How long does it take to get pregnant?

If you're a woman or birthing person 35 or under in a heterosexual relationship you have a good chance of getting pregnant naturally within 1 year of having regular, unprotected sex. This means having vaginal sex every 2 to 3 days without using contraception.

It's important to know though, that it is possible to become pregnant any time you have unprotected sex. This means you could get pregnant within a week of starting to try for a baby. That's why it's important to plan for pregnancy.

Age makes a difference. Starting at 35, your chances of getting pregnant start to get smaller. 

If you are getting pregnant without sex, such as using donor eggs or sperm, the method you choose and other factors will impact the time to conceiving. You can read more about this here.

Age and getting pregnant

Many people are having babies later in life for very valid reasons such as not feeling ready to support a child, not having wanted a child before, or not having a partner.

However, we know that fertility (the ability to get pregnant) declines with age. If you're a woman or birthing person trying to conceive after the age of 40 you may be offered fertility treatment. This is because the number and quality of eggs drops. Male fertility also declines with age, from around the age of 40 to 45.

Read more about age and fertility.

Improving your fertility

There are some things you can do to improve your fertility. For example, if you smoke it will take you longer to get pregnant than a non-smoker. If you give up smoking now, you’re likely to conceive sooner than you would have done.

Other things you can do to improve your fertility include: 

• being a healthy weight
• being active
• eating a healthy, balanced diet
• cutting your caffeine intake to under 200mg a day
• avoiding alcohol
• quitting recreational and illegal drugs.

Find out more about what to do before conception. 

Stopping contraception and getting pregnant

Some types of contraception may delay fertility for a while after you stop taking them. For example, the progestogen-only injection may affect fertility for up to 1 year after you last had it.

Find out more about stopping contraception. 

When should I get help with conception?

Speak to your GP if you have been trying for a year to conceive.

Many doctors will recommend that you wait until at least a year of trying to conceive by having regular sex without contraception before they refer you for fertility tests. Regular sex means 2 to 3 times a week.

You should see your GP sooner if:

• you are over 36
• you have a known fertility issue, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• your partner has a known fertility issue, such as low sperm count
• you are concerned you or your partner may have a another medical issue that's stopping you getting pregnant.

Around 1 in 7 couples have trouble conceiving. There are ways to help people conceive if they're having problems getting pregnant. Find out more about fertility problems. 

More support if you’re worried about fertility

Charities and other organisations can provide further support if you’re worried about fertility. 

Fertility Friends 

Fertility Friends is a busy online forum for anyone worried about fertility or going through fertility treatment.

Fertility Network UK

Fertility Network UK is a charity giving free and impartial advice, information and understanding to anyone affected by fertility issues. Support services include local groups and an online community of people affected by fertility problems. There is also a free helpline where you can speak to a trained nurse in confidence. 

HIMfertility 

HIMfertility was set up by comedian Rhod Gilbert to provide advice, help men to talk about fertility problems, and signpost to further support.