Some women seem to get pregnant at the drop of a hat, while others try unsuccessfully for years to conceive naturally. Getting pregnant requires that a ripe egg becomes fertilized by sperm present in your reproductive tract during the 12 to 24 hours immediately following ovulation. Whether you'd like to increase your chances of getting pregnant or just want a clearer understanding of your fertility, you'll need to familiarize yourself with your menstrual cycle to determine the times that you're more likely to conceive.
The Facts
You measure your menstrual cycle in days, starting with the first day of a given menstrual period and counting through to the first day of the following period. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), most women experience a menstrual cycle that lasts 28 days, but your cycle could vary in length from 21 days to 45 days, depending upon factors such as your age and health. The exact length of your menstrual cycle helps determine when you're more likely to conceive.
Time Frame
The HHS states that a woman is more likely to get pregnant the three days before--and the day of--ovulation. Women experiencing a 28-day cycle generally ovulate about 14 days into the menstrual cycle. The American Pregnancy Association (APA) states that you can determine your window of ovulation by counting back 12 to 16 days from the estimated date of your upcoming menstrual period.
Features
The condition of your cervical mucus generally provides an accurate indicator of your more fertile times. Over the course of each menstrual cycle, the consistency and appearance of your cervical mucus changes, becoming more sperm-friendly at the time that you ovulate. On the days in your cycle that you're less likely to get pregnant, your mucus is tacky and sticky. During the days closest to--and the actual day of--ovulation, your cervical mucus becomes more moist, stretchy and clear, often appearing similar to the white of a raw egg, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Significance
Tracking your menstrual cycle accurately plays an important role in helping you pinpoint the more fertile days during your menstrual cycle. If you wish to achieve or avoid pregnancy using natural methods, often called natural family planning, or NFP, keep written records of your menstrual cycle each month. Don't forget to note the consistency of your cervical mucus to get a more accurate indication of your fertile days. Consider recording your basal body temperature each day or using an ovulation predictor kit to provide additional information that helps you determine your window of fertility with more accuracy.
Considerations
The NIH notes that sperm may survive in a woman's reproductive tract for up to five days. If you're attempting to get pregnant, having sexual intercourse during the five days before ovulation generally increases your likelihood of getting pregnant. The NIH points out that evidence suggests having intercourse as infrequently as every three days during the seventh through the 20th days of your menstrual cycle seems to have the same conception success rate as daily intercourse during that same time period.
