Generally, the chances of conception each month in your 20’s falls between 20-25%. Once you reach 30, your chances of conception begin to slowly decline. Once you reach 35, these chances drop to about 15% each month. By the time you reach 40, the chances of pregnancy are around 5% each month.
Contributing Factors:
-A woman can only conceive around ovulation each month (when her egg travels from her ovary into her uterus). Thus, a woman is generally fertile for only 5-7 days each month during what we call the “fertile window” around ovulation. This window includes the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and potentially the day after, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is because sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days and the female egg can generally survive up to 24 hours once it’s released (ovulation). The exact timing of ovulation can vary depending on the length of the menstrual cycle.
-The regularity of your periods helps more accurately determine ovulation and raises your chances of conception. If you tend to have irregular cycles, you probably don’t know when you’re ovulating (especially if you’re not keeping track of ovulation). This means that your chances of taking advantage of your 5-7 day fertile window are lower.
-Frequency of intercourse around ovulation matters. Many women believe they can just “get pregnant” when in fact you only have 5-7 days each month! And with that, the chances of pregnancy are highest if you have intercourse the day before ovulation:
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Five days before ovulation: 10% chance.
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Three days before ovulation: 27% chance.
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Two days before ovulation: 33% chance.
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One day before ovulation: 42% chance.
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Day of ovulation: 20% chance.
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One day after ovulation: 8% chance.
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-Overall health plays a large role in fertility. Women who are underweight or overweight have lower chances of becoming pregnant. Women with health conditions—such as diabetes, hypertension, and autoimmune diseases—are also challenged. It’s worth knowing, understanding and diagnosing any existing conditions you may have!
-The number of eggs and egg quality matter. Many things impact egg count and quality, including age (as we age our egg count and quality significantly declines), irregular cycles (the longer it takes to ovulate each month, the lower the egg quality by the time it is released), genetics (our predisposition to egg count and quality), our exercise habits (exercise can promote egg quality), weight, drug use, stress, conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis, exposure to toxins, hormonal imbalances and more. It’s so important to visit a doctor if you think this may be an issue for you!
If pregnancy is a current goal, it’s worth paying attention to your conception chances, getting help as needed and remembering you’re doing the best you can! Taking the stress off as much as possible is critical during this process.
