When Does Pregnancy Happen? (All You Need to Know)

It is a question that many women have at one time or another in their life.

If they want to get pregnant, how long will it take to get that positive pregnancy test result?

How long it will take to get pregnant will depend on various factors, such as your age, your health, the age of your partner, as well as any long-term physical health conditions. It is worth talking to your doctor if you have any concerns about trying to conceive, as they will be able to help you assess if you are fertile.

In this blog entry, our team at Top at Home will walk you through exactly what is involved in getting pregnant, how to increase or decrease your chances and how we can help you make the right decision for you.

How Long It Takes For Conception to Happen

Terminology can be confusing, so to clear some wording up going forward, conception and fertilization are in essence, the same thing!

So, when does pregnancy happen?

Pregnancy can happen as soon as a few minutes after sex, or it may take up to 12- 24 hours. 

After you have had unprotected sex, millions of sperm are released. The egg and sperm meet in the fallopian tube. Depending on where you are in your monthly cycle, calculate for variations in your cycle length and when your ovary releases an egg.

 If your egg is further back in the fallopian tube, closer to the ovary, it may take longer that between 12 and 24 hours for the egg to fertilize. Note that an egg releases chemical signals to attract sperm to it, so sperm and egg will meet rather quickly in the right environment.

You can increase the chances of getting pregnant if you have sex 12-24 hours after you ovulate, or when an egg is released. You can purchase an ovulation predictor to get a more accurate idea of when this is 

What To Expect When You Are Ovulating

• Changes in basal body temperature- it will go up slightly. 
• Increase in the amount of cervical/vaginal discharge. 
• Ovulation cramping, usually on the side that is releasing the egg.
• Light spotting or light bleeding. 
• Sore boobs, due to a surge in progesterone. 
• Increased sense of smell.
• Increase in libido. 
• Feeling bloated. 
• Changes in appetite and mood. 

Once this window has passed, the egg may start to break down. A mature egg lives for between 24-48 hours and after this, your oestrogen and progesterone will decrease in the uterus, and the next stage in your monthly cycle will begin. 

Implantation- When Does it Happen After Fertilization?

Conception or fertilization does sound like a complex process, especially with such narrow windows and only 1 sperm being able to fertilize an egg.

However, the average ejaculation contains between 15- 200 million sperm cells.

The amount of sperm will vary based on the health of your partner, their age, and their lifestyle.  Also, if you have had sex 5 days before ovulation, there may be some sperm waiting in the fallopian tubes, which also increases the chances of your pregnancy. 

So, when does pregnancy implantation happen?

For the egg to become an embryo, it is guided towards your uterus, where it implants into the wall of your uterus.

This is called implantation.

Implantation usually occurs 8-9 days after fertilization but it may start as soon as 6 days after. When this happens, the implanted embryo will start releasing human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG.

What To Expect During Implantation

• Light bleeding, also known as implantation bleeding. 
• Abdominal cramping.
• Nausea.
• Tender boobs.
• Constipation and abdominal bloating.

Early Symptoms of Pregnancy

Once the embryo has implanted, the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, is released and helps to thicken the lining of your uterus. It will also create a plug of cervical mucus. 

At this time, you may start to experience some pregnancy symptoms.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms-What to Expect After Implantation

• Sore or tender breasts.
• Backaches, pelvic discomfort and cramping. 
• Fatigue.
• Darkening areolas. 
• Nausea.
• Bloating.
• Frequent urination.
• Mood swings. 
• Discharge from the vagina.

You can find out more about the early symptoms of pregnancy here. If you aren't sure if you are pregnant, try to take a home pregnancy test after your next menstrual period is due. If it has been less than 14 days since your last period, and you're trying to get pregnant, it is well worth getting an early pregnancy test. 

When To Take an Early Pregnancy Test

If you used ovulation predictor kits, and are now thinking you may be pregnant, it is time to take an early pregnancy test.  You can get a positive pregnancy test result if you're pregnant with one of these kits 4 days before your period is due to begin.

These tests can detect minimal levels of HCG in the urine, which is released when a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall. 

You can use an at home kit to test for pregnancy in 5 simple steps. 

Step 1- Aim to take the test first thing in the morning. This will ensure that the levels of HCG in the blood are at their highest. Do not drink lots of water, as this may dilute the HCG.

Step 2- Check if the test requires you to place the dipstick end in urine, if you need to drip urine onto it, or of it needs to be taken midstream. Proceed as needed.

Step 3- Place the test onto a flat surface and wait. How long does it take for an accurate result? Usually around 3-5 minutes. 

Step 4- Check the results. Discuss them with your partner.

How To Up Your Chances of Becoming Pregnant

If you want to get pregnant, there are a few things that you can do to help your body prepare for pregnancy. If you have health issues or fertility complications, or you are over the age 35, it's a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider if you're struggling to conceive.

You can increase your chance getting pregnant using these methods. 

• Have sex close to ovulation- To increase the chances of getting pregnant, you will need to have sex 24-24 hours after you ovulate. Try to have sex as early in the fertility window as you can and keep track of your menstrual cycle.
• Keep a diary- This will help you to note when you ovulate, allowing you to get pregnant within the desired window.
• Cut out smoking- Smoking tobacco can impair fertility. If you or your partner smoke, talk to your doctor about cutting back before trying to get pregnant.
• Don't drink alcohol- Alcohol also impairs fertility. So, try to cut back as much as you can.
• Cut out contraception- If you use birth control like the pill, the coil, or condoms, you will need to stop using them to help give you a better chance of getting pregnant by having sex.

Becoming pregnant doesn't happen right away for most couple. If you find that you do not become pregnant within 6 months of actively trying, please seek advice from a healthcare provider.

What if You Have Had Unprotected Sex But Don’t Want to Get Pregnant?

It happens at the best of times. You may have accidentally had unprotected sex, due to contraception failing, or you may have let the heat of passion take over and now you are worried that you may get pregnant.

The good news is that there are options our there to help you to stop getting pregnant. If you had unprotected sex 24 to 36 hours ago, you can access the morning after pill. The earlier you take it, the more successful it will be at preventing pregnancy. 

You can access the morning after pill at your local pharmacy, GP surgery, walk in clinic or your nearest sexual health clinic. 

If you have discovered that you are actually pregnant, and are not sure if you want to continue the pregnancy at this time, you can contact our team at Top at Home about private abortion care. 

Contraception To Prevent Unwanted Pregnancy- Chemical and Barrier Methods Explored

If you have discovered you are not pregnant, and want to prevent pregnancy in the future, there are some contraceptive methods to look into. 

Barrier Methods- These include condoms, femidoms and vaginal rings.

Hormonal Methods (pill based)- These include the contraceptive pill. The combined pill, which is progesterone and oestrogen and the mini-pill, which is progesterone only.

Hormonal Methods (implant based)- These include the contraceptive implant, the IUD or IUS, the contraceptive patch and the contraceptive injection. 

To figure out which method is right for you, please talk to your doctor or gynaecologist. 

Final Thoughts- Fertility, Ovulation and Pregnancy

So, hopefully you will now have a better idea of how best to become pregnant, as well as what is involved in ovulation, implantation and the taking of an early pregnancy test at home.

When you discover you are pregnant, it can be an exciting and daunting time. If you aren't sure how you feel about expecting, you aren't alone. Our team at Top at Home are on hand to help you navigate the next few weeks of your pregnancy, guiding you to the right outcome for you.

So, why not contact our friendly team via our website contact page, call us directly on 0333 305 9004 or why not drop in to our London office for a chat?