Will you be able to feel the sperm reaching the egg or fertilizing? The answer is no, you won't feel anything during the fertilization of the egg. Our doctors at Ferticity Fertility Clinics explain that there are some women who might feel the implantation in the form of slight cramps or light bleeding.
Aiming for the man to ejaculate as deeply as possible into the woman's vagina. This means that the smallest amount of semen escapes and is retained as close to the cervix (the neck of the uterus) as possible. The woman can try lying on her back with her lower back elevated on a small pillow for around 20-30 minutes.
If a sperm cell does join up with your egg, the fertilized egg moves down the fallopian tube toward the uterus. It begins to divide into more and more cells, forming a ball as it grows. The ball of cells (called a blastocyst) gets to the uterus about 3–4 days after fertilization.
Early signs and symptoms include implantation bleeding or cramps, which can occur 5–6 days after the sperm fertilizes the egg. Other early symptoms include breast tenderness and mood changes.
The sperm rapidly swim up and into the cervix, where they can survive in the mucus for up to five days before an egg is released. When the egg is released at ovulation, it is covered in sticky cells, which help the fallopian tube to catch it.
The researchers concluded that lying down for 15 minutes after intrauterine insemination increases pregnancy rates compared with moving around immediately afterwards. They suggest that “immobilisation for 15 minutes should be offered to all women treated with intrauterine insemination.”
Ejaculated sperm remain viable for several days within the female reproductive tract. Fertilization is possible as long as the sperm remain alive — up to five days. Sperm can also be preserved for decades when semen is frozen.
The sperm enters the egg in the fallopian tube. It can happen even 3-5 days after ejaculation. There is no way for either of the partners to know if the sperm entered the egg. The only way to know for sure if the sperm did enter the egg is after a positive pregnancy test.
Your chances of getting pregnant in any given month are about 20-25%. Within two years, 95% of people trying to achieve pregnancy, who do not have infertility issues, will succeed. The SMEP plan tries to better those odds by ensuring that the sperm meets the egg during each cycle.
Usually, the sperm reaches the egg within 15 to 45 minutes of ejaculation. However, the process could be much longer than that if you haven't ovulated yet by the time you have sex, because sperm can live inside a reproductive tract and wait for an egg for up to five days.
How much sperm does it take? In theory, a single sperm is all it takes to get pregnant. But even in a large amount of semen — such as the quantity in one ejaculation — only a fraction of the sperm are healthy, moving, and sufficiently well-formed to cause a pregnancy.
The Odds of Getting Pregnant
For most couples trying to conceive, the odds that a woman will become pregnant are 15% to 25% in any particular month. But there are some things that can affect your chance of getting pregnant: Age.
Sperm would have a 5% probability of surviving more than 4.4 days and a 1% probability of surviving more than 6.8 days.
“And, at your fertile time, the mucus is quite receptive to sperm right there.” The fastest and healthiest sperm go right into your cervical mucus “instantaneously,” she says, making pretty much zero difference whether you lie there for a while after sex or get up and move.
Experts say the best way to get pregnant fast is to have sex once a day, every other day, during the fertile window right before and after ovulation. If you have sex too often, your partner's sperm count may be reduced—and if you don't have enough sex, the sperm may be old and unable to swim as fast.
Diet, weight and exercise
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight is essential for keeping your sperm in good condition. The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy diet you should: eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day (see 5 A Day)
Of all couples trying to conceive: 30 percent get pregnant within the first cycle (about one month). 60 percent get pregnant within three cycles (about three months). 80 percent get pregnant within six cycles (about six months).
Do not ejaculate for at least three days prior. The more healthy sperm are available to meet the egg, the higher your chances of IUI success. If your partner is submitting his sperm sample, we recommend avoiding ejaculation for at least three days (but no more than five days) before the sample day.