You're Ovulating, But When Should You Have Sex To Make A Baby?

For most couples, getting pregnant may seem like a no-brainer — you have sex, and boom! You miss your period a month or two later and discover you’re on the family way.

For some, though, conceiving a child takes more thought and intent. Thus, it’s important for them to know the time of the month when the woman ovulates and how long this period lasts, among others. The other crucial question to ask when a couple is trying to get pregnant is, when should the sex happen? 

There are quite a few misconceptions about sex and getting pregnant, but let us set the record straight: a woman only has chances of getting pregnant if she has sex while she is ovulating.

How can you tell when your ovulation period is? This part can be tricky, especially because the schedule varies per woman, depending on her menstrual cycle. 

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Ovulation happens when a woman’s ovaries releases a mature egg to the fallopian tube, which only happens once a month (for women with regular periods, that is). Once released, the egg can survive for up to 24 hours.

Does this mean, then, that you only have a 24-hour period for baby-making sex? Not necessarily. There is such a thing as a “fertile window.”

A fertile window begins around 5 days before the egg is released, including the day of ovulation itself. During this time, you have the best chances of getting pregnant. 

In an ideal scenario, there would already be sperm (which can survive for up to 120 hours, or 5 days) in the fallopian tubes by the time the egg is released into them to increase the chances of fertilization. 

That said, your most fertile days are any of the 6 days during and before your ovulation, but the day of your ovulation and 3 days before that is the best time for baby-making sex. 

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