7 Steps for Getting Pregnant Faster

Do you want to conceive as soon as possible? Learn the best ways to get pregnant quicker with these seven expert-approved tips.

An illustration of a woman holding a pregnancy test.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

Are you trying to get pregnant fast? You might be one of the lucky people who manages to conceive on their first try. But more likely, you'll need to wait a few months for the magic to happen.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), healthy people with ovaries have a 25% chance of conceiving each menstrual cycle in their 20s and early 30s (considering they're having regular unprotected sex). By 40 years old, the odds decrease to 10% per menstrual cycle.

Despite these statistics, you can do some things to encourage a speedy conception. This ranges from stopping birth control (ideally a few months before you start trying) to tracking your fertile window for baby-making sex. Keep reading to learn about the fastest way of getting pregnant, with expert-backed tips and tricks.

01 of 07

Step 1: Stop Taking Birth Control

An illustration of a woman holding birth control.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

If you're taking birth control pills and hoping to get pregnant fast, it may be helpful to stop them a few months before trying to conceive. Switch to a non-hormonal form of contraception instead, suggests Christopher Williams, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, and author of The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally.

The same advice goes for other forms of birth control, including vaginal rings, patches, intrauterine devices, and implants. However, if you are taking the Depo-Provera birth control shot, you should stop that about nine months before as it takes time to leave your system.

"After you've been using birth control for a while, it may take your body a few cycles to start ovulating regularly and be primed for pregnancy," says Dr. Williams. This gives you time to track your cycle and figure out when you ovulate, which is key for timing conception.

But remember: Once you stop using hormonal birth control, it's technically possible to get pregnant right away. Using contraceptives hasn't been shown to negatively impact the ability to conceive, and there's not usually a significant delay in fertility once you stop, according to research.

So if you're not quite ready to conceive, be prepared to use another form of contraception like condoms. This is also a good time to start taking folic acid—at least 400 mcg daily—to lower the odds of some birth defects.

02 of 07

Step 2: Find Your Fertile Window

An illustration of a calendar.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

Now that you've stopped using birth control, you may be wondering, "When is the best time to try to get pregnant?" The answer is during your "fertile window," or the days leading up to and just after ovulation.

No matter how often you have sex, if you skip the most fertile days of the month, you won't conceive. "The biggest mistake my patients make is not knowing exactly when they ovulate," says Dr. Williams.

Some doctors recommend using ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) to pinpoint ovulation. These at-home tests work by detecting a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine, which occurs about 36 to 48 hours before you ovulate. OPKs help you plan baby-making sex for when you're the most fertile.

Other ways to track ovulation include charting your basal body temperature (BBT), monitoring your cervical mucus, and tracking your menstrual cycle. You can also use an online ovulation calculator.

03 of 07

Step 3: Have Sex Before You Ovulate

An illustration of a man and a woman in bed.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

If you want to get pregnant fast, it's important to know that having sex before you ovulate boosts the chances that there'll be sperm around to greet the egg once it leaves the ovary. Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to five days under the right conditions, but an egg only lasts for 12 to 24 hours after it's released.

If you're using OPKs, experts say that you'll want to have sex soon after getting a positive result, and then again for the next few days to take advantage of that pre-ovulation window.

If you're tracking your cervical mucus, time baby-making sex with when you start to see fertile-quality mucus. It will look clear and stretchy with a raw egg white consistency, says Cindy M.P. Duke, MD, PhD, medical director of the Nevada Fertility Institute in Las Vegas.

If you're less inclined to meticulously track fertility signs, you can start having sex at least a few times per week as soon as your period ends (every other day is even better). Getting busy regularly after your period helps ensure you won't miss your most fertile time, especially if your cycle length varies from month to month.

04 of 07

Step 4: Try Some Recommended Positions

An illustration of an alarm clock.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

When it comes to the best penis-in-vagina position to get pregnant fast, it can be hard to separate real advice from myths. But Dr. Williams says the following tips may be worth a try (but keep in mind there's no evidence they actually work):

  • Lie on your back after sex. "Because the vagina naturally slopes downward, resting on your back after sex allows sperm to pool there, which gives them an edge in swimming toward your egg," says Dr. Williams. Should you keep your legs elevated, too? It can't hurt, he says, but it probably doesn't help any more than lying down does.
  • Have sex before bed. Though some sources report that sperm count is highest in the morning, the truth is that there's no optimal time of day to have sex in terms of sperm count. However, having sex before you hit the hay is an easy way to ensure you stay on your back afterward.
  • Keep it vanilla(ish). While there's no single sex position that's best for conceiving, try sticking to one where you'll be on your back when it's over.
05 of 07

