What is a fertile window?
If you’re trying to fall pregnant, the timing of when you and your partner have intercourse is critical.
Your fertile window refers to the most fertile days in your menstrual cycle which give you the highest chance of conceiving.
If you are trying to fall pregnant, the timing of when you and your partner have sex is critical. Our online ovulation calculator can help you understand your fertile window or your window of opportunity to fall pregnant during a normal menstrual cycle. You should be having sex every couple of days during your fertile window.
For our Ovulation Calculator to be the most accurate and useful, you’ll need to keep track of the dates of your recent menstrual periods.
Your cycle length is the number of days between the first day of bleeding of one period, and the first day of bleeding of the next. This can vary from 23 to 35 days, and 28 days is about average. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, calculating your ovulation date can be more difficult, but we suggest going by your shortest period date to ensure you don’t miss your ovulation date. Ovulation urine tests can give you some idea of your fertility window, or you might find further advice from your GP or fertility specialist useful.
The length of your menstrual cycle is the number of days from the first day of bleeding in your last period, to the first day of bleeding in your next. From this figure, subtract 14 days from the end of your current cycle to determine the approximate day you ovulate.
To optimise your chances of conceiving, it is therefore recommended you have unprotected intercourse every two to three days in the lead up to ovulation. If you wait until you have ovulated before you have intercourse, it is most likely that you will have missed the opportunity for conception that month
During intercourse the sperm will make their way through the woman's cervix into the uterus and then along the fallopian tubes. This is where the sperm will encounter an egg that has been released from the female ovary. Conception starts at the moment of fertilisation when a sperm penetrates the outer shell of the egg and an embryo is subsequently formed.
Over the next four to six days the embryo moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus and implants in the lining of the uterus where it will hopefully continue to grow.
There are three important ways you can improve your chances of falling pregnant naturally:
Understand your pregnancy window, and determine the best time in your cycle to have intercourse.
Improve your health, diet and lifestyle – for both partners.
See a GP to ensure you are (both) in good health.
For both the male and female it is time to commit to a healthy lifestyle:
Quit smoking and any recreational drug use.
Optimise your weight for a healthy BMI.
Review your diet and alcohol intake, and reduce if necessary.
And ensure you exercise regularly.
Learn more about preparing your body for pregnancy »
A fertility specialist can conduct some simple fertility tests to find out what’s happening, explore all your options and help you fall pregnant sooner.
Learn more about preparing your body for pregnancy.
Learn more about ovulation cycle tracking