When Are You Most Likely to Get Pregnant
In order to get pregnant, you need to know when you are ovulating. In some cases, this is simple, particularly when you have regular cycles. In other cases, it isn’t so easy and you have to do some fancy calculations or have to use an ovulation test kit.
Regular Cycles
If you have cycles that are 28 days in length like clockwork, you are likely ovulating on the 14th day of your cycle. This means you should have sex from about the 10th day of your cycle through the 15th day of your cycle just to make sure you have had sex during your most fertile time.
Irregular Cycles
If you have irregular cycles or cycles that are regular but longer than 28 days, there still is a way of determining when you will get pregnant. The day of your ovulation is calculated from the fourteenth day before you expect your next period to begin. This means you need to have some idea of what day that will be in order to determine your ovulation day without an ovulation test kit.
Just get out your calendar and circle the day you expect to get your next period. Then count 14 days before that. That will be the day that you ovulate. Have sex in the 4-5 days before you anticipate that you will be ovulating.
Using an Ovulation Test Kit
You can purchase an ovulation test kit at your local pharmacy, which tests for your luteinizing hormone surge or LH surge, which is the signal for ovulation. The kit costs about $20 but is worth it if you have irregular cycles. You begin testing a few days before you anticipate that you will ovulate, which may be early in the cycle or later on in the cycle (if you have long cycles). A double line or a “yes” or “no” response will indicate that you are ovulating, depending on what type of ovulation test kit you get.
When to get Pregnant
You get pregnant most likely on the day before ovulation or on the day of ovulation, when the egg is released. You should definitely have sex on those days. Because sperm can last 4 to 5 days before degenerating inside the female Fallopian tube, you can have sex up to 5 days before your LH surge and you still might get pregnant. Your best bet is to have sex at least every other day before you anticipate ovulation so you have the best chance of getting pregnant.