Step 5: Avoid Baby-Making Mistakes

An illustration of underwear.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

To increase your odds of getting pregnant fast naturally, you'll want to avoid these things:

  • Smoking. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), tobacco negatively impacts fertility for both men and women.
  • Alcohol. You already know to avoid alcohol during pregnancy, but it also pays to stop drinking before conception, because chronic and prolonged intake may adversely impair your fertility. Also, by saying "no" to alcohol, you won't accidentally drink before knowing you're pregnant.
  • Caffeine. While you don't need to completely eliminate caffeine, excessive amounts (more than 200 milligrams per day) can make it harder to conceive—though it's important to note that research isn't conclusive.
  • Excess stress. Your menstrual cycle could be thrown off by too much stress, which impacts ovulation. But again, the research linking stress and infertility is conflicting, and you should talk to your health care provider for more information.
  • Strenuous exercise. Experts recommend maintaining a moderate exercise regime while trying to conceive. That said, long-term extreme exercise habits (like those of professional athletes) can increase the risk of anovulation and irregular menstruation.
  • Unhealthy diet. Along with exercise, a nutritious diet can help you maintain a healthy weight while trying to conceive. This is important because obesity has been linked to diminished reproductive health and delayed conception.
  • Lube, according to some experts. When it comes to baby-making sex and strategies for getting pregnant fast, some experts recommend avoiding certain personal lubricants. Couples may think lube helps sperm move more quickly, but some research suggests lubricants might actually hinder your pregnancy efforts. That's because many formulas can alter the pH balance in the vagina and decrease sperm mobility. Even so, conception sex should be as stress-free as possible, so reach for the lubricant if it makes things more pleasurable for you!
06 of 07

Step 6: Take a Pregnancy Test

An illustration of a woman holding a pregnancy test.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

If you're hoping to get pregnant fast, you may wonder how soon you can take a pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests work by detecting levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in your urine. Levels of this pregnancy hormone, produced by the placenta, rise in early pregnancy

Tests marketed as "early result" or "early response" may be more sensitive at detecting lower levels of hCG, usually a few days before a missed period. Keep in mind that testing too early can yield a "false negative" result—when the test says you're not pregnant, but you really are.

In these cases, your body isn't producing enough hCG yet to be detected by the test. Waiting and testing again a few days after your missed period will give more accurate results. The earlier you confirm a pregnancy, the sooner you can see a health care provider and start prenatal care.

07 of 07

Step 7: Try Again

An illustration of a man and woman hugging.
Illustration: Emma Darvick.

As much as you may wish, there's no magic remedy for getting pregnant fast. How long it takes to get pregnant depends on many things, from your age and health history to your unique menstrual cycle and lifestyle factors. While it's possible to conceive on your first try, most people try for several cycles before getting that positive pregnancy test.

In fact, data shows that more than half of healthy couples conceive within six months of trying to get pregnant, and about 75% of couples in their early thirties conceive within one year.

If you don't have a positive pregnancy test this time around, you're not alone. Most experts advise seeing a fertility specialist if you don't conceive within 12 months of trying if you're under 35 without health or fertility problems (or after six months if you're over 35). But that doesn't mean that you can't consult with a health care provider sooner.

If you have any concerns or simply want to give yourself the best chance of conceiving quickly, don't hesitate to make a preconception appointment with your health care provider.

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Sources
Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Having a Baby After Age 35: How Aging Affects Fertility and Pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Updated 2023.

  2. Return of fertility after discontinuation of contraception: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Contracept Reprod Med. 2018.

  3. Women Need 400 micrograms of Folic Acid Every Day. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed 2022.

  4. Pregnancy - identifying fertile days. MedlinePlus [Internet]. National Library of Medicine (US). Reviewed 2022.

  5. Diurnal and seasonal changes in semen quality of men in subfertile partnerships. Chronobiol Int. 2018.

  6. How Smoking Affects Reproductive Health. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2021.

  7. Alcohol and fertility: how much is too much? Fertil Res Pract. 2017.

  8. Relationship between caffeine intake and infertility: a systematic review of controlled clinical studies. BMC Womens Health. 2020.

  9. The relationship between stress and infertilityDialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2018.

  10. Obesity as disruptor of the female fertility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018.

  11. Vaginal lubricants in the couple trying-to-conceive: Assessing healthcare professional recommendations and effect on in vitro sperm function. PLoS One. 2019.

  12. Trying to Get Pregnant? Here’s When to Have Sex. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2023.

  13. Knowledge about the impact of age on fertility: a brief review. Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences. 2020.

  14. Infertility FAQs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed 2023.

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