you just aim for ovulation and you make a mistake, you could lose that month.

Regular sex also improves sperm health. Healthier swimmers mean you’ll be more likely to conceive.

Maximize your odds

You can get pregnant faster if you optimize your fertility sex, including things like timing, frequency, and understanding when you’re most fertile during your cycle.

One important thing to note is that common 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 a problem for you, there are sperm-friendly options, such as mineral oil, canola oil, or hydroxyethylcellulose-based lubricants like Pre-Seed and ConceivEase.

However, the Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) study found that lying down after insemination increased the odds of pregnancy. If you’re trying to conceive faster, you should at least try lying on your back a few minutes after sex. On the other hand, if a missionary position is a big turning point for you, maybe more creative positions will help.

Research has found that sexual arousal plays a role in the number of sperm that are ejaculated. A woman’s orgasm can also help with conception. So passionate sex can also help you get pregnant faster. That said, don’t stress about having an orgasm. You can get pregnant with or without orgasm!

Track your ovulation

Your most fertile days are two days before ovulation. You can find these dates through a number of methods, including basal body temperature (BBT) charting, fertile cervical mucus testing, monitoring changes in cervix and using salivary fermentation microscopy.

The problem with all these methods is that they have a steep learning curve. As for BBT charting, figuring out how to hit your hot spot in the morning and interpret your chart is a problem. It may be easier for you to use an ovulation predictor kit or an ovulation tracker.

Ovulation test strips work like pregnancy test strips. You pee on a stick or strip of paper for the results. They are a bit more confusing than pregnancy tests, so read the instructions carefully.

Fertility trackers take up much of the learning curve beyond ovulation tests. The digital device tells you when you are most fertile. They’re more expensive, though, so you may want to combine charting with an ovulation predictor kit.

Increase your fertility

In short, there are quite a few things (many are probably obvious) that a person can do – and shouldn’t do – to increase their chances of getting pregnant.

To keep sperm healthy, keep the testicles away from heat. Hot tubs, laptops placed directly on your lap, heated chairs, and sitting for too long with your legs close together can all increase the temperature in the scrotum. This can negatively impact sperm count.

And finally, the most repeated health tip — quit smoking and cut down on alcohol. This is important for the reproductive health of both men and women. Not only will this improve your health now, but it will also help you have a healthier pregnancy and baby.

There are other things you can do to improve your fertility and overall health that take more effort and time. People should strive to achieve a healthy weight before trying to conceive, as being a little overweight can reduce fertility. Obesity can also negatively impact male fertility.

Waiting for a Pregnancy Test

A pregnancy test won’t change how quickly you get pregnant, but it can affect your perception of time. Especially if you have a lot of tests done early, frequent “peeing on the stick” can make the period last days and weeks.

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

It’s not easy waiting to see if you’re pregnant, but remind yourself that when you take the test early, you’re more likely to get a false negative. (In other words, even if you’ve conceived, the test may not reveal that you’re pregnant.)

Get help

Getting help doesn’t mean you give up; it just means that you are brave enough to find out if there is a reason why you are not conceiving and what steps you can take to solve it.

Some causes of infertility get worse over time. Getting help when you need it can help you get pregnant faster with the help of treatment.