How Hard Is It To Get Pregnant

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If you’re thinking about getting pregnant (or trying to avoid making that happen!), we’ve got statistics, tips, and much more to help your vision become a reality.

How Hard Is It to Get Pregnant?

While it would be nice if those who wanted to get pregnant did and those who didn’t didn’t, it doesn’t always work that way.

Sometimes, the reality is that the more you want a baby of your own, the more you see negative pregnancy test results and other women with belly bumps.

Whether you’re feeling jealous or grateful that it isn’t you just yet, family planning can be an emotionally charged process.

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant (or trying to avoid making that happen!), we’ve got statistics, tips, and much more to help your vision become a reality.

Everyone’s journey through pregnancy will look slightly different. A number of factors can affect whether you’re able to conceive and how easily it happens for you.

In general, your chances of conception are:

75 percent after 6 months of trying
90 percent after 1 year of trying
95 percent at 2 years of trying

But those numbers don’t tell a complete story. Many factors influence your unique chances of conception, including age, health, and any conditions you or your partner may have.

The truth is, even if it seems like everything should be lined up for success, there’s always a bit of chance involved!

We know that sex can result in pregnancy, but people often spend less time thinking about all the steps that must happen from intercourse through pregnancy to birth:

Intercourse or insemination needs to be timed with ovulation.
The egg needs to be fertilized by a sperm, and both should be in good genetic condition.
The fertilized egg, or embryo, needs to properly implant in such a way that a baby can grow to the appropriate size and weight.
Everything needs to continue progressing as the fetus develops inside the mother for 38 to 41 weeks.
There needs to be a healthy delivery.

Does this make it seem nearly impossible to have a healthy baby? Well, you might be relieved to know that in 2018, nearly 3.8 million babies were born in the United States.

So, what other factors are known to affect your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy?

Age

Once a woman has begun ovulating (typically during her teen years) and her menstrual cycle begins to follow a predictable pattern, the chances of getting pregnant are quite high.

Women in their early 20s to early 30s have a one in four chance of becoming pregnant each month. However, the likelihood of becoming pregnant decreases as women continue to age past 30.

In fact, women have only a 1 in 10 chance of becoming pregnant each month by the time they’re 40. By the time a woman is 45, her likelihood of getting pregnant without medical intervention is highly unlikely.

What about the other half of the pregnancy equation? Well, a man’s fertility will also decrease with age, but the decrease isn’t as predictable as in women.

Sperm health

Men can produce sperm throughout their lifetime, but eventually the quality will begin to deteriorate.

In general, sperm quality isn’t a problem for most men until their 60s, and even then, there’s plenty of evidence of men in their 60s and 70s fathering children with younger partners.

Sperm doesn’t deteriorate in the same manner as eggs, so many men may not experience much change.

Some of the biggest concerns around older men fathering children is an increased likelihood of genetic defects in the sperm. Older men may also experience issues with libido or ejaculating, though this can also happen to younger men.

No matter what his age, if a man is having trouble with his libido or ejaculating, he should consult his doctor for medical advice and recommendations.

Overall health

If you’re hoping to conceive, having a regular period and maintaining good health can make the process much easier. If you don’t have a regular monthly period, you should see your OB-GYN.

Eating mindfully, exercising, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help to get your body in the proper alignment.

Additionally, regular exercise and healthy eating in preparation for pregnancy and throughout the pregnancy can lead to better birth outcomes.

Conditions that affect fertility

Certain health conditions can play a large role in fertility.

For example, 70 to 80 percent of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have fertility issues. They’re also twice as likely to deliver prematurely and have a greater risk of miscarriage, high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes.

Similarly, about one third to one half of women with endometriosis struggle to become pregnant.

And these aren’t the only conditions affecting fertility. Other common challenges include:

blocked fallopian tubes
hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or other endocrine conditions
uterine fibroids
low sperm count

While it may require beating greater odds if you hope to become pregnant with certain medical conditions, it’s not impossible. You should speak to your doctorabout a plan of action to improve your chances of getting pregnant and delivering safely.

Use of birth control

Of course, you’ve heard the only entirely effective way to ensure that you don’t get pregnant is to avoid having penetrative vaginal sex with a partner with a penis.

