If you're trying to get pregnant, you might be wondering, "How long is this going to take?!" In this blog, we'll talk about the factors that can influence the length of time it takes to conceive, how long getting pregnant takes for most couples, and what you can do to improve your fertility and (hopefully) get pregnant quickly, if that is your goal!

This is an incredibly complex topic, so consider this a primer.

Getting Pregnant Naturally: A Brief Timeline

So, how long does it take to get pregnant? There are two ways to look at this:

1. How long do most people have sex before getting pregnant?

2. If an egg and sperm find each other (also known as conception), when is the woman "officially" considered pregnant?

Let's start with the first question!

Most couples get pregnant within a year, assuming they're having unprotected sex regularly — every two to three days.

This is under the assumption that the woman is still experiencing ovulation. Remember that as she gets older, a woman's body has a decreasing number of eggs, thus decreasing her fertility.

For men, age doesn't affect fertility or sperm quality nearly as much.

Now, let's consider the second question. Surprisingly, conception isn't typically automatically considered a pregnancy. In other words, if you have sex and that ultimately leads to a baby, you don't become pregnant the day you had sex.

Rather, it can take up to three weeks after sex to actually be pregnant. This is because it can take as long as six days after sex for the sperm cells and egg to come together (fertilization). The egg moves through the fallopian tube toward the woman's uterus and arrives there three or four days after fertilization. Then, the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus in a process called implantation — which can take another three to four days. The woman's body also starts producing the hormones it needs to support a healthy pregnancy.

This is why a pregnancy test won't work until at least 10 days after having unprotected sex. So, if you're trying to get pregnant, a little bit of patience will be necessary!

How Many People Experience Fertility Problems?

If you've been attempting to get pregnant for more than a year and it hasn't yet worked, you might be feeling discouraged. Know that you're not alone: Around the world, one in six people (17.5%) experience fertility issues. This means that all of these people are facing some sort of challenge with their reproductive health.

There's a misconception that the problem usually lies on the female's side, but the data suggests otherwise! In fact, it's a very equal split: In cases of fertility problems, 33% happen due to the female in the relationship, 33% due to the male, and 33% due to both partners (or, it's unexplained).

What Factors Negatively Affect Fertility?

Many things can make it more challenging to get pregnant. Lifestyle habits like excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use, other types of substance abuse, excess body weight, and over-exercising can all make it harder to get pregnant.

STDs/STIs, radiation, chemotherapy, chronic disease, eating disorders, and exposure to environmental toxins can also negatively impact fertility.

Finally, age plays a huge role. Women in their late 30s and upward and men 50 and older might find it more challenging to get pregnant.

For women specifically, ovulation disorders are the most common cause of infertility. Additionally, endometriosis, kidney disease, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), disorders of the hypothalamic and pituitary glands, thyroid disease, and irregular menstrual cycles can hamper fertility.

Note: Some people believe that birth control can cause infertility, but this is a common misconception. Even hormonal birth control shouldn't lead to difficulty conceiving.

For men, low sperm count or issues with the shape or movement of the sperm can be problematic. Genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis, high heat exposure to the testicles, enlarged veins in the scrotum, low testosterone, and abuse of anabolic steroids can impact fertility

The Prevalence of Miscarriage

There are no words that can make dealing with a miscarriage any easier. However, we still want to point out that it might be more common than some of us think — even for healthy couples. Somewhere between 10% and 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, although the number is probably higher due to people who were pregnant but didn't yet realize it. (80% of miscarriages happen before the 12th week of pregnancy.)

How Can You Support Your Menstrual Cycle?

A regular menstrual cycle is important if you want to get pregnant, so what can you do to improve it?

To a degree, your lifestyle plays a huge role. Stay physically active, eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, get sufficient sleep, and find healthy ways to cope with stress.

Beyond that, you should speak with a healthcare provider if you're facing certain health conditions that are potentially disturbing your menstrual cycle and could thus make it harder to get pregnant. They may recommend you visit a fertility specialist if treating the underlying condition does not improve your cycle.

A fertility specialist will try to identify the specific factors making it so challenging for you to get pregnant and might recommend fertility treatment, which can include medication, in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg freezing, and intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Monitoring the Health of Your Reproductive Organs

There are certain things you can do to potentially make getting pregnant a little easier.

eNational Testing's Fertility Tracking Panel checks two of the most common fertility measures: progesterone, which offers insight into your current fertility, and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), which gives an idea of your overall ovarian health.

Fertility awareness methods (FAMs) are also helpful. This entails tracking your menstrual cycle so that you'll know when ovulation occurs. When you know what your fertile days are and you track ovulation, you can more intentionally time sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Read our blog on high fertility vs peak fertility.

More than anything, remember that there are healthcare professionals who can help you. For example, you might find preconception counseling beneficial if you're trying to conceive.