Trying to conceive (TTC) means having regular, unprotected sex with the goal of becoming pregnant, specifically timed around your fertile days. Medically, you’re considered to be “trying” once you stop all forms of contraception and begin having intercourse during your fertile window. Most fertility guidelines use 12 months of unprotected sex without a pregnancy as the threshold for an infertility evaluation if you’re under 35, and 6 months if you’re 35 or older.
But there’s a big gap between casually stopping birth control and actively trying in a way that maximizes your chances. Here’s what each level looks like and what the timeline really means.
The Medical Definition of TTC
From a clinical standpoint, “trying to conceive” is straightforward: regular unprotected intercourse over a defined period. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine considers a couple to be actively trying once they’re having sex without contraception, and uses specific time cutoffs to determine when further evaluation is appropriate. For women under 35, that cutoff is 12 months. For women 35 and older, it’s 6 months. For women over 40, a fertility evaluation may be recommended before you even start trying.
These same timelines apply to secondary infertility, which is when you’ve had a previous pregnancy but can’t conceive again after 12 months of unprotected intercourse. Having been pregnant before doesn’t change the clinical definition.
Certain conditions warrant immediate evaluation regardless of how long you’ve been trying. These include irregular or very short menstrual cycles (under 25 days), known or suspected endometriosis, a history of chemotherapy or radiation, or suspected male fertility issues.
What the Fertile Window Actually Is
Your fertile window is six days long: the five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. Outside this window, conception isn’t possible. A prospective study published in the BMJ confirmed that the fertile window does not extend beyond the day of ovulation, which means the days after you ovulate are no longer fertile, even though many people assume otherwise.
The highest chances of conception come from sex in the two days before ovulation. The likelihood of pregnancy actually starts to decline on the day of ovulation itself. This is why timing matters so much and why simply stopping birth control without tracking your cycle is a less effective version of “trying.”
How Often to Have Sex
The ASRM’s guidance on this is reassuring: you don’t need to follow a rigid schedule. Conception rates are highest when intercourse happens every one to two days during the fertile window. Daily sex offers a slight advantage over every-other-day sex, but the difference is small. Even having sex every three days during the fertile window produced similar per-cycle pregnancy rates in one study. The only scenario with notably lower chances was having sex just once during the entire fertile window.
Importantly, frequent sex does not reduce sperm quality. Couples don’t need to “save up” by abstaining. The optimal frequency is whatever feels manageable and doesn’t create stress, as long as it falls within that every-one-to-two-day range during fertile days.
Tracking Ovulation
If you’re actively trying, knowing when you ovulate turns a general effort into a targeted one. There are three reliable methods.
Cervical mucus monitoring is the simplest. As you approach ovulation, cervical mucus becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy. The last day you observe this type of mucus is typically within four days of ovulation, and days with this mucus carry the highest probability of conception. If you’re trying to get pregnant, having sex on days with this type of mucus is one of the most practical approaches.
Urinary hormone tests (ovulation predictor kits) detect a surge in luteinizing hormone, which signals that ovulation will occur within 12 to 36 hours. These are widely available at pharmacies. The limitation is that an LH test only captures the last one to two days of the fertile window. More advanced home test strips also measure estrogen metabolites, which rise earlier and signal the start of the fertile window, giving you a wider heads-up.
Basal body temperature (BBT) tracking involves taking your temperature first thing every morning. After ovulation, your resting temperature rises by about 0.2 to 0.5°C and stays elevated. The catch is that BBT only confirms ovulation after it’s already happened, so it’s most useful for understanding your cycle patterns over several months rather than for timing sex in real time.
Many people combine methods. Cervical mucus or hormone strips to identify the fertile window as it opens, and BBT to confirm that ovulation occurred.
What to Start Before You Conceive
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that anyone planning to become pregnant take 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid daily, starting at least one month before conception and continuing through the first two to three months of pregnancy. Folic acid significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects, which develop very early, often before you even know you’re pregnant. This is the single most important preconception supplement, and it’s the reason many prenatal vitamins are recommended before pregnancy, not just during it.
Caffeine and Alcohol
Caffeine intake under 200 milligrams per day (roughly two standard cups of coffee) is generally considered safe while trying to conceive. Above that level, research links higher caffeine consumption to increased risk of pregnancy loss.
For alcohol, the data is more striking. Women who consumed more than about six standard drinks per week (84 grams of alcohol) saw a 7% decrease in pregnancy rates. For men at the same intake level, their partner’s chance of a live birth dropped by 9%. There’s no established “safe” amount when actively trying, but the evidence shows a clear dose-dependent relationship: more alcohol, lower fertility for both partners.
Male Factors That Count
Trying to conceive is a two-person effort, and sperm health plays a direct role. Fertility depends on three main sperm characteristics: count (at least 15 million per milliliter is considered normal), motility (at least 40% of sperm need to be able to swim effectively), and shape, though shape matters less than the other two.
Practical steps for male partners include maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding unnecessary medications that may affect fertility, and skipping commercial lubricants during sex. Many common lubricants interfere with sperm movement. If lubrication is needed, fertility-friendly options are available, or simple alternatives like mineral oil or canola oil don’t impair sperm the same way.
When TTC Becomes an Infertility Concern
The transition from “trying” to “possible infertility” is defined by time and age. Under 35, 12 months of well-timed unprotected sex without a pregnancy is the standard threshold for seeking evaluation. At 35 or older, that drops to 6 months. Over 40, a proactive evaluation before you begin trying is reasonable given the steeper decline in egg quality and quantity.
These timelines assume no pre-existing red flags. If you have cycles shorter than 25 days, bleeding between periods, no periods at all, a history of pelvic surgery or sexually transmitted infections, known endometriosis, or if your male partner has had testicular issues or hormonal conditions, evaluation should happen right away rather than waiting out a calendar.