How long after ovulation does it take to get pregnant

When you’re actively trying to get pregnant, it’s easy to get caught up with wanting to understand all the details about how it works. Sure, you might have attended sex ed classes at school like everyone else, but lots of us just learned how not to get pregnant — not so useful now!

Now, you could be facing the prospect of using your body in a whole new way, which is probably why you’re googling things like “How long does it take to get pregnant after sex?” Trying to conceive can bring a newfound curiosity about your reproductive system, and the more you know, the more power you have.

Here at Flo, we’ve got all the answers you need. This expert guide includes details on how you get pregnant, plus a timeline of how long it takes after sex so you can understand better what happens and when.

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Ovulation is when an egg is released from your ovaries into your uterine tubes (also known as fallopian tubes). The egg only stays there for up to 24 hours before it disintegrates into the uterine lining and sheds as part of your monthly period. But if it’s fertilized during its short lifespan by sperm, which need to swim competitively to get there, then pregnancy can occur. Sometimes, if you’ve had sex in the few days before ovulation, you can still get pregnant. This is because sperm can live inside a reproductive tract for up to five days; they’ll wait there, and if an egg is released, there’s a chance one could fertilize it. 

But don’t be fooled into thinking sex during your fertile window will lead to a pregnancy every time. On average, it’s believed healthy couples of childbearing age have around a 20% chance of conceiving in any given month. According to OB-GYN (obstetrician and gynecologist) Robert W. Rebar, MD, 50% of couples should get pregnant within 3 months of trying, 75% of couples tend to get pregnant within 6 months, and 90% within a year — so don’t lose hope if it doesn’t happen right away.

As we know, when sperm reach the uterine tubes, there isn’t always an egg there. In that case, sperm can wait inside the reproductive tract for up to five days until an egg is released, at which point one may fertilize the new egg. Dr. van Dis explains that fertilization is “the process by which sperm penetrates the egg wall.” This creates a fertilized egg, or what’s known scientifically as a zygote, which is what goes on to become the embryo.

Only one sperm can fertilize an egg, thanks to a clever mechanism; the egg’s external shell hardens immediately when the first sperm breaks through, ensuring no others can gain entry.

Once sperm penetrates and fertilizes the egg, the fertilized egg starts rapidly dividing until it becomes a cluster of cells that will later become an embryo. As the cluster grows, it begins to make a journey of its own, traveling from the uterine tubes to the uterus where implantation can take place. Implantation is when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus lining, and it happens around 6 to 10 days after conception.

In around a quarter of pregnancies, there may be some light spotting between 10 and 14 days after conception. This is known as “implantation bleeding,” and, confusingly, it usually happens at the time you would expect your next period. That can make it tricky to detect, but it tends to be lighter than your usual menstrual period. If you experience bleeding that doesn’t seem like your period, and you think there’s a chance you could be pregnant, it’s worth taking a pregnancy test or speaking to a health care professional.

Everyone experiences pregnancy differently, which is why you might start noticing the early symptoms anywhere between 2 and 4 weeks after conception. “The most common sign of pregnancy is a missed period,” explains Dr. van Dis. “Other common signs are fatigue, tender breasts, more frequent urination, and bloating.” 

Some of the most typical signs of pregnancy are nausea and vomiting, with more than 94% of women experiencing them, according to a 2020 University of Warwick study. The severity of nausea varies from person to person, as does its duration. For most people, it goes away by 14 weeks of pregnancy, but for others, it can continue on for longer. If you feel like nausea during your pregnancy is affecting your life, it’s best to speak to a health care professional.

Emotions can also fluctuate in the early stages of pregnancy and beyond. The flood of hormones during the early stages of pregnancy can make you feel happy one minute and tearful the next. You may also have a sore back or experience headaches, food cravings, or food aversions. The area around your nipples (the areolas) may also become darker during the early stages of pregnancy — lots of changes!

“The great news is that pregnancy tests have gotten better and better at detecting earlier pregnancies,” says Dr. van Dis. The not-so-good news is that it still takes around 15 days after sex for a test to become positive.

So while you might feel anxious or excited for a couple of weeks after you think you ovulated, it’s worth holding out to make sure you get a clear result. Pregnancy tests are designed to trace the pregnancy hormone hCG, which your placenta starts producing around 10 days after fertilization and slowly increases as the fertilized egg becomes an embryo.

Now that you have a better idea of how long pregnancy takes to come about, it’s important to remember that the specific timeline differs slightly for everyone. “None of this is a perfect science,” notes Dr. van Dis. While some people may find out that they are pregnant around 15 days after sex, others may need to wait longer — and that’s normal. 

And don’t forget that it may take some people longer to conceive than others, which is also to be expected. There are various factors that can influence if and when pregnancy might occur, including how regular your cycle is, partner sperm count, and when you ovulated. Tracking your period regularly with an app like Flo can be a really helpful way to understand your own menstrual cycle — an important tool whether you’re trying to conceive or prevent an unplanned pregnancy.

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