But if you’re trying not to get pregnant, there are a variety of birth control measures you can take with varying effectiveness and permanency. It’s important to follow directions for whatever form of birth control you choose if you want it to be as effective as possible.

If you’re ready to take a break from birth control because you want to have a baby, your chance of getting pregnant right away will vary based on the type of birth control you were on.

Some methods, such as the pull out method or rhythm method, will leave you with a normal likelihood of pregnancy immediately after you stop using it. Hormonal options like the birth control pill may take time to leave your system.

Other methods, such as a vasectomy or tubal litigation, may have a long-term impact on your ability to become pregnant that’s never fully reversible. If this is the case for you, consult your doctor to discuss your options, which may include assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF).

If you’d like to become pregnant, there are many things you can do to optimize your chances:

Track your menstrual cycles and ovulation windows. For most people, the first step to becoming pregnant is having sex when you’re ovulating. It makes sense to have an understanding of your menstrual cycle and ovulation windows to make sure you’ll fertilize an egg. This information can also be useful if you’re trying to avoid becoming pregnant without using physical forms of birth control.
Use ovulation strips. While ovulation strips can’t guarantee your pregnancy, they can help to determine your peak fertility periods. If you decide to use ovulation strips, you’ll probably want to do this in combination with tracking your menstrual cycle, so that you don’t need to use as many testing strips.
Adjust your diet. Believe it or not, just changing your diet has been tied to increasing your chances of conceiving. While it may not be fun to consider giving up some of your favorite foods, the joy of a baby might just make it worth it.
Maintain a healthy weight. This can be especially important if you’re dealing with PCOS. A 2015 study found that weight loss helped those with PCOS to restore regular ovulation, a key part of conception.
See a fertility specialist. If you’ve been trying to conceive for more than 6 months without success and are in your 20s to 30s, it might be time to speak with your doctor. If you’re above 40 and hoping to conceive, you’ll probably want to meet with your doctor to discuss your fertility before attempting to get pregnant. Fertility specialists can perform a variety to tests to determine if there are any roadblocks preventing you from becoming pregnant. They can refer you to other specialists if needed.

How we reviewed this article:

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Births and natality. (2017).
cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm
Having a baby after age 35: How aging affects fertility and pregnancy. (n.d.).
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Infertility workup for the women’s health specialist. (2019).
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Legro RS, et al. (2015). Randomized controlled trial of preconception interventions in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome. DOI:
10.1210/jc.2015-2778
Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). Endometriosis.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354656
Melo AS, et al. (2015). Treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: approach to clinical practice. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642490/
Palomba S, et al. (2015). Pregnancy complications in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. DOI:
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Taylor A. (2003). Extent of the problem. DOI:
10.1136/bmj.327.7412.434

9 Reasons Why It’s So Hard to Get Pregnant in 2022

When you were growing up, it might have seemed like getting pregnant was as simple as having unprotected sex. Unfortunately, when you’re actually ready to get pregnant, you quickly learn that this is not the case. Often, it takes months of trying for couples without fertility issues to conceive — and it may take years for those who do struggle with infertility.

12% of women ages 15 to 44 in the United States face difficulty conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term. This process can be discouraging, especially when you have been trying to conceive (TTC) for a long time without succeeding. So, why, exactly, is it so hard to get pregnant, even when you don’t have underlying health issues?

The complicated answer is that factors like timing, biology, and environment can all interact to make your journey to conception straightforward or more difficult. Whether or not you struggle with infertility, here are some of the reasons why you may find it hard to conceive.

Is It Hard To Get Pregnant?

Yes, getting pregnant can be hard, both physically and emotionally! Your fertile window is a small amount of time each month so it may take some time for conception to occur. (For reference, a healthy woman in her 30s only has a 20% chance of getting pregnant during each menstrual cycle.)

According to research, it can take up to one year for a healthy, fertile couple to conceive. Another study found that it takes an average of 78 sex sessions for a couple to get pregnant. All of this is considered perfectly normal and should not be cause for medical concern — though it’s completely understandable to have some worries throughout the process.

Possible Reasons Why You Can’t Get Pregnant

Without a medical exam, it’s impossible to say for certain why you are having trouble getting pregnant. That being said, there are a number of possible reasons why you may face difficulty conceiving.

