Getting Pregnant FAQs Whether you are trying to get pregnant or just beginning to think about starting or growing your family, you undoubtedly have some questions. Hopefully we can help! In this section, we've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions on the subject of getting pregnant. If your question pertains more specifically to one of our Clearblue® Easy products, click here.
1. How often should I have sex to get pregnant?
We can't tell you how often you should have sex, but we can tell you that you have the best chances of getting pregnant if you have intercourse during your most fertile period. This is the day you detect your LH surge, as indicated by a positive result, and the day after.
2. When is the best time to have sex in order to conceive?
You have the best chances of conceiving if you have sex during the two most fertile days of your cycle: the day you detect your LH surge and the day after. This means that if you detect your LH surge tomorrow morning, you will have the greatest chances of conceiving tomorrow and the next day.
There is quite a bit of information available about how frequently to have sex during the fertile time. Some people say you will optimize your chances to conceive if you have sex each of your two Peak Fertility days, while others say you should only have sex one of these days. If you have any questions or concerns about optimum sexual frequency, you should speak with your healthcare professional.
3. What are my chances of getting pregnant this month?
If you and your partner have "normal" fertility, there is roughly a 1 in 4 chance of becoming pregnant each menstrual cycle. On average, it takes women 3 to 6 months to conceive. If you have been trying for a baby for awhile and you're not yet pregnant, remember that this may be perfectly normal. There are things you can do to increase your chances of becoming pregnant, however. One effective way of improving your odds of conceiving is to use a home ovulation test, such as Clearblue® Easy Ovulation Tests. This type of test helps you identify the two best days in a cycle when you are at your most fertile and therefore most likely to get pregnant.
4. I have been trying to get pregnant but have not yet succeeded. Is there anything I can do?
Most conceptions occur on the six days leading up to and ending on the day you ovulate. You are at your most fertile, and therefore most likely to become pregnant, during the day preceding ovulation as well as the day of ovulation itself (when one of your ovaries releases an egg). There are three Clearblue® Easy products, which can improve your chances of conceiving:
The Clearblue® Easy 'Easy Read' Ovulation Test and the Clearblue® Easy Ovulation Test are simple urine tests, which reliably predict ovulation by identifying changes in your hormone levels. These tests indicate your days of Peak Fertility every cycle.
The Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor is the most advanced method of maximizing your chances of conceiving. The Monitor displays your personal level of fertility every day of the month, accurately identifying more days of High or Peak Fertility than any other method.
5. I've recently stopped taking the contraceptive pill. Will this affect Ovulation Test results?
No, it will not affect your results. However your natural hormone pattern is disrupted by hormonal contraception and if you have recently stopped using the pill, your cycles can be irregular and may take some time to stabilize. You may wish to wait until you have had two natural menstrual cycles, and note the length of these cycles, before using a Clearblue® Easy Ovulation Test.
6. I don't know how long my cycle length is. How can I find out and how will I know when to start using an Ovulation Test?
To optimize your chances of identifying your most fertile days, you are advised to wait for one menstrual cycle, and note the length of this cycle, before using an Ovulation Test. To find out your cycle length, count the day your period starts (first day of full menstrual flow) as Day 1, and continue through to the day before your next period starts. The number of days is your cycle length. Once you have determined your cycle length you can use the instructions below to work out when to start testing when using a Clearblue® Easy Ovulation Test.
7. What is the difference between using the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor and one of Clearblue® Easy's Ovulation Tests?
Clearblue® Easy Ovulation Tests identify the two most fertile days out of your monthly fertility cycle, when you are most likely to conceive. These are known as your Peak Fertility days.
The Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor can identify these two Peak Fertility days, as well as additional days of High Fertility. The Monitor also gives you personal information telling you when you need to test and when the end of your cycle is coming. It does this by monitoring estrogen and the hormone known as LH. When the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor detects a rise in estrogen, it displays High Fertility status. High estrogen is associated with the appearance of 'fertile mucus', which is thin, slippery and can be cloudy white. Sperm can swim more easily through this mucus and can survive in it for several days. If you have intercourse during this time, there may still be sperm present several days later, when you release an egg. Detection of the LH surge indicates that you are about to release an egg, displayed on the Monitor as Peak Fertility. The Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor lets you know all the days on which making love is most likely to lead to conception.
8. How can I be sure the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor is right for me? Is there anybody for whom the Monitor is not suitable?
The Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor is suitable for women whose natural monthly cycle normally lasts between 21-42 days. Women who have recently been pregnant, stopped breast feeding, stopped using hormonal contraception (e.g. the pill) or any other treatment that affects their cycle should wait until they have had at least two natural menstrual cycles in a row (lasting 21-42 days) before using the Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor. The Clearblue® Easy Fertility Monitor is not suitable for women who have menopausal symptoms, are breast feeding, have impaired liver or kidney function, have polycystic ovarian syndrome, or women taking medications containing hCG or LH hormones.
9. I think I might be pregnant. How can I know for sure?
When you become pregnant, your body produces the pregnancy hormone, human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG). The amount of hCG in your body increases rapidly throughout the first 12 weeks or so of pregnancy. The Clearblue® Easy Digital Pregnancy Test and the Clearblue® Easy +/- Results Pregnancy Test are sensitive enough to detect hCG in your urine before your expected period. If your Clearblue® Easy Pregnancy Test result is "Pregnant" you should see your doctor to discuss your result and explain your next steps. To find out more about Clearblue® Easy Pregnancy Tests, visit Our Products.
Infertility. Tan SL and Jacobs HS. McGraw Hill Book Co. 1991.
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