How to get pregnant

If you are wondering how to get pregnant, you are probably not wondering about how to actually have sex, rather when you are going to be most fertile, how often you should have sex if you want to get pregnant, and when you need to get help. How to get pregnant is different for each person. For some couples getting pregnant is not an issue at all, it can be not getting pregnant that is difficult.  For others, getting pregnant is a real battle, and it takes patience, and sometimes takes some medical help.

The following is a look at some of the things you should do in order to get pregnant:

Pregnancy basics:

While most people get the basics of sex, it is important to understand that there is more to pregnancy than just engaging in sex. Conception is based on an intricate series of events. Ovulation cycles, hormones, and your pituitary gland all play a role in conception.

Basically for a woman, each month there are hormones in the pituitary gland that stimulate the ovaries to release an egg. This is referred to as ovulation. It usually occurs about 14 days into the menstrual cycle, but can vary slightly from woman to woman.

After the egg is released, it goes into the fallopian tubes, this is when you are the most fertile, and you can get pregnant most easily. Basically you have 24 hours for sperm to unite with egg in order to get pregnant.

Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for two or three days, so when you are ovulating, or close to ovulating, you should have regular sex. Having sex a few days before you ovulate can result in pregnancy.

Just because the sperm unites with the egg does not mean you are pregnant. Basically once the egg is fertilized, it has to get to the uterus. This takes two to four days, and then it attaches to the uterine lining. Once it attaches, or implants, you are pregnant. Your body will recognize this and start producing a hormone to stop your periods, and help your body to support the embryo as it grows into a fetus.

Having sex does not always mean the egg will fertilize. If the egg isn't fertilized, it'll break down and you'll have your next period as usual.

It is easiest to get pregnant when you are the most fertile. The following is a look at how you can tell when you are most fertile, and some of the things you can do to improve your chances of getting pregnant.

There are three basic ways to tell when you are most fertile: Basal Body temperature, Cervical fluid, and cervical position. During ovulation there are indicators that show you as ovulating. You can track these indicators and start an ovulation calendar. Most women have a 28-day cycle, where ovulation starts on day 14, but it can vary, so you want to keep an eye on the calendar, and use the three indicators to find out your specific ovulation cycle.

Body Basal Temperature: To use this indicator, you will need to take your temperature each day before any activity. Buy a Basal thermometer and when you wake up in the morning, take your temperature first thing. You will see you have a pretty consistent baseline temperature. When your menstrual cycle starts your temperature will be lower, but it will rise on the day of ovulation. It does not rise by much, but it is a good indicator.

Cervical fluid: Your cervix has fluid, or mucus, and it changes during different parts of your cycle. Right after menstruation mucus is usually light, and you will usually have several days of dryness. After that, the mucus is cloudy and tacky, it then changes to clear and slippery just before ovulation. You usually have more mucus when you are ovulating.

Cervical position: When you are ovulating your cervix is at its highest position. If you consistently check your cervical position you will know when you are ovulating. In order to check the position, squat down, sit on the toilet, etc. then use one hand to hold back the vaginal lips, while inserting the other hand's middle finger into your vagina. You will then move your finger up until you hit your cervix, note the position. During the beginning of your cycle, and after ovulation, your cervix is in a low position. It rises to the higher position just before and during ovulation. When you can barely reach the cervix you are probably ovulating.

If you track these indicators you will find that all of them will likely indicate ovulation at the same time. This is when you are the most fertile. There are pros and cons for tracking your ovulation this way. It is free and can be tracked on paper. Sometimes there will be things that mess with the indicators. For example, if you get sick your temperature might go up, or if you are stressed out or exercise too much, your ovulation cycle might change, so you may have to always track it until pregnancy.

If you do not want to go to the trouble of using the three methods mentioned above, and you want to get pregnant you can try an ovulation monitoring kit. This is an over-the -counter kit that tests your urine for a surge in hormones that happens right before ovulation.

In addition to figuring out when you are most fertile, you will want to do your best to not get too uptight about getting pregnant. For some people, trying to time sex to make sure you have it when you are most fertile can result in having it too late, or having it be too stressful to induce maximum results. If you want to maximize fertility and get pregnant try some of the following:

Have sex regularly. If you want to get pregnant it is a good idea to consistently have sex. If you consistently have sex two or three times a week, you're likely to hit your most fertile point at some time. Of course, if you track ovulation you can have sex even more often during the time of the month when you are most fertile.

If you are trying to conceive, there is no such thing as too much sex. It can't hurt your chances for getting pregnant, that is for sure. If you are trying to get pregnant it is a good idea to have sex once a day near the time of ovulation. Daily intercourse during the days leading up to ovulation may increase the odds of conception. As long as the man is healthy, this is not going to be a problem. Sperm count can drop each time you have sex, but as long as you are healthy, this reduction should not affect your chances of getting pregnant.

To get pregnant you should do your best to make healthy lifestyle choices. It is far easier to get pregnant if you learn how to maintain a healthy weight. You will want to exercise regularly, eat healthy foods and keep stress under control. Things like high stress can screw up your normal ovulation cycle, and make it very difficult to get pregnant. To improve your chances of getting pregnant, consider improving your healthy lifestyle.

If you are living healthy, exercising regularly, tracking your ovulation, and having regular sex, but still not getting pregnant, then consider preconception planning. Your doctor can assess your overall health and help you identify lifestyle changes that may improve your chances for a healthy pregnancy. Preconception planning is especially helpful if you or your partner have any health issues.

Also, if you want to get pregnant be sure you cut some of the bad aspects out of your life. For example, do not smoke. Tobacco can cause the cervical mucus to change making it difficult for sperm to reach eggs. It also increases your chances of miscarriage, which means that even if you do get pregnant, you might lose the baby.

You should also avoid drinking alcohol as it can also negatively affect your chances of getting pregnant.

If you are not getting pregnant, and want to, you can talk to your doctor. The following is a good idea of when to see your doctor to help you get pregnant:

First, evaluate how long you have been trying to get pregnant. If you have frequent unprotected sex, you should get pregnant within a year. If this does not occur, then you can go see a doctor to get tested for fertility issues.

Problems with pregnancy are not always the man's fault, or the woman's fault. Infertility affects men and women equally, and there are treatment options available. Talk to your doctor, they may have you see a specialist if the common ways of getting pregnant are not working for you.