Finding it challenging to conceive does not necessarily mean that you (or your partner) are dealing with a serious medical problem. Other factors, like lifestyle and environment, can also influence your ability to get pregnant.

Lifestyle Factors Making It Hard to Get Pregnant

Stress

Stress can influence many areas of our lives, not least of all the female reproductive system. A recent study found that stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in women, which may have an inhibitory effect on the reproductive system. Stress also causes widespread inflammation, which can also take a toll on your hormonal and reproductive health. As a result, you might experience delayed ovulation or other issues that impact your ability to conceive normally. While stress cannot directly cause infertility, it is associated with lower odds of conception.

When TTC, doctors recommend minimizing the amount of stress in your life as much as possible. Of course, to a certain extent, stress is an inevitable part of life. Work and interpersonal relationships, for example, can’t be avoided! The best thing you can do to deal with these unavoidable stressors is to learn to cope with stress in a healthy, productive way. Techniques like meditation, yoga, and acupuncture may all be helpful for reducing stress and improving your ability to conceive (you can also look into fertility tea and crystals for fertility).

Weight Fluctuation

What is considered a normal, healthy weight varies from woman to woman. However, it’s important to determine and achieve your ideal weight before getting pregnant, since excessive weight gain or loss can negatively impact your ability to conceive.

Both your ovaries and your adipose (fat) tissue produce estrogen, a pregnancy hormone that helps regulate your menstrual cycle and ovulation. Having excess fat can result in estrogen dominance, making it more challenging for you to get pregnant. Likewise, if you are underweight, your body may not produce enough estrogen in order for you to ovulate regularly.

Some research says that a little weight loss may help improve fertility but it’s important to aim for a healthy BMI rather than just weight (a healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9):

Having a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered ‘overweight’
A BMI over 30 is considered ‘obese.’
Having a BMI under 18.5 is considered ‘underweight.’

Some modifications to your eating habits and exercise regimen may help you with fertility too, but a quick fix is not the solution. If you’re struggling with weight gain or loss, speak with your doctor to come up with a plan to get you to the healthiest weight for your unique body.

Sleep Habits

Sleep is a critical component of your physical and emotional health and well-being. Lack of sleep can impact your cognitive thinking, emotional intelligence, weight, and menstrual cycle. Everyone feels cranky after a bad night’s sleep — but good sleep hygiene is especially important for women who are TTC as sleep plays a crucial role in keeping your reproductive hormones in balance.

Diet

Another important piece of your overall health that plays strongly into your fertility is your diet. A balanced pre-pregnancy diet not only helps you maintain a healthy weight, but also promotes good hormonal health and regular ovulation. If you are not getting enough of important prenatal nutrients such as folic acid, fiber, iron, and calcium, your body may not be able to support a healthy pregnancy. Avoiding processed foods and foods high in sugar in favor of lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh produce may make it easier for you to conceive.

Age

As much as we would like to believe that age is only a number, that isn’t necessarily true when it comes to conception. Your age does impact your ability to get pregnant, since the number and quality of eggs in your ovaries declines as you get older. Your fertility generally begins to decrease after age 30 and declines significantly after age 35.

While it’s certainly possible to get pregnant in your 40s, your risk of birth defects (such as Down Syndrome) and miscarriage is significantly higher. If you are struggling to get pregnant due to age, using assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF with donor eggs, may help. Talk to your doctor to find out more about your options.

Medical Factors Making It Hard to Get Pregnant

Unexplained Infertility

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of trying (if you are under age 35) or six months of trying (if you are over age 35). Some medical causes of infertility, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), are clear, but many are not. Almost one-third of couples facing infertility are diagnosed with unexplained infertility, meaning there is no clear medical reason why they cannot conceive. The good news is that many couples in this camp are able to go on to conceive naturally; however, an unexplained infertility diagnosis can be difficult news to digest.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a reproductive disorder in which tissue similar to that of the uterine lining, or endometrium, grows elsewhere in the body. This foreign tissue can cause widespread inflammation; it also bleeds during your menstrual period, just like the endometrium. As a result, women with endometriosis can experience debilitating pelvic pain, heavy periods, painful sex, and other unpleasant symptoms.

If endometriosis grows on or otherwise blocks the ovaries or fallopian tubes, it may impact your ability to conceive naturally (more on endometriosis and pregnancy here). Laparoscopic excision surgery can help your doctor assess how much endometriosis may affect your fertility and remove the endometriosis tissue, which can sometimes help you get pregnant more easily. If you suspect you may have endometriosis, talk to your OB/GYN about your symptoms to begin the path to diagnosis.

Blocked Fallopian Tubes

You may also have difficulty getting pregnant if one or both fallopian tubes are blocked. Usually, these blockages are caused by endometriosis or scar tissue from previous surgeries or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). When the fallopian tubes are blocked, the egg cannot travel from the ovary in order to be fertilized, impairing your fertility. If only one fallopian tube is blocked, you may eventually be able to get pregnant; however, if both are blocked, you will need to have the blockages removed surgically in order to get pregnant. A fertility specialist can tell you for certain if you might be dealing with a blocked fallopian tube (or two).

Partner’s Medical Issues

Sometimes, you may be perfectly healthy but still unable to conceive. In this case, it’s important to have your partner checked out by a fertility specialist as men can also suffer from medical issues that can impact their ability to conceive.

It’s thought that of the 1 in 7 heterosexual couples dealing with infertility, 30-50% of infertility cases are due to male factor infertility, or infertility that originates with medical issues on the man’s side. There are many issues that can cause male infertility, but most have to do with sperm or ejaculation. When you talk to a fertility specialist, make sure your partner also gets tested for potential fertility problems so you can rule out male factor infertility.

FAQs About Not Getting Pregnant

Being unable to conceive when you want to get pregnant is one of the most difficult and confusing things you can go through as a couple. If you are struggling in your TTC journey, you might still have a lot of lingering questions about what exactly is going on in your body.

In this section, we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding difficulties getting pregnant.

I’m Having Regular Periods But Not Getting Pregnant?

Irregular cycles are not the only reason you can struggle to get pregnant. It’s definitely possible to have difficulty conceiving with regular cycles. That’s because periods aren’t the only part of the cycle that you should be paying attention to. If you have trouble conceiving, we always recommend tracking your periods with the Mira digital fertility analyzer, even if everything seems normal.

Other important stuff happens when you aren’t bleeding, and following your cycle with Mira can help you understand your hormones—especially luteinizing hormone (LH). This allows you to know the opportune time to have intercourse for TTC.

I’m Ovulating But Not Getting Pregnant?

Again, problems with ovulation are not the only cause of fertility issues. A wide variety of health issues can make conceiving difficult. If it hasn’t been a year since you started trying (or six months if you are over age 35), you may simply need to continue doing what you are doing.

However, if it has been longer than this, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist. A fertility specialist, or reproductive endocrinologist, can evaluate both you and your partner to help you pinpoint exactly why you might be having troubling getting pregnant. With that knowledge, you can determine the best way to start a family despite struggling with infertility.

I’ve Been Trying To Get Pregnant For More Than 1 Year With No Success?

If you have been TTC for longer than one year, it is always a good idea to schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist. A fertility specialist, or reproductive endocrinologist, can perform specialized tests to help you pinpoint exactly why you and your partner are struggling to conceive. They can also identify and treat potential health issues or suggest targeted lifestyle changes based on your individual situation. Without seeing a doctor, you can’t know for certain why you and your partner have been unable to conceive so far.

When To Get Help

To reiterate, it’s always a good idea to see a fertility specialist if you have been TTC for more than one year (or six months if you are over age 35) with no success. You can start by scheduling an appointment with your PCP or OB/GYN, who can refer you to a fertility specialist they trust. A fertility specialist will talk to you and your partner about your health and potentially run more tests to evaluate your fertility and help pinpoint why you have not been able to conceive.

About Katerina Shkodzik

Dr. Katerina Shkodzik is a certified OB-GYN with a special focus on reproductive endocrinology and infertility issues. She has been practicing since 2015.

Dr. Shkodzik completed her residency program in the Department of OB/GYN at the Belarusian State Medical University and a fellowship program in the Department of Gynecological Surgery at the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.

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How Hard Is It To Get Pregnant

How Hard Is It to Get Pregnant?