Your Fertility Journey: What to Know Before You Start Trying

Starting to try for a baby is one of the most hopeful and vulnerable things a person can do. It is exciting and terrifying in equal measure, and nobody talks about it quite as honestly as they should. This is our attempt to do that.

Understanding your cycle

The most important thing to know is that pregnancy can only happen during a short window each month, around the time of ovulation. Ovulation typically occurs 12 to 14 days before your next period, but cycles vary enormously between women and even from month to month.

Tracking your cycle for a few months before you start trying gives you a clearer picture of your own rhythm. You can do this with a simple app, by taking your basal body temperature each morning, or by watching for physical signs like changes in cervical mucus.

Ovulation tests

Ovulation predictor kits detect the hormonal surge that triggers ovulation, giving you a clear positive result in the one to two days before you ovulate. They take the guesswork out of timing and are particularly helpful if your cycle is irregular.

For more detailed tracking over multiple cycles, a connected fertility monitor measures multiple hormones and learns your personal pattern over time.

How long does it take?

This is the question everyone has and no one loves the answer to. For a healthy couple trying at the right time, the NHS estimates that about 84% of couples will conceive within a year. That means that for one in six couples, it takes longer and that is not a reflection of anything being wrong. It just takes the time it takes.

Taking care of yourself

Both partners can improve fertility outcomes through lifestyle. For the person with a uterus, folic acid supplementation is recommended from the moment you start trying, as it significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects in early pregnancy. Reducing alcohol, stopping smoking, managing stress, and maintaining a healthy weight all help.

For those with sperm, the same lifestyle factors apply. Sperm takes about 70 days to develop, which means changes made today will affect the sperm present in roughly two to three months.

When to seek support

Most guidance says to see a doctor after one year of trying for those under 35, or after six months for those over 35. However, if you have known conditions that might affect fertility such as PCOS, endometriosis, irregular cycles, or previous pregnancy losses, it is worth seeking support sooner rather than waiting.

You are not alone in this journey, even when it feels that way.