Sex is an enjoyable part of a couple’s relationship, and no one wants to lose the pleasure of intimacy when they start trying for a baby. However, to give yourselves the best chance of conceiving, it is wise to make time for sex when a woman is most fertile. The so-called fertile window occurs in the five days before, and the day of, ovulation (the process of egg release that occurs each month).
Having sex during the fertile window offers the greatest chance of conception, and so tracking ovulation may help you to fall pregnant more quickly. In this article we will look in more detail at the science of the fertile window, and how, without turning sex into a chore, you can use ovulation tracking and sperm testing to your advantage.
What Is the Fertile Window?
The myth that you are most fertile after ovulation has occurred is particularly unhelpful for couples who are trying to conceive. The majority of women are most fertile in the five days prior to ovulation, and the day of ovulation itself. Having sex after ovulation has occurred may therefore reduce your chance of fertilization occurring.
The reason for this is the differing lifespan of egg and sperm cells. Sperm cells can live for five days or longer, whereas an egg cell will live for only 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. Having sex just prior to ovulation allows time for the sperm cells to travel to the uterus and into the fallopian tube. When the egg is released, it travels towards the uterus via the fallopian tube. The sperm cells are therefore already in the correct place for fertilization to occur. Once fertilized, the egg travels to the uterus to implant.
If you have sex after ovulation has occurred, however, the short life span of the egg cell may mean that it perishes before any sperm cells can reach it.
How Can I Track Ovulation?
The Proov Ovulation Prediction and Confirmation test kit detects the surge in Luteinizing Hormone (LH) which precedes ovulation. The kit also contains strips to confirm that ovulation has occurred. As a woman, it can take a few months to understand your ovulation cycle, but tracking hormonal levels can help you to identify your fertile window. This ensures that you know which six days of the month you and your partner are most likely to conceive.
What About Sperm Testing?
For fertilization to occur naturally, sperm must be able to swim to the egg. Home Sperm Test kits from YO Sperm allow you to check your motile sperm concentration. This may provide you with greater confidence in the health of your sperm.
How Can Home Testing Help?
If home testing confirms that ovulation is occurring and your motile sperm concentration is normal, then you and your partner may feel reassured about your fertility. With this information, you can further improve your chances of conception by having sex during your fertile window in the days prior to, and the day of, ovulation.
You have around six days each month in which you are most likely to conceive, and although getting pregnant may be your goal, you don’t want sex to become stressful. To minimize the risk of sex becoming a chore, remember that it should still be an intimate and loving part of your relationship. Try to be patient if one of you isn’t in the mood, after all, there are still five other days that month when you can try to conceive.
To learn more about your own fertility, and to start tracking your fertile window, order sperm and egg test kits from YO Sperm now.
