Trying to Conceive: How to Improve Your Chances

Trying to conceive is often more of a waiting game than people expect — and that wait is completely normal for most couples. Understanding the mechanics helps you focus effort where it actually counts, rather than everywhere at once.

The one thing that matters most: timing

An egg survives for roughly 12-24 hours after ovulation, but sperm can survive in the body for up to 5 days. That means your genuine "fertile window" is the 5 days before ovulation plus the day of ovulation itself — having sex every 2-3 days across this window (or just every 2-3 days throughout your cycle, which achieves the same thing without needing to pinpoint the exact day) gives you the best chance each month.

Ovulation typically happens around 14 days before your next period starts — not 14 days after the last one, which is a common mix-up for anyone with a longer or shorter cycle than the "textbook" 28 days. Our ovulation calculator maps this from your own cycle length.

Signs you're approaching ovulation

• Egg-white-like, stretchy cervical mucus
• A small rise in basal body temperature just after ovulation (useful for tracking patterns over a few cycles, less useful for predicting the day itself)
• Mild one-sided pelvic twinge for some people ("mittelschmerz")
• Ovulation predictor kits (urine tests, from pharmacies) detect the LH hormone surge 24-36 hours before ovulation, and are the most precise home method

What to do before you start trying

• Start folic acid (400 micrograms daily) ideally before you conceive, and continue until 12 weeks — it reduces the risk of neural tube defects, which form very early, often before a positive test.
• Take a vitamin D supplement (10 micrograms daily) — recommended for everyone in the UK, pregnancy included.
• Review any regular medication with a GP or pharmacist — some aren't suitable in pregnancy and need switching in advance.
• Get to a healthy BMI where possible — both very low and very high BMI can affect fertility and are more straightforward to address before conceiving than during pregnancy.
• Cut back alcohol and stop smoking — the safest approach when trying to conceive is no alcohol at all, since you won't know you're pregnant for the first few weeks.
• Reduce caffeine to under 200mg a day (roughly two mugs of instant coffee) — the same limit as pregnancy itself.

When it's worth seeing your GP

• You've been trying for 12 months with regular unprotected sex, and you're under 36
• You've been trying for 6 months, and you're 36 or over
• You have known irregular or absent periods, endometriosis, PCOS, previous pelvic surgery or infections, or a partner with known fertility concerns — see a GP sooner, don't wait out the standard timeframe
• Either partner has had chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a previous fertility diagnosis

A GP referral for basic fertility investigations (hormone blood tests, semen analysis) is available on the NHS and is a completely normal, common step — most people who need it don't need anything more elaborate than diagnosing a straightforward, treatable cause.