“Trying to get pregnant” means having regular unprotected sex with the goal of conceiving. In medical terms, that translates to intercourse every one to two days without any form of birth control. Most guidelines use 12 months of this as the benchmark before considering a fertility evaluation, though that timeline shortens with age.
What Counts as “Trying”
The clinical definition is straightforward: regular unprotected intercourse over a sustained period. “Regular” generally means every one to two days, though many couples aim for every two to three days throughout the cycle. You don’t need to time things perfectly or use any tracking tools for it to count as trying. Simply stopping birth control and having frequent sex is enough.
That said, conception can only happen during a narrow window of about six days each cycle, ending on the day of ovulation. Sperm survive three to five days inside the reproductive tract, so sex in the days leading up to ovulation gives sperm the best chance of being in position when an egg is released. Having sex every one to two days means you’re almost certainly covering that window without needing to pinpoint it exactly.
How Long It Typically Takes
A woman in her early to mid-20s has roughly a 25 to 30 percent chance of getting pregnant in any given cycle. That number declines gradually with age, dropping to around 5 percent per cycle by age 40. These per-cycle odds mean that even for young, healthy couples, it’s completely normal for conception to take several months.
Over a full year of trying, the majority of couples under 35 will conceive. But a significant minority won’t, and that’s the point at which doctors define the situation as infertility: failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse. About 8.8 percent of U.S. women aged 15 to 49 meet that definition.
When the Timeline Changes Based on Age
The 12-month guideline applies to women under 35. If you’re 35 or older, the recommended evaluation window drops to six months of trying without success. Women 40 and older are encouraged to seek an evaluation right away rather than waiting, because both egg quality and quantity decline more steeply in that range. These aren’t arbitrary cutoffs. They reflect the reality that earlier intervention gives fertility treatments a better chance of working when age is a factor.
Tracking Your Fertile Window
You don’t have to track ovulation to be “trying,” but many people find it helpful, especially after a few months without success. The three established methods are urinary hormone testing (ovulation predictor kits), cervical mucus monitoring, and basal body temperature tracking.
Ovulation predictor kits detect a surge in luteinizing hormone that happens one to two days before ovulation. They’re the most popular method because they give you a heads-up before the fertile window closes. Cervical mucus changes are another reliable signal: it becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy (often compared to raw egg whites) as ovulation approaches. Basal body temperature, your resting temperature first thing in the morning, rises slightly after ovulation has already occurred. It’s more useful for confirming that you do ovulate regularly than for timing sex in the moment.
Many people combine two or more of these methods, and several apps now integrate the data to estimate fertile days. None of them are required, but they can be reassuring if you want confirmation that your body is ovulating on a predictable schedule.
Preconception Steps That Matter
Starting folic acid before you conceive is one of the most important things you can do. The CDC recommends 400 micrograms daily for all women who could become pregnant, because it prevents neural tube defects that develop in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, often before you even know you’re pregnant. Most prenatal vitamins contain this amount, and many fortified breads and cereals do as well.
Beyond folic acid, the basics apply: limiting alcohol, not smoking, staying physically active, and eating a balanced diet all support fertility for both partners.
What Men Can Do
Sperm quality is more sensitive to lifestyle than many people realize. Prolonged heat exposure to the testicles, from things like extended hot tub use, laptop placement, or long periods of sitting, can damage sperm DNA and reduce sperm production. Even moderate alcohol intake (more than about five drinks per week) has been linked to declining semen quality, along with lower testosterone and reduced sex drive.
On the positive side, antioxidant-rich diets and supplements containing nutrients like zinc, selenium, and vitamin C have been shown to improve sperm parameters and even boost pregnancy rates. Men don’t need to overhaul their lives, but cutting back on alcohol, avoiding excessive heat to the groin, and eating well can meaningfully improve a couple’s chances.
What “Trying” Doesn’t Mean
A common misconception is that trying to conceive requires strict timing, specific positions, or perfectly orchestrated cycles. It doesn’t. The clinical bar is simply unprotected sex on a regular basis. You don’t need to have sex every single day, lie down afterward for a set amount of time, or use any particular product. Stress about perfecting the process can actually make the experience harder emotionally without improving your odds.
If you’ve been having unprotected sex every few days for several months and haven’t conceived, that still counts as trying, and it still counts toward the timeline your doctor will ask about. The clock starts when you stop preventing pregnancy and begin having regular intercourse, whether or not you’re using ovulation kits or apps to guide the process.