The blastocyst needs to implant itself in the uterine lining to become an embryo and continue growing into a fetus.Ībove all else, you can increase your chances of pregnancy each month by gaining a better understanding of the menstrual cycle and pinpointing your fertile window.The egg and sperm need to meet (fertilization) to create what eventually becomes a blastocyst.Sperm needs to be deposited before, during, or immediately after ovulation.An egg needs to release and get picked up by the fallopian tube.To recap, the following things need to happen to achieve pregnancy: Is there anything you can do to help your chances? If you experience these symptoms or otherwise think you might be pregnant, it’s a good idea to take a home pregnancy test. In particular, the hormone progesterone can make you particularly exhausted. You may feel fatigued in early pregnancy. Your kidneys go into overdrive during pregnancy because they are tasked with processing extra fluids due to blood volume increases. You may experience nausea with or without vomiting. While this symptom generally begins a month or so after implantation, it may start sooner for some women. Your breasts may feel tender or swollen to the touch due to hormone changes. The hormones produced by the growing embryo signal the brain to retain the uterine lining. If your period is late, you may be pregnant. Once the implanted embryo starts producing hormones (which is right away), pregnancy symptoms may begin. Related: The 7-step checklist to healthy, fertile sperm Experts say that the sperm can navigate the uterus and fallopian tubes to reach the egg as soon as 30 minutes after ejaculation. On the flip side, conception can occur very soon after having sex as well. In other words, you may conceive after having sex nearly a week before ovulation if healthy sperm are already hanging out at their final destination. And under ideal conditions, sperm actually live for several days once inside the reproductive tract.Īny unprotected sex you have within about 5 days of ovulation may leave enough sperm waiting and ready to fertilize. It’s estimated ejaculate contains up to 280 million sperm cells. While it sounds like the chances of catching an egg are pretty slim, consider the numbers. After that, it starts to break down, hormones shift, and eventually, a period starts the next cycle. This means that she’s nearing or has reached ovulation - the moment each menstrual cycle when an egg releases from the ovary.Īn egg can only be fertilized between 12 and 24 hours from when it is released. In order for this to happen, a woman must be in her fertile window. Fertilization occurs when the egg and sperm meet in the fallopian tube.