The main symptom of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. A menstrual cycle that's too long (35 days or more), too short (less than 21 days), irregular or absent can mean that you're not ovulating. There might be no other signs or symptoms.
Make sure to write down whenever you experience potential signs of ovulation: Typical ovulation symptoms could include cramps, an increase in cervical mucus, breast tenderness, fluid retention, and appetite or mood changes. Keep reading for more about ovulation symptoms.
You ovulate about 12 to 14 days before the start of a new menstrual cycle. Your fertile window is the five days leading up to ovulation, plus the day of ovulation and the day after ovulation — so about seven days in total.
The most common causes of female infertility include problems with ovulation, damage to fallopian tubes or uterus, or problems with the cervix. Age can contribute to infertility because as a woman ages, her fertility naturally tends to decrease.
The primary sign of infertility is not getting pregnant after trying for a certain length of time. A doctor may diagnose infertility if a woman has not become pregnant after 1 year of trying. If the woman is over the age of 35 years old, she may be infertile if she has not become pregnant after 6 months of trying.
Some common reasons include stress, not timing baby-making sex with ovulation, residual effects of hormonal birth control, and certain health conditions. As much as we may try, pregnancy really can't really be planned—but you can increase your chances by being aware of common pitfalls.
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.
The short answer is yes. It's possible to get pregnant outside of your predicted fertile window because timing of ovulation may differ each month and sperm lives in the body for several days.
Hormone blood tests
An evaluation for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels drawn on cycle day three (three days after a woman's period starts) is a common test for women. Other possible blood tests for hormones include anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol.
Most at-home FSH tests are very similar to pregnancy tests administered at home. For easy testing, use a small cup to collect urine from the first urination of the day. Then dip the testing stick into the urine sample and place on a flat surface while the test results register.
The chances of pregnancy are lowest during a person's period and on the days on either side of the period. However, they may still become pregnant if they have ovulated early or late in their cycle, as sperm can survive in the body for several days.
"The first fraction of ejaculate is the most effective for conception." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 May 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150526085347.htm>.
You're generally diagnosed with infertility if you don't get pregnant after 1 year or more of trying, or if you have multiple miscarriages. There are treatments for many kinds of infertility, and many people go on to have a healthy pregnancy and a child. Fertility isn't just a “woman's problem” or an issue with age.
The main symptom of infertility is not getting pregnant. There may be no other obvious symptoms. Sometimes, women with infertility may have irregular or absent menstrual periods. In some cases, men with infertility may have some signs of hormonal problems, such as changes in hair growth or sexual function.
There are lots of reasons pregnancy doesn't always happen right away. Some common reasons include stress, not timing baby-making sex with ovulation, residual effects of hormonal birth control, and certain health conditions.
As you get close to ovulation, your cervical mucus will become copious, clear and slippery—like egg whites. It stretches between your fingers. Once your discharge becomes scant and sticky again, ovulation is over.