Getting pregnant naturally seems like it should be a simple thing, but some couples encounter difficulty even after months of trying to conceive. For many women, the key to achieving a successful pregnancy is to understand how the body works and pay close attention to the fertility signals that indicate the best times to try for a child.
Step 1
Track the menstrual cycle using a fertility chart or charting software. Keep track of when the menstrual period begins and ends for several months to develop an idea of how long the cycle lasts. On average, the cycle lasts 28 to 32 days, explains the American Pregnancy Association, although some women have much longer or shorter cycles. Typically, the optimal fertility window will be between 18 and 11 days before the period begins. In a woman with a consistent menstrual cycle, charting may be accurate enough to determine the best time period in which to become pregnant.
Step 2
Take a daily temperature reading every morning using a basal thermometer, which is designed to measure the tiny temperature changes that occur over the course of the menstrual cycle. Because the temperature rises immediately after ovulation, adding temperature readings to the fertility chart can help pinpoint when in the cycle a woman is likely to be fertile and when she has passed her window of fertility. The temperature should be taken just after getting up in the morning and typically needs to be charted for several months before a pattern emerges.
Step 3
Keep track of the changes in cervical mucus. The cervix undergoes changes during the menstrual cycle that indicate increasing fertility leading up to ovulation. A woman can check her cervical mucus by wiping the vaginal opening with a clean fingertip and observing the fluid there. Generally, the color and consistency will shift from dry and almost nonexistent to wet, slippery and white or clear as a woman gets closer to ovulation. Women who are trying to get pregnant naturally are advised to have sex when their cervical mucus is at its most slippery, clear and abundant, with a texture akin to raw egg whites, because this type of cervical mucus indicates imminent ovulation.
Tips and Warnings
- Natural family planning works best when all three methods of tracking fertility are used together. However, using any one of the three methods alone can also help some women achieve pregnancy naturally. Some women also may track the changes in cervical position or breast tenderness. Adding observations about these things may improve the accuracy of pinpointing ovulation and determining the best time to become pregnant.
Things You'll Need
- Fertility chart
- Basal thermometer
References
- American Pregnancy Association: Fertility Awareness
- American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor: Natural Family Planning
- MayoClinic.com: Cervical mucus method for natural family planning
- Toni Weschler; "Taking Charge of Your Fertility"; 1996
