We all have different ideas about what sex is. As long as it’s consensual and safe for everyone involved, there’s no right or wrong way to have sex.
The highest chance of pregnancy happens during a woman’s fertile window, the days leading up to and including ovulation. Having sex every 1-2 days during this time can increase your chances of conceiving.
Fertilization
Each month, your body releases one mature egg into your fallopian tube (also known as the uterus). If sperm can reach the egg before it dies, pregnancy can occur. This is known as the fertile window. Healthy couples of childbearing age have about a 20% chance of conceiving each month when they are both sexually active during this window.
Once sperm reach the egg, they need to fertilize it to get pregnant. If the sperm don’t fertilize the egg within 24 hours, it will die in the fallopian tube. If the sperm do successfully penetrate the egg, it will start dividing rapidly. Over time, it will grow into a cluster of cells called a zygote. The zygote will then travel down the fallopian tube to the uterus and attach itself to your uterine lining. This process is referred to as implantation.
Implantation can take up to a week after fertilization. This is why a pregnancy test is necessary to confirm if you are pregnant. It is also why it’s important to use birth control, such as condoms or a copper IUD, during the fertile window. If you don’t use birth control, the sperm may not survive long enough to reach the egg. In that case, your ovaries will reabsorb the egg and close the window of opportunity for conception that month.
Conception
The first step in the process of pregnancy after sex is fertilization. This happens when a sperm cell (or zygote) fuses with an egg in the fallopian tube. However, it’s important to note that you can only become pregnant if the fertilized egg implants itself in the uterus.
Once a sperm cell reaches an egg, it begins to divide rapidly. After a few days, it becomes a cluster of cells known as a blastocyst. It then travels down the fallopian tubes to the uterus, signaled by hormones to prepare itself for implantation (2).
It can take up to a week for the egg to make this journey, depending on when ovulation occurs. This is why it’s possible for couples to conceive from sex that takes place several days before or after ovulation.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know exactly when an egg is fertilized or when a person will begin to experience early pregnancy symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to use safe methods of birth control, such as condoms and oral contraceptives. For more information about ovulation and pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider or ob-gyn. They’ll be able to answer your questions and help you understand the specifics of your unique cycle.
Implantation
While it’s possible to get pregnant after unprotected sex, the process is more complicated than simply sperm and an egg meeting. The egg and sperm must then make their way down the fallopian tube and into the uterus, which can take days. Once there, the fertilized egg must implant in the uterine lining and continue to grow into an embryo to start a pregnancy.
After a sperm fertilizes an egg, it starts to divide rapidly and forms a cluster of cells known as a zygote. It’s during this time that the zygote must travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus and then into the uterine wall. It can take up to six days for a fertilized egg to reach the uterus, and it may take a week or more before implantation happens. During this time, you might experience light spotting and cramping.
When a fertilized egg implants in the uterus, it triggers hormones that signal the body that you’re pregnant and prevent the lining from shedding as it would normally during a menstrual cycle. This is the point at which you can start to test for pregnancy, and more sensitive tests will be able to give you a result sooner than less-sensitive ones. During this time, you might also experience common early pregnancy symptoms like fatigue and breast tenderness.
Symptoms
When sperm successfully joins with an egg, it begins growing into a cluster of cells that’s called an embryo. This embryo travels down one of your tubes to the uterus, where it attaches to the lining known as the endometrium. This is when implantation happens — and it’s the first step toward becoming pregnant.
During the journey from your fallopian tube to the uterus, this embryo can cause light bleeding that’s often confused with a menstrual period. This is referred to as implantation bleeding and can happen about a week after fertilization. It usually doesn’t last more than a few days and tends to be lighter than your typical menstrual blood. It’s also more brown than red in color. It might contain some clots, but it’s very different than the bleeding that occurs during your period.
In about a quarter of pregnancies, you might experience this symptom along with other early pregnancy symptoms, such as stomach cramps that are less intense than those associated with your regular menstrual cycle and nausea. You might also have a backache, headache or breast tenderness. It’s important to recognize these symptoms as they can help you confirm whether or not you’re pregnant with a home pregnancy test or by visiting your OB/GYN. In addition, the timing of your ovulation and implantation influences how soon you should take a pregnancy test to get the most accurate results.
