Ideally you should have intercourse as near as possible to the time you ovulate. Sperm can live for 2 to 3 days, but the egg only for 12 to 24 hours. The best timing is having intercourse 1 or 2 days before ovulation. That way, there is likely to be a healthy supply of sperm waiting in the Fallopian tube when an egg is released.
In normally fertile couples, there is a 25% chance of getting pregnant each cycle. This means around 80% of women who have sex without using birth control will get pregnant within one year.
Of course, it isn’t always easy to predict when exactly a woman ovulates. It depends in part on the length of your menstrual cycle. You can use the ovulation calendar on our website to find out when you’re ovulating. Or, to remind you at the right time, you can sign up for our ovulation sms service. Then we will send you an sms to let you know when you are most fertile.
