What sexual positions are best for getting pregnant?
You'll probably hear lots of tips and stories about the best ways to get pregnant and how to conceive quickly, including what sex positions are best. But no sex position has been proved to be best for getting pregnant.
Having said that, sex positions that involve deep penetration mean the sperm gets as close to the cervix (neck of the womb) as possible. Even though they're not linked to better chances of pregnancy, they may be worth a try.
Are the missionary or doggy positions good if we’re trying to conceive?
The missionary position and doggy position are often recommended if you’re trying to get pregnant. While there’s not much research to show they improve conception rates, scientists have shown that they do allow for deep penetration. This means that they help get your partner’s sperm as far in towards your womb as possible, in the best place to fertilise your egg.
What should we do after sex to improve our chances of conceiving?
After you’ve had sex you might also like to place a pillow under your hips to tilt your pelvis and help the sperm to swim in the right direction. Again, there’s no research to prove it works, but some people say it helped them, and it can’t hurt to try.
There is no research that proves or disproves these suggestions. It is up to you whether you wish to try these ideas out.
However, you should make sure that your partner ejaculates fully into your vagina, as this does increase the likelihood of conception.
Read more about how to get pregnant.
Ready to have a baby? Use our pregnancy planning tool to find out.
ASRM (2017) ‘Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion’. Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in collaboration with the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. 107;1: 52-58 doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.09.029
Faix A, Lapray JF, Callede O, et al. (2002) 'Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of sexual intercourse: second experience in missionary position and initial experience in posterior position'. J Sex Marital Ther 28: 63-76. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
NHS (2023) Trying to get pregnant. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/trying-to-get-pregnant/ (Accessed 21 March 2024) (Page last reviewed: 14/11/2023. Next review due: 14/11/2026)
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