How Long Does It Take to Get Pregnant? A Few Things to Consider

You’ve been dreaming about finally starting a family with your significant other, but it feels like it’s taking forever to get that positive test result. Or maybe you had a fleeting romance and are concerned about potential repercussions. Either way, when the possibility of such a life-altering event hangs over us, we all want to know: how long does it take to get pregnant? Honestly, there’s no flat answer to it, because it depends on a number of factors. According to Baby Center, on average, it takes most couples three months from the moment they start trying (or start having sex, anyway). But let’s take a look at some of the factors and averages involved.

How Long Does It Take to Get Pregnant? Look at the Couple, First

One of the biggest things that’s going to affect just how long it takes for you to conceive is your health. Or that of you and your partner. For women, that could mean having a condition like PCOS, endometriosis, or similar fertility problems. For men, an undescended testicle, low sperm count, varicoceles, and other issues with the sperm could cause infertility.

Additionally, having certain health issues (like kidney problems and cancer) can add additional barriers to conception. Smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or taking certain other drugs or medications can all reduce the odds of conception as well. Being over 35 also factors into your odds of getting pregnant.

Baby Center also lists the odds of conceiving within x number of cycles, as seen below:

Of all couples trying to conceive:

30 percent get pregnant within the first cycle (about one month).
60 percent get pregnant within three cycles (about three months).
80 percent get pregnant within six cycles (about six months).
85 percent get pregnant within 12 cycles (about one year).
91 percent get pregnant within 36 cycles (about three years).
93 to 95 percent get pregnant within 48 cycles (about four years).

So basically, the more and longer you do it, the greater the odds. And if you’ve tried for a year and still haven’t gotten pregnant, you’ll want to see a fertility specialist to check for any problems. Baby Center suggests making that appointment at 6 months rather than a year if you’re 35 or older.

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(Image: Pexels / Pixabay)

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