How long does it take to get pregnant?
No one can say exactly how long it'll take you to get pregnant. But we can tell you how long it typically takes couples to conceive – and how you can try to speed things along.
How long does it take to conceive?
Most couples get pregnant within three months after they start trying. Your own timeline could be longer if you're older, have certain fertility-unfriendly habits (like smoking), or have a condition that impairs fertility.
Of all couples trying to conceive:
- 30 percent get pregnant within the first cycle (about one month).
- 60 percent get pregnant within three cycles (about three months).
- 80 percent get pregnant within six cycles (about six months).
- 85 percent get pregnant within 12 cycles (about one year).
- 91 percent get pregnant within 36 cycles (about three years).
- 93 to 95 percent get pregnant within 48 cycles (about four years).
If you try for a year without success, it's smart to seek help from a fertility specialist. You might conceive on your own if you keep trying, but it's best to find out early if you have an underlying fertility problem so you don't waste valuable time.
If you're 35 or older, get a complete fertility workup even sooner: Make an appointment with a specialist if you're not pregnant within six months.
About 80 to 90 percent of all couples conceive naturally. Ten percent are eventually diagnosed with infertility. (About 93 to 95 percent of couples probably could conceive naturally if they tried long enough. It's just that some get help rather than waiting to find out.)
An "infertility" diagnosis simply means you spent one year of trying to get pregnant without success. (Although you should see a fertility specialist if you're age 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for six months without success, you won't be diagnosed with infertility until a year has passed.)
Once couples diagnosed with infertility get medical help, many do eventually get pregnant. The rest typically end up considering other options, like sperm donation, surrogacy, or adoption.
How does age affect pregnancy rates?
The older you get, the longer it may take you to get pregnant – mainly because your egg quality declines with age. (You were born with all the eggs you'll ever have.) That means fewer of them are able to join with a sperm and grow into a healthy baby. Interestingly, male fertility rates don't start to go down until around age 50.
After one year of trying, about 86 percent of healthy, fertile women in their early 20s will get pregnant. The rate drops to about 63 percent among healthy, fertile women in their early 30s, and 36 percent among healthy, fertile women in their early 40s. By age 45, close to 0 percent of women are able to get pregnant naturally.
Can I get pregnant faster?
Happily, the answer is yes. There are a few steps you can take to speed things along.
First, figure out when you'll ovulate. You can only get pregnant when you ovulate (release an egg from one or your ovaries). There are a few different methods you can try to help pinpoint when you'll ovulate.
Next, time sex with ovulation. Studies show that couples who time sex to coincide with ovulation get pregnant faster. (The best time to have sex is during the two days before ovulation and on the day you ovulate.)
In one study, the pregnancy rates of couples who timed intercourse with ovulation were higher than typically seen among couples trying to conceive:
- 38 percent were pregnant after one cycle (up from 30 percent).
- 68 percent were pregnant after three cycles (up from 60 percent).
- 81 percent were pregnant after six cycles (up from 80 percent).
- 92 percent were pregnant after 12 cycles (up from 91 percent).
Find out more about the importance of timing sex for conception. To check your understanding, take our quiz.
Meanwhile, get your body ready for pregnancy. Your general and reproductive health are both important factors in fertility, so schedule a preconception checkup with your provider. Give up smoking, illicit drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, and high amounts of caffeine. Learn which nutrients your body needs for pregnancy and stock up on the right foods. Also, see how being overweight or underweight can hurt your chances of conceiving.
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