Infertility Treatment

How Long Does It Take to Get Pregnant?

Many different factors affect your chances of getting pregnant, and it is also a very individual thing, but there are some factors that can influence how long it takes to get pregnant.
According to NHS Choices, most couples will conceive within a year if they have regular unprotected sex. It says that about 84 out of every 100 conceive within a year and about 92 out of 100 take up to two years.
Trying to conceive can become an all-consuming obsession and your period starting each month can become extremely demoralising.
The thing to remember is that it is totally normal not to conceive as soon as you start trying.

What factors affect getting pregnant?

• Age

The most obvious factor is age, although there will always be the examples of over-40s getting pregnant at their first try, the truth is that fertility begins to decline when women hit 35.

NHS statistics say that at age 35, 94 out of 100 women will get pregnant after three years, but by age 38, only 77 out of 100 will do so.

•  How often you have sex

You won't get pregnant very quickly if you're not having sex, but how frequently should you be doing it? The sit-com cliché of the baby-crazed woman sitting in bed tapping her watch with ovulation stick in hand is fairly familiar, but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence advises against obsessive targeting of ovulation times because the stress it can cause can be counterproductive.

The best way to go about it is to have sex when you think you might be fertile by trying to notice the signs that you are ovulating, but also cover all bases by having sex every two to three days so that there will be sperm in the right place whenever you do ovulate.

Having sex every day, while tempting (or perhaps not!), may actually lower the quality of sperm.

• Health

Your general health will have an effect on the time it takes you to conceive. A history of reproductive health problems, STIs, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), previous surgery on reproductive organs and endometriosis can make it more difficult to conceive, as can a history of asthma or diabetes.

Women who are either underweight or overweight may take longer to conceive as both conditions affect hormone levels, which can suppress ovulation.

•  Diet and lifestyle

Exercise, a healthy diet and laying off the fags and booze can give you a better chance of conceiving.

NICE recommends no more than two units of alcohol once or twice a week and stopping smoking altogether.

Your partner should only drink up to four units a day and no binge drinking. This is because smoking and drinking can both have an adverse effect on sperm count, and the quality and motility of sperm. To give the little swimmers the best chance of fertilising an egg, it's best to eat healthily, drink moderately and do a spot of exercise. Oh, and no tight pants - testicles need a cooler temperature in order to produce good strong sperm.

Steer him towards boxers even if he prefers a snug pair of Y-fronts. Other boosts to male fertility are getting enough zinc and selenium.

• Fertility problems

There may be underlying fertility problems such as PCOS, blocked fallopian tubes or sperm allergy that prevent conception.

If you're under 35 and you've been trying to conceive for more than a year, go and see your GP who may be able to send you for fertility investigations. If you're over 35, go to your GP after six months.

If you have concerns before this or have had reproductive health issues before, you could always have a pre-conception health check with your GP. 

What other women says about how long it takes to get pregnant

• I think it comes down to the individual whether or not you struggle to conceive when increasing in age. We all know the stats, but it's all about personal circumstances and biology. 
• 
My considered opinion is that babymaking is very much a lottery. Two months of trying is, on the one hand, no time at all, but on the other hand it can seem like a lifetime. 
• Professor Winston says that a lot of couples forget to have sex often enough. Apparently, having sex once a month gives you a 3% chance of conceiving but having sex 20 times a month gives you a 40% chance.
• I had a course of reflexology. I don't know if it helped but after about four sessions I was pregnant. I do think the detox/healthy eating (12 portions of fruit and veg a day and lots of water) that the reflexologist made me do at the same time probably helped, together with my husband and I making a concerted effort to do it lots at the right time! 

Have fun trying and try to relax (I know - easier said than done!)

Problems Getting Pregnant

Even if you're highly attuned to every fluctuation in your body's menstrual cycle and are having sex a couple of times a week, it may still take a while to get pregnant. Try not to panic because this is normal. 
There are factors that can make contribute to problems getting pregnant.

• Irregular periods

Hormones regulate your menstrual cycles so any hormonal imbalances can make your periods irregular. This has nothing to do with the length of your cycle (some mums on Mumsnet have reported 50-day cycles). Irregular periods can mean ovulation isn't taking place every month (known medically as anovulation).

• Medical conditions

Polycystic ovary syndrome, Hughes syndrome, thyroid disorders, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and blocked fallopian tubes (often caused by chlamydia) are some of the disorders that mean you may have problems getting pregnant.

• Implantation

Sometimes fertilisation takes place but the egg doesn't implant securely in the womb lining and is lost in the next period. This can be linked to the length of your luteal phase.

• Age

The older you get, the slimmer your chances of getting pregnant (about the only thing that gets slimmer as you get older). That said, many women over 35 have healthy pregnancies and babies.

• Sperm

The quality and quantity of your partner's sperm can affect your chances of getting pregnant. Sperm production can be affected by untreated sexually transmitted infections, excessive heat (such as hot baths), smoking, drinking and taking drugs, mumps and injuries to the testicles.
But sometimes the reason why there aren't enough healthy sperm for conception can't be found.

When to see your GP about problems getting pregnant

If you've been having regular, unprotected sex and you're still not getting pregnant, there may (only may) be a problem your GP or a fertility clinic can diagnose and treat.

15-20% of infertility cases have no obvious cause and are classed as unexplained infertility. Don't despair: even if this is your diagnosis it doesn't necessarily mean you'll never get pregnant, particularly if you've only been trying for a year or so.
Many doctors prefer you to have been having sex without contraception for at least a year, several times a week, before referring you for fertility tests. But if you've already been diagnosed with something like endometriosis and you're over 35, your GP may refer after six months.
Your GP will probably examine your pelvis to check for tenderness, which can be a sign of endometriosis or PID.
He or she will also probably recommend a blood test to check your hormone levels.

Your GP may then refer you for further tests and procedures, such as:

• Pelvic ultrasound - this uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of your womb and ovaries
• Progesterone test - to check you're ovulating
• Chlamydia test - if it's positive, chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics
• Thyroid function test - it's estimated up to 5% of women experiencing problems conceiving have an abnormal thyroid
• Hysterosalpingogram - a type of X-ray of your fallopian tubes, to check for blockages
• Laparoscopy - a thin microscope is inserted under your skin to look more closely at your womb, ovaries and fallopian tubes
• Dye test - dye is injected through the cervix and then the person doing the procedure uses a laparascope to see whether there are any blockages

The tests you'll be offered will depend on your medical history, for example whether you know you've had chlamydia or endometriosis.

What men are tested for

The GP will test the quality and quantity of your BD partner's sperm. About one in ten men has an abnormal result, so the test is usually repeated. About two in 100 men will have a second abnormal test.

The medical language to do with fertility and infertility treatments is hard to pronounce and pretty difficult to understand. For example, if you hear 'oligozoospermia', the doctor's talking about low sperm count.

Other things that may need to be ruled out for men are hormone disorders and plumbing problems ie blockages in the testicles or problems ejaculating.

What Mumsnetters say about problems getting pregnant

• Make sure your GP knows that you are trying to conceive if you have thyroid problems, even minimal ones, as it affects your treatment.
• It is better to have a long luteal phase. If it's less than 10 days, that may not be enough time for the egg to implant in your uterus. 12-14 days is the norm, and anything 11 days or over should be absolutely fine. 
• My top tip is to lie to the GP about how long you've been trying to conceive. Get your foot in the door for any investigations sooner rather than later. 
• It's incredibly frustrating even when you are in the system, as things cannot go quickly enough. Every month is an ovulation that has been and gone, and an opportunity that has gone forever. 
• If you have a blood test done ensure that both your LH (luteinising hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulation hormone) are compared against one another. Ideally, these two levels should be the same but if your level of LH is higher than that of FSH this is one possible indicator of polycystic ovaries. I would ask your GP to refer you to a gynaecologist at a subfertility unit as a matter of course.
• I would prompt anyone suffering from failure to conceive to get themselves to the GP asap - or, if they have the funds, go to a private clinic where they can do all the tests the NHS do in a fraction of the time. It may be that there isn't anything wrong with either partner, and it will just take more time than your super-fertile friends do to get pregnant - but if anything is actually wrong with either of you, all the sex in the world on the right days isn't going to make a blind bit of difference. Best to know this, really. And if all the tests come back fine, then not to worry - and if they don't then at least you know where you are and can plan accordingly.
   

Top 10 things women wished they'd known before trying to conceive

1. One thing that really helped me emotionally was to take control of things myself. Rather than wait for medical things to be 'done' to me, I/we made some choices and made huge lifestyle changes. We were determined that if we were going to have IVF, we would make sure we were in the best physical state possible. 
2. I would really recommend buying a fertility monitor to anyone who has irregular cycles - it gives you a better indication of when you may be ovulating and what is going on with your cycles. Well worth the money just to help plot your cycle.
3. I was surprised that various tests could be done at the GPs (ie bloods etc) rather than the hospital and that he could prescribe Clomid without the consultant intervening. If I had known this before, it could have saved us a lot of time. 
4. Acupuncture really helps - it worked for us not only in terms of conceiving but also as a way of dealing with some of the stress of trying to conceive. 
5. I'd say the most important thing is to make sure that you hang on to your relationship. Infertility is so incredibly stressful and it seems to eat into every aspect of your life. It's so easy to take it out on each other and forget that you're a team pulling in the same direction. 
6. It really helps to talk to virtual people who are going through the same thing. Unless your friends are having trouble conceiving too, they just won't understand, and will do insensitive things like sending you an email at work to announce that they are pregnant again, cos, 'whoops, the pill doesn't always work', when you've spent two years TTC.
7. If you have problems getting pregnant make sure you know what's normal/not normal and what tests need to be performed, as an uninformed GP can delay the process of seeking help and cause further delays.
8. Give very careful consideration to whom you want to tell that you are trying to conceive or that you are having problems. Even the most well-meaning people can come out with very ill-considered and hurtful comments. 
9. Make sure your partner tells you about good friends' pregnancies when you're at home alone, not when you're out in a pub. I cried over every pregnancy I heard about, no matter how much I liked the people concerned. I was so torn - pleased for them, and devastated for me. 
10. Don't have sex 'just' to get pregnant, it undermines everything.

Pregnancy Miracle - Ancient Secrets to Getting Pregnant (An Ebook Review)

Why Is Pregnancy Miracle The Best Selling Infertility Cure Book In Internet History, With Thousands Of Satisfied (And Now Proud Mothers) Women In 127 Countries Worldwide?

Pregnancy Miracle is the #1 best selling infertility Cure ebook in the history of the Internet for a reason...

Thousands of women of almost every age have completely reversed any infertility issues they had and got pregnant naturally, without drugs, risky surgery or "magic potions" simply by using the clinically proven, scientifically-accurate step by step method found inside this amazing Pregnancy guidebook.

Lisa Olson, a certified nutritionist, health consultant and author has not just pumped out yet another "pregnancy program" into an already over-saturated market. Lisa's Pregnancy Miracle can be more accurately described as an "Pregnancy Bible." It is quite simply one of the most comprehensive, complete, and precise guides to infertility freedom you will ever read. What makes it so much different than other pregnancy publications on the market?

Well first of all, it's not just a "infertility help" program, it's an infertility cure program. This may seem like semantics or wordplay at first, but once you've read just the first chapters, there will be no doubt in your mind that pursuing "help with your pregnancy" is not only the wrong goal, it may be the reason that you've failed to get pregnant until now. Pregnancy Miracle shows you exactly why you should fix the internal problem that's hindering your chances of getting pregnant and then goes on to show you exactly how to do it.

Secondly, what makes Pregnancy Miracle different is the amount of attention that is paid to each and every element required to get pregnant the natural way. Pregnancy Miracle not only thoroughly discusses the lies, myths and fallacies surrounding a very confusing subject, it is simply the most detailed book about pregnancy and infertility, Chinese Medicine and holistic health ever written.

The Pregnancy Miracle book is quite extensive (250 pages of rock solid content) which focuses on 100% natural method for getting pregnant quickly. That means there aren't recommendations for harsh prescription drugs or surgeries with nasty side effects. In Pregnancy Miracle core formula section (The 3 step system) - Nothing is held back. In this section, Lisa gives a detailed overview of each step, and then dives into the specifics in a perfect chronological order. There are also outstanding charts and checklists which make it very easy to know where you are at in the program and follow it.

Because the Pregnancy Miracle program is not a quick fix ‘fairy tale’ cure but a complete holistic solution aimed at eliminating the root cause of fertility problems(regardless of your age) and ensure your will get pregnant quickly, it does take work and persistence to complete. "The dictionary is the only place success comes before work" says Lisa, as she emphasizes the "no quick fix" philosophy behind the entire book.

If there is any drawback to the Pregnancy Miracle ebook, it's that it contains so much information, that some readers may find it a bit overwhelming. Those who are looking for a quick start type of pregnancy program, might be a bit intimated at first. The good part however, is that even these types of readers can feel confident and assured that it will be worth the effort because this will literally be the last book they ever have to buy on the subject.

Who will benefit most from Pregnancy Miracle?

In the broadest sense, anyone and everyone who wants to get pregnant naturally and regain their natural inner balance will benefit from Pregnancy Miracle. This ebook is honestly for everyone. Even women without fertility issues. This is a total health rejuvenation program better than 98% of the nutrition and alternative health books on the market. In fact, the advice in this ebook is guaranteed to help you with any other health condition you might have, especially if you suffer from hormonal disorders, digestive problems, insulin related disorders, allergies and acne.

In terms of graphic design, Pregnancy Miracle is a clean and professionally formatted PDF e-book. It is well organized and ideal for printing and reading in the comfort of your own home.

This impressive and unique publication has changed many lives and the hundreds of inspiring testimonials and success stories are found on the Pregnancy Miracle website archives as proof.

The Bottom line?

Anyone looking for a quick fix solution to getting pregnant, anyone looking to be told fairy-tales, and anyone looking for a "magic bullet", pills, over the counters, 'get pregnant in 2 weeks' hyped up programs should not waste his or her time with Pregnancy Miracle.

On the other hand, anyone searching for the truth about pregnancy, fertility issues and alternative health and who is ready and willing to put in some work and make the lifestyle changes necessary to get pregnant fast and give birth to healthy children, will find Pregnancy Miracle to be one of the best investments they ever made in their lives. Click here to learn more about Lisa Olson's Pregnancy Miracle

How Can I Get Pregnant Fast Faster - 10 Periconception Tips

Getting pregnant is not as easy as you think.

While some couples get pregnant within the first month of trying, others don't have that much luck. "How can I get pregnant faster?" or "how do you get pregnant?" are among the top questions asked by many couples trying to conceive.

 About 50% of couples will successfully conceive within 5-6 months, and about 85% will conceive within one year if they do not use contraception and have sex regularly. Another half of those who don’t conceive in the first year will get pregnant in the second year.

You are more likely to get pregnant if you and your partner are both in good health and younger, of normal weight and make love regularly but especially during the 5-6 fertile days. Making some changes to your lifestyle may improve your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy.

In addition, calculating you fertile days helps you determine the best days of having sex. Medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, obesity and other problems can affect your chances getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy.

The following 10 periconception tips will help you improve your pregnancy chances and your chances of having a healthy baby:

TIP#1: See your doctor for a periconception visit and get your partner tested too.
TIP#2: Learn everything there is to know about getting pregnant.
TIP#3: Eat well and take your vitamin and folic acid supplement well before conception. Improve his health too!
TIP#4: Review all medication you take with your doctor including those that are over-the-counter and those that are prescribed.
TIP#5: Stop Smoking and drinking and go easy on the coffee.
TIP#6: Be at your optimal weight and exercise.prenatal vitamins and fertility
TIP#7: Relax, relax, relax.
TIP#8: See your dentist for a checkup and cleaning.
TIP#9: Check your health insurance coverage, review your options for leave at work and make a pregnancy and baby budget.
TIP#10: See an infertility specialist (Reproductive Endocrinologist, RE)

 

7 Tips for Getting Pregnant Faster - Dos and Don'ts of increasing your chances of getting pregnant.

You are ready to get pregnant  Now . Once you are ready to start a family, waiting is the last thing you want to do.

Although Mother Nature has a hand in the timing, there are some things you can do -- or not do -- to help increase your chances of getting pregnant ASAP. Read on for seven expert-approved tips for getting pregnant.

1. Do get a preconception checkup.

Before you officially start trying, get a checkup. Ask your doctor about prenatal vitamins that have folic acid , which helps protect against some birth defects, such as spina bifida . Folic acid works during the early stages of pregnancy, so that's why it's important to make sure you're getting enough folic acid even before you get pregnant. 
"Do this the cycle before you start trying," says Paula Hillard, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University. "If you have any underlying medical problems, they need to be under control before you can safely become pregnant."
 

2. Do get to know your cycle.

How much do you know about your menstrual cycle? Really understanding helps you know when you're most fertile, says Hillard. Ovulation is the best time to get pregnant. "This is the time to focus on having sex," Hillard says.
 
It helps to become aware of the signs of ovulation, such as a change in your cervical mucus. It usually becomes thin and slippery when you are most fertile. Some women may also feel a one-sided twinge of pain.
 
Ovulation prediction kits can also help you predict the best time to get pregnant, says James Goldfarb, MD, director of the infertility service at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. Not only can they help assure you that you are ovulating, "if you are having infrequent intercourse, this tells you when to have it to increase your chances of getting pregnant," he says.
Here's how it works: The first day of your menstrual period is considered day one. "Start testing on day nine and keep going until you get a positive," advises Joanne Piscitelli, MD, an associate professor of gynecology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Women with a 28-day cycle tend to ovulate on day 14. But many women have longer or shorter cycles, so casting a wide net can help you be sure.
 
What if you've been using birth control? Do you need to wait a while before trying to get pregnant? Not really, says Goldfarb. "Years ago, the conventional wisdom was to wait a certain amount of time after stopping birth control to try to get pregnant but that is no longer true. You can start trying to conceive right after you stop birth control," Goldfarb says. The only thing to keep in mind is that you could get pregnant before you get your period,  so tracking ovulation may be difficult, and it might be harder to figure out your due date. For this reason, "some people may feel better waiting until they get one period on their own," he says.

3. Don't worry about the best positions for getting pregnant.

Myths abound about the best positions for getting pregnant, but they are just that -- myths. There is really no scientific evidence saying that the missionary position is better than the woman being on top when it comes to maximizing your chances of making a baby.

"Very rarely, a woman's cervix is in an unusual position where certain positions can make a difference," Goldfarb tells WebMD.

Certain gravity-defying positions, such as sitting or standing during intercourse, however, may discourage sperm from traveling upstream. "It's a matter of gravity [and] you don't want all the semen to run out -- and semen are quick little critters," Hillard says.

4. Do lay low right after intercourse.

You have probably heard this one -- lie in bed with your feet in the air after having sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant. The verdict? Not (totally) true.

"It's good advice to lay in bed for 10 to 15 minutes after intercourse, but you don't need your feet in the air," Goldfarb says. "Your pelvis does not move when you put your legs in the air." Don't go the bathroom during this time either, he says. "If you wait 10 to 15 minutes, the sperm that is going to get into the cervix will be in the cervix."

5. Don't overdo it.

Having sex every day even during ovulation will not necessarily increase your chances of getting pregnant. "In general, every other night around the time of ovulation helps increase your chance of getting pregnant," Goldfarb says. Sperm can live up to 72 hours after intercourse. The best suggestion is to have sex regularly -- when you're ovulating, and when you're not.
 
Speaking of sperm, "wearing tight-fitting clothing can negatively affect sperm count," Piscitelli says. So too can spending time in hot tub or Jacuzzi. Your man's cell phone habits may also also need some work. A study in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed that men who used a hands-free device with a cell phone and kept their phone close to their testicles had poorer sperm quality.
 
He might want to pass on the edamame and other soy foods for a while, too. Men who eat a lot of soy foods may have a lower sperm concentration than men who don't eat soy foods, according to a study published online in Human Reproduction.
 

6. Do de-stress any way you can.

Try not to get stressed out about starting a family. You may roll your eyes if someone says, "Just relax and it will happen," but stress can actually interfere with ovulation. So the more relaxed you are, the better!
 
Whatever helps you de-stress is fine, as long as it's healthy. "There is some evidence that acupuncture can help reduce stress and increase your chances of becoming pregnant," Goldfarb says. And although drinking too much alcohol when trying to get pregnant isn't smart, a glass of wine won't hurt. 

7. Do live a healthy life.

Exercising is a healthy habit -- especially if it helps keep you at your ideal weight. Just like anything else, though, you can get too much of a good thing. "Too much exercise can cause you not to ovulate," Goldfarb says.
 
What's too much? It may be different for different women. If you are a hard-core exerciser and are still getting your period regularly, your exercise regimen is most likely not a problem, he says. But, Goldfarb adds, your menstrual period is not the first thing to go if you are exercising too heavily. "The first thing that happens is that you have a shorter second half of your cycle. You should have a period 14 days after you ovulate, but too much exercise can shorten this phase." This would be the first hint that you need to curtail your fitness regimen. He suggests tracking how long it takes you to get a period after you ovulate as the best way to know for sure.

Goldfarb says the best way to increase your chances of getting pregnant while getting the health benefits of regular exercise is to do moderate exercise -- think brisk walking -- two and a half hours each week (or at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week).
 
Stop smoking to increase your chances of getting pregnant," Hillard says. Aside from all the other negative health effects of smoking, this nasty habit also decreases fertility. "It affects estrogen levels and ovulation."
 
And don't worry too much about your day planner. "Eighty-five percent of women will become pregnant within one year of trying," Hillard says.

By Denise Mann

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD