Over the last several decades, open discussions have shed light on a bombshell fact: getting pregnant isn’t as easy as we think it should be. And for some people, the