Signs of High Fertility in Women

Whether you're trying to fall pregnant or avoid pregnancy, it's useful to know what your chances of conception are. Our team of experts has compiled this guide to help you navigate this issue through the signs of fertility, factors influencing fertility, tips to increase it, and more.

General Signs That You May Be Highly Fertile

You might fall pregnant quite easily if you experience most of the following at the same time:

• You're between your late teens and late twenties
• You feel very well in general
• You have a regular cycle
• You have clear and consistent signs of ovulation every month (such as the same type of discharge)
• You don't smoke
• You have a healthy, balanced diet
• Your periods are not very heavy, and your PMS is manageable
• You haven't had any pelvic infections, or they have been cleared

When Is Your Fertile Period?

Women are most fertile during ovulation, which occurs every 28 days or so. A mature egg is released from the ovary, moves down the fallopian tube, and stays there for 12 to 24 hours. Ovulation usually takes place about 14 days before the next period. Understanding your menstrual cycle is key to understanding ovulation, and it is a good idea to track your cycle to predict when ovulation will take place if you want to conceive.

Factors That Affect Fertility

Some of the factors that influence whether a woman can conceive or not include the following:

• Age
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Weight (being clinically underweight or overweight)
• Caffeine
• Lifestyle factors (such as stress)
• Diseases and disorders
• Genetics
• Nutrition and exercise
• Environmental factors (smog, pollution, secondhand smoke, etc.)
• Over-the-counter and recreational drugs
• Duration of subfertility (how long a couple has been trying)
• Previous pregnancies (if a couple has conceived before, they are likely to conceive again)
• Ovarian cysts

Please note that most cysts don't cause infertility. The only exception is if a cyst gets infected (a rare occurrence).

How to Increase Fertility

There are numerous ways to boost your chances of pregnancy. These include vitamin supplements for fertility, frequent sex during ovulation, inducing ovulation, pre-seed lubricant, and IVF treatments.

Vitamin Supplements

Recent studies have shown that a range of vitamins and supplements can increase fertility in men and women. These include Vitamins B, E, and D, as well as fish oil, Co-Enzyme Q10, and Selenium.

Frequent Sex During Ovulation

Having sex often without contraception is one of the simplest, cheapest, least invasive, and most low-risk ways to improve your chances of conception. Having lots of sex during ovulation especially can be effective in creating a pregnancy.

Inducing Ovulation

A few treatments are available that can induce ovulation so that a couple knows exactly when it will occur, has potentially more opportunities for conception, and creates space in their schedules to have lots of sex within an effective, fertile period.

Pre-Seed Lubricant

Pre-Seed Lubricant creates a more slippery passage up the vagina for sperm in case of vaginal dryness.

IVF Treatments

IVF treatments can be costly and difficult but are often an effective way to fall pregnant. Read more about the egg retrieval process of IVF here.

IUI Treatments

Simpler and cheaper than IVF, IUI is another option to look into when trying to conceive. However, it should be noted that it does carry more risks.

Is It Possible to Induce Ovulation?

Yes, ovulation induction is possible for many women. However, it should be noted that there are some side effects and risks with this kind of treatment. There are several different medications on the market that induce ovulation. They work in different ways and have different side effects. You'll need to consider the options carefully with your gynecologist.

When to Take an Ovulation Test

Taking an ovulation test can be helpful in the process of conception. They help give you an idea of when you're ovulating to make time for more sex during this high-fertility window.

Wondering when the best time is to take a pregnancy test? Take a look at our expert guide on this issue.