Sex is quite literally the key to conception. But there are several things you can do to improve your chances of getting pregnant. Keep reading to learn our top 5 sex tips to get pregnant.
1. Have sex at the right time.
It’s actually only possible to get pregnant a select number of days during your cycle. By tracking your LH levels and timing your intercourse appropriately, you can maximize your chances of conceiving quickly!
We recommend having sex the 5 days before ovulation and ovulation day. The egg only lives for 24 hours, we want sperm present BEFORE ovulation. Sperm can live up to 5 days so we like to have them around beforehand. If periods aren’t 28 days, and most women are not, log your information into the Premom app and utilize our smart technology to get your predicted fertile window based on your cycle length.
2. Use Ovulation Predictor Kits.
Ovulation tests are super easy to use little strips that you dip into your afternoon urine starting right after your period. They test for luteinizing hormone that spikes to trigger ovulation. As ovulation approaches, the strips will become darker and darker; you’re looking for the darkest day which is called your “peak day” and means that you will ovulate with 24 hours. These are the best way to predict when that ovulation is occurring. You can also record your basal body temperature (BBT) every day. Your basal body temperature will rise after successful ovulation due to the rise in progesterone that actually shifts your body temperature. You can also log cervical mucus (CM) in your app. You’re looking for super stretchy egg white consistency mucus as you approach your fertile window. It helps indicate your fertile time!
3. Have sex at least every other day in your fertile window.
If there aren’t any issues with male fertility, every day is perfectly fine, as long as you’re still having fun… which brings me to my next point.
Keep it fun!
It’s important to keep things fun with your partner; trying to conceive can become redundant. Stay connected with your partner, and focus on little ways you can show you care throughout the day. Studies have actually shown that the more often you connect intimately with your partner, the more enjoyable it is to maintain intimacy. Long stretches between sexual encounters can make it feel more difficult and awkward to reconnect, so stay intimate beyond your fertile window. (Learn more about intercourse timing here.)
4. Use a fertility friendly lubricant, but only if you need one.
Natural is best, but lubricants made specifically for fertility can be helpful for your comfort. Some lubricants can have adverse effects on sperm. (Saliva, olive oil and drugstore brand lubricants are not fertility friendly!) Look for hydroxyethyl cellulose based lubricants which are considered safe for sperm, just make sure it’s a trusted fertility brand.
5. Keep it in the bedroom, out of the tub.
Hot tubs, bathtubs, soaps and hot water can all affect sperm quality and potentially change pH or introduce infection. Water can wash away some semen, but showers don’t need to be avoided after having sex. Hot tubs are a big no-no due to bacteria and chemicals. Repeated hot water soaking can impact fertility, especially sperm production, so feel free to soak your feet, but keep prolonged hot tubbing experiences at a minimum. Soaps in the shower and bath can also change the pH of the vagina and lead to dysbiosis which can impact fertility or can impact semen survival as they make the journey through the cervix and into your uterus. So, if you’re trying to conceive, stick to the bedroom!
The best sex tips are the tips that work best for you. Keeping things fun while staying within your fertile window is the key to conceiving. Utilize your Premom app to track all things fertility: log your ovulation tests, track your BBT and CM, and don’t forget to log your intercourse.
References
- Wilcox AJ, Weinberg CR, Baird DD. Timing of Sexual Intercourse in Relation to Ovulation — Effects on the Probability of Conception, Survival of the Pregnancy, and Sex of the Baby. New England Journal of Medicine. 1995;333(23):1517-1521. doi:https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199512073332301
- Su HW, Yi YC, Wei TY, Chang TC, Cheng CM. Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine. 2017;2(3):238-246. doi:10.1002/btm2.10058
- Mackenzie SC, Gellatly S. Vaginal lubricants in the couple trying-to-conceive: Assessing healthcare professional recommendations and effect on in vitro sperm function. PLOS ONE. 2019;14(5):e0209950. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209950ture, ovulation and the risk of conception, with special reference to the lifetimes of sperm and egg J P Royston PMID: 7115870
