Your Fertility Window - Knowing Your Fertile Days

Your Fertility Window - Knowing Your Fertile Days

Do you know your most fertile days? Do you know your fertility window? If you are over the age of 35 years of age it is better to understand how your age will play a role in becoming pregnant rather than ignoring or worrying over this.

It is best to obtain a positive mindset right now and do all you can given your current age.

So while there is little you can do about our age, you can 'time' sex to coincide with the most fertile days of the month which can help reduce the time it takes to conceive.

This is where you can take control. So let's start with some facts and then move on to taking control of what you can do.

Did You Know?

Your age plays a role in your ability to conceive within a year of trying to get pregnant.

If you are 35 years or younger

1. There is about a 20% chance of becoming pregnant each month

2. There is about an 80% chance of becoming pregnant within 12 months.

If you are 40 years of age
1. The monthly chance has dropped to 5%

2. If you are 40 years of age, the chance of becoming pregnant within 12 months drops to 50%

3. Women with partners aged 45 or older are almost five times as likely to take more than a year to conceive compared to those with partners in their 20s.

Watch My Short Video On Fertility

Finding Your Fertile Window

1. Get to know your body

Learn how your body changes when ovulation approaches. A few days before ovulation, the vaginal mucus changes and this can provide an early and useful cue that ovulation is approaching.

Did You Know?

1. At ovulation, an egg is released from the ovary.

2. If there is sperm present, there is a good chance it will be fertilised and grow into a baby.

3. Conception is only possible from about five days before ovulation through to the day of ovulation.

4. These six days are the 'fertile window' in a woman';s cycle

5. The fertile window varies depending on the length of a woman's cycle

6. The lifespan of sperm is five days and the lifespan of the egg is 24 hours

7. Conception is increased if sex occurs in the three days leading up to and including ovulation.

8. The time from ovulation to the next period is approximately 14 days, irrespective of cycle length, but the time before ovulation varies between women.

9. Having sex six or more days before ovulation, the chance of becoming pregnant is highly unlikely

10. Having sex in the three days leading up to and including ovulation, there is a 27-33% chance of becoming pregnant.

11. 12 - 24 hours after ovulation, a woman is no longer able to get pregnant during that cycle.

Know Your Cycle

24-day cycle
Ovulation typically occurs around day 10
The most fertile days are days 7 to 10

28-day cycle
Ovulation typically occurs around day 14
Chance of conceiving is greatest between days 11 and 14

Longer cycles
Ovulation happens around day 21
The most fertile days are days 18 to 21

How Can I Get Some Help?

Your doctor will be your best source of information. There are also over-the-counter ovulation predictor kits which are available at your local pharmacy or supermarket.

The recommended way to use these tests is to start testing your urine sample a few days before you think you will be ovulating. From here you can generally expect to ovulate 24 - 36 hours after the test turns positive.

What if You Find this All too Consuming?

Then keep it simple by having sex every 2-3 days and that way you will ensure you have sex at some point within the 'window of opportunity.'