What if You Have Sex on the Day You Ovulate

From LoveToKnow Pregnancy

The question of "what if you have sex on the day you ovulate" has been asked by countless women, both by those trying desperately for a baby as well as those crossing their fingers for that negative pregnancy test. No matter which side of the coin you’re on, chances are you’ve wondered how likely you are to conceive on ovulation day.

Many women are confused by what happens when they ovulate

What If You Have Sex On the Day You Ovulate?

In short, you could conceive if the timing is right and you have a viable egg. In order to conceive a child, you must have sex on your most fertile days – usually two to three prior to ovulation through the day after ovulation. Many women can conceive by having intercourse a day or two before ovulating, so waiting until the day of ovulation might not increase your chances by much. Even if you have intercourse on the day you expect to ovulate, you might conceive for another 24 hours depending on when exactly the egg is released and when the sperm reaches it.

What Happens on Ovulation Day

On the day you ovulate, a mature egg is released by the ovary. When you are experiencing normal ovulation, one egg is released. If you are taking fertility drugs to get pregnant, you may be increasing your chances of producing more than one egg. Usually, ovulation takes place 14 days prior to the first day of your period. So, if you have a perfect, routine 28-day cycle, you will ovulate on day 14. Unfortunately, some women do not have this flawless cycle. If you are one of many who have irregular periods and varied cycles, you may have trouble getting pregnant simply by timing intercourse for the day you ovulate.

Another way to tell when you ovulate is to look for physical symptoms, such as a change in your basal body temperature readings or a pain in your lower abdomen. Changes in your cervical mucus are also an indication of ovulation, but these signs are not always strong enough to be noticed.

For most women, the most reliable method for detecting ovulation is by using an ovulation predictor kit. These over-the-counter tests check your urine for a surge in LH level. This surge occurs approximately 24 hours before you ovulate, giving you a good idea of when to time intercourse if you want to conceive.

Of course, if you don’t want to conceive, you should avoid intercourse around the time of ovulation or use a reliable form of birth control.

Other Times to Conceive

Although most women will ovulate 14 days before their period, there are many women who have irregular cycles. For these women, timing intercourse for their most fertile days can be difficult unless they know exactly when they ovulate. Sometimes, even in women with regular cycles, ovulation can occur earlier or later in any given month, creating a surprise pregnancy for women who assumed they weren’t likely to conceive at the end or beginning of their cycle.

Getting Pregnant on Ovulation Day

Many women assume that the answer to “what if you have sex on the day you ovulate” is a pregnancy. But, that’s not always the case. Even under the best circumstances, such as planning intrauterine insemination in a fertility clinic, a pregnancy only happens 20 percent of the time. Waiting until the day you ovulate to have intercourse may result in a pregnancy, but you are better off trying to conceive the day before and after you expect ovulation to take place. Since both the egg and sperm are viable for around 48 hours, you can increase your chances of conceiving by having sex more than just the day you ovulate.

The more attempts at conceiving during your fertile days, the more likely it is that the egg will meet with at least one of the sperm.

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