Pregnancy Conception - Overview FAQ

Where can I access more specific information?

• Overview
• Ovulation Kits
• Fertility Awareness Method
• Pregnancy Related Fatigue
• In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
• Cord Blood FAQs

How does conception occur?

Conception, or fertilization, occurs when the male’s sperm meets with the woman’s ovum (egg) and successfully penetrates it. This typically takes place in one of the woman’s fallopian tubes and the fertilized egg then travels to the uterus and implants in the uterine lining. For pregnancy to take place, fertilization of the egg must be followed by a successful implantation. Only one egg is released for fertilization in each menstrual cycle. If this egg is not fertilized, conception will not be possible again until the next cycle.

Are there times when a woman is more fertile than others?

The most fertile period is the few days before ovulation. Ovulation is the process of an ovary releasing an egg from the follicle, permitting the egg to float down the fallopian tubes to be fertilized by any present sperm. Ovulation typically occurs about seven days after you end your last period. This timing varies depending on that woman’s individual cycle. Women can use the Fertility Awareness Method or Ovulation predictor kits, available in most drug stores, to help determine their exact ovulation timing.

What makes the woman more fertile in this period?

A woman is fertile in this timeframe primarily because the ovaries release the egg to be fertilized by any available sperm. Sperm can live several days, but the egg can only live for 24 hours so timing must be exact. There are many additional things the body does to assist in this reproductive process. The amount of cervical fluid increases and the consistency of the mucus changes substantially from being sticky and cloudy to becoming transparent, white, and slippery. This change creates a healthier medium for the sperm to survive and travel in. At the moment of ovulation, the body temperature begins to rise to create a warmer, more hospitable environment for a fertilized egg. Also, the cervix will start to rise, soften, and begin to open up. Immediately before ovulation, the body also secretes more estrogen, which helps the uterine lining thicken and expand, and increases blood flow to the uterus, as well as progesterone, which causes the glands of the uterine lining to form secretions that help nourish a fertilized egg.

What are some of the more popular methods of conception?

Many couples use the tried and true method of having sex every other day. It is true that sperm can live for 24 to 48 hours in the woman after sex. If you’re consistently having sex on that frequent basis, ovulation will eventually occur and conception should happen in that window of time. Obviously, this works only if the woman is ovulating properly and the man and the woman have no reproductive health issues.

While this method may work for some couples, other couple’s lifestyle or desires may prevent this from being an effective method. For those couples, using ovulation predictor kits may help considerably. (See FAQ on Ovulation Kits.) These easy to use kits tell the woman when she is ovulating so the couple’s sex activities can be more targeted to the appropriate timeframe.

Another popular natural method is the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM). It promotes the understanding and tracking of a woman’s ovulation cycles to give the couple a better chance of conceiving. (See FAQ on Fertility Awareness Method)

Most doctors will tell you to try conceiving naturally for six months before you consider that there may be reproductive problems that require medical help. If this is the case, the use of ovulation stimulating drugs and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are options you may want to discuss with your doctor.

How long do I have to be off birth control pills before trying to conceive?

Check with your own doctor, but many medical professionals will recommend that the woman have two full cycles (about two months) with no birth control pills to get all the hormones completely out of her system. There is a slightly elevated risk of problems with the pregnancy if conceived while the hormones are still in the woman’s system. However, do not be alarmed if you have become pregnant while on birth control or immediately following stopping their use. The overwhelming percentage of these pregnancies produces healthy children.

The two cycle recommendation also helps the woman to get “regular” again. Birth control pills typically put the woman on a false cycle of 28 days. Though 28 days is frequently average, many women will have a slightly shorter or longer cycle by a couple days. Having these two clean cycles will help the woman better understand her own cycles and potential timing of ovulation.

How do home pregnancy tests work?

Once the egg is fertilized, the egg and developing placenta begin to release hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin). The presence of hCG will help in the production of progesterone, a hormone essential for a hospitable environment for the implanted egg. The hormone hCG will begin to show up in a woman's blood and urine. This hormone is what the home pregnancy tests look for in a woman’s urine to determine a positive or negative result.

Are home pregnancy tests as effective as getting an expensive test at my doctor’s office?

Yes, home pregnancy tests are nearly 100 percent effective these days. If you go to your doctor’s office for a pregnancy test, they will first take a urine test that detects the same hormone as the home pregnancy tests. The doctor’s urine test is slightly more effective, statistically, because you have professional administering it who is less likely to make mistakes. The doctor can also offer a blood test, which is more precise, to confirm your pregnancy.