Best time for conception

Fertility Specialist Richard Marrs, MD explains which time in a woman's fertility cycle is best for conception in order to get pregnant
When Is The Best Time to Conceive - Expert Fertility Advice
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Best time for conception

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Well, the best time to conceive is at the time of ovulation. Ovulation in the female cycle is usually at the midpoint between two menstrual periods. We consider the menstrual cycle or the ovulatory cycle as the first day of one menstrual period to the first day of the next menstrual period; that's considered the menstrual interval or the ovulatory cycle. The classic ovulatory cycle is usually a 28 day cycle from the first day of one period to the first day of the second period. On a 28 day cycle, on average at about day 13 or 14 is when the woman will ovulate. And so couples that are trying to conceive should focus intercourse on day 13 or day 14 in a 28 day cycle. But a lot of women have a 35 day cycle, which is normal for them. In that case, it's gonna be about day 18 or 19 that they're ovulating, and then as late as day 20. So the interval between menstrual periods determines when ovulation and when conception take place. And the easy rule of thumb is just to kind of take half the distance between the periods. If it's a 35 day cycle, then it's day 17, 18, 19, somewhere in there. If it's a 28 day cycle, then it's day 13 or 14.

Fertility Specialist Richard Marrs, MD explains which time in a woman's fertility cycle is best for conception in order to get pregnant

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Richard Marrs, MD

Fertility Specialist

Dr. Richard Marrs is a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist. He studied medicine and trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Texas before moving to Southern California to study Reproductive Endocrinology. While at the University of Southern California, he developed one of the country’s first IVF programs, which is responsible for the second IVF birth in the United States and the first birth from cryopreserved embryos in the United States in 1986. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to the development of IVF. He has published over 200 papers and books in the area of Reproductive Endocrinology and In Vitro Fertilization and is a prominent figure in the national and international infertility communities. In 1996, he published a book for couples called the Dr. Richard Marrs' Fertility Book: America's Leading Infertility Expert Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Getting Pregnant.

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Transcription: 
Well, the best time to conceive is at the time of ovulation. Ovulation in the female cycle is usually at the midpoint between two menstrual periods. We consider the menstrual cycle or the ovulatory cycle as the first day of one menstrual period to the first day of the next menstrual period; that's considered the menstrual interval or the ovulatory cycle. The classic ovulatory cycle is usually a 28 day cycle from the first day of one period to the first day of the second period. On a 28 day cycle, on average at about day 13 or 14 is when the woman will ovulate. And so couples that are trying to conceive should focus intercourse on day 13 or day 14 in a 28 day cycle. But a lot of women have a 35 day cycle, which is normal for them. In that case, it's gonna be about day 18 or 19 that they're ovulating, and then as late as day 20. So the interval between menstrual periods determines when ovulation and when conception take place. And the easy rule of thumb is just to kind of take half the distance between the periods. If it's a 35 day cycle, then it's day 17, 18, 19, somewhere in there. If it's a 28 day cycle, then it's day 13 or 14.