Probably a Stupid Question?

Question

This is probably a stupid question, but I am new to this whole ttc thing. So, if you are olulating, is that when you're most fertile, or a few days before and after? For example, I know the "ideal" woman ovulates on day 14, so is that your most fertile day?

Answer 1

Look at this website
http://baby2see.com/planner/index.html
You put in your dates and it tells you which are the best days to have sex in order to conceive. You can print off a forecast for next few months and stick it to the wall next to your bed!
Good Luck

Answer 2

Actually this is not a stupid question. I asked my doctor this very thing. She explained to me that sperm live on average about 3 days inside a woman but the egg only lives about 12 hours. You want the viable sperm to be waiting on the egg when it is released which is tecnically your day of ovulation. So you would want to have sex starting a few days before your expected ovulation. After you know for sure you have ovulated you typically won't conceive that cycle. Using OPK's tell you up to 48 hours before you will ovulate. I suggest using those as well as charting your basel body temperature everyday. Your charting will help you determine if you have an ovulation pattern from cycle to cycle while the opk's will help you time intercourse effectively each cycle. Read the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". It is a great book recommended to me by my doctor. It helps will all aspects of a womans fertility as well as the charting info. You can use a free website like fertilityfriend.com to chart your cycles for free too. My doctor explained to me that if you are charting and have sex according to when you are ovulating and do not conceive in 6 cycles then see your doctor to get advice as to what to do next. Also don't give up if it takes longer than expected. Good luck ttc!!

Answer 3

I suggest that you go to http://www.mymonthlycycles.com and use their menstrual and fertility calendar. I do and it really helps. If you're fairly regular, it can show you your most fertile times each cycle. Its also free.

It is best to have sex the week leading up to your ovulation day and then a couple of days after. The reason being that sperm can live for up to five days and an egg will only last 24-36 hours once released. If the sperm can be waiting for that egg once it drops, you have a better chance of conceiving.

I would alos reccommend using ovulation test strips to give you an idea of when you're ovulating. It will be a big help for you. many women ovulate on a different day than they think, cycles are different from woman to woman.

Answer 4

NOT a stupid question by the way.

You really need to be charting your bbt, checking your cervical mucus, and taking ovulation tests every day.

It is near impossible to know when you ovulate without those helpers.

The goal is to have intercourse during the 4 days BEFORE you ovulate. It is pretty much scientifically proven that having sex ON ovulation day won't get you pregnant.

Take some ovulation tests starting on day 10 through day 23.
Do the tests later in the morning, or later in the day....they aren't like hpt's where first morning urine is necessary. You manufacture LH later in the day.

I always tested at 10:30 am every day.

When the test line is DARKER or the same color as the control line, you have a positive. A positive ovulation test means that you will ovulate within 12 to 36 hours of taking the test. Start babydancing.

Once you get a positive, keep on testing for a few days. Some women get an LH surge for 2 or more days.

I recommend charting on fertilityfriend.com . It helped me conceive last month.

Answer 5

Hi! A few days before, during and a few days after ovulation you are the most fertile. But if anything try to have sex every other day and you must score as sperm can survive for 2-3 days, so Good luck and do not stress about this too much darling!Just be healthy and ejoy sex.

Answer 6

There is only a 12-24 hour window each month that a woman can conceive. I would go to ovulation-calculator.com and find out when your most fertile days are.

Answer 7

Sperm can live for 5 days in the right conditions which are present before ovulation. The egg is only fertilizable for 24 hours. So you want to have sex starting 5 days before ovulation up until the day afterwards.

Answer 8

YOu should always have sex on your ovulation day... however, if you have sex the day before or the day oafter that also works...
Sperm live up to 48 hours (I think)
SO you should be fine. I ov. on my 12th day?? Weird I know ;) and My cycle is every 30 days.