Conception (when the egg is fertilized by the sperm) can take place as soon as three minutes after sex or it may take up to five days. Implantation (when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall) occurs five to 10 days after fertilization—which means it can happen anywhere from five to 15 days after you had sex.
Pregnancy doesn't start the day you have sex — It actually takes up to 2-3 weeks after sex to become officially pregnant. It can take up to 6 days after sex for the sperm and egg to join — if a sperm cell joins with an egg, it's called fertilization. The fertilized egg moves towards your uterus.
Although over a third of healthy couples will get pregnant in the first month of trying1, it's also perfectly natural for it to take up to a year for a couple under 35 and in good health to conceive.
According to infertility research, the likelihood of getting pregnant in the first month is around 30% . For people without fertility issues, the approximate chances of conception are: 75% after 6 months. 90% after a year.
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.
Even though only one sperm is needed for fertilization, most sperm cells will not survive the journey from the testicle to the uterus. Of the 200 million sperm deposited near the cervix in an average ejaculation, only 100,000 make it to the womb. For this reason, it's important to have a healthy sperm count when TTC.
The concentration of sperm is what makes the semen cloudy and thick, so if your ejaculate is watery it is possible that you have a low sperm count. This doesn't mean you're infertile (so precautions to prevent pregnancy still need to be taken for couples that don't want to get pregnant).
The bottom line is that it's perfectly normal if some amount of semen (and sperm) leaks from the vagina after penis-in-vagina sex. And you don't need to worry about trying to "keep" it inside, either. "You don't need to lie in bed with your legs up after intercourse to get pregnant," says Dr. Hakakha.
Sperm mixes with other fluids to make semen (cum), which comes out of the penis during ejaculation. Millions and millions of sperm come out every time you ejaculate — but it only takes 1 sperm cell to meet with an egg for pregnancy to happen.
By the end of a full sperm production cycle, you can regenerate up to 8 billion sperm. This may seem like overkill, but you release anywhere from 20 to 300 million sperm cells in a single milliliter of semen. Your body maintains a surplus to ensure there's a fresh supply for conception.
If your menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and your period arrives like clockwork, it's likely that you'll ovulate on day 14. That's halfway through your cycle. Your fertile window begins on day 10. You're more likely to get pregnant if you have sex at least every other day between days 10 and 14 of a 28-day cycle.
Loss of seminal fluid after intercourse is perfectly normal, and most women notice some discharge immediately after sex. Many infertile couples imagine that this is the cause of their problem.
There is no specific frequency with which a man should ejaculate. There is no solid evidence that failure to ejaculate causes health problems. However, ejaculating frequently can reduce the man's risk of getting prostate cancer. Ejacu-lation can be through having sex or masturbating a few times a day.
Have sex regularly. The highest pregnancy rates occur in couples who have sex every day or every other day. Have sex near the time of ovulation. If having sex every day isn't possible — or enjoyable — have sex every 2 to 3 days a week starting soon after the end of your period.
Sometimes women don't ovulate regularly and consistently. Sporadic menstrual cycles can be caused by conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hormonal imbalances or obesity. Ovulation can also be impacted by excessive exercise, stress or low body weight.
One study found that for couples having regular unprotected sex: around 7 out of 10 women aged 30 will conceive within one year. around 6 out of 10 women aged 35 will conceive within one year. around 4 out of 10 women aged 40 will conceive within one year.
How early do pregnancy symptoms start? It varies. Some people feel pregnant within a few days of conception, while other people don't feel pregnant for weeks after a positive pregnancy test. Pregnancy symptoms vary between people and even between pregnancies.
Many people experience what seem to be pregnancy symptoms shortly before their period arrives. This happens because the hormone progesterone rises both during early pregnancy and in the premenstrual period. 1 In short, PMS symptoms and early pregnancy symptoms can sometimes be exactly the same.
You can do this by inserting a finger into your vagina to feel for the cervix. Your middle finger may be the most effective finger to use because it's the longest, but use whichever finger is easiest for you.
If you have a regular monthly menstrual cycle, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period. In the first few weeks of pregnancy you may have a bleed similar to a very light period, with some spotting or only losing a little blood. This is called implantation bleeding.
Having symptoms a day or two after having sex is usually not a sign of pregnancy.
Some women might experience the first symptoms a week or two after conceiving, whereas others don't feel anything for months. Many women may tell if they are pregnant within two or three weeks of conceiving, and some women know a lot sooner, even within a few days.
Pregnancy may be the reason for a “period” that lasts only one or two days. When a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus, implantation bleeding can happen. This type of bleeding is usually lighter than a regular period. It most often lasts about 24 to 48 hours.
Normal discharge during pregnancy is clear or white, and usually a bit sticky; it should not have a noticeable odor. It's OK if your discharge looks a little yellow on your underwear or panty liner during pregnancy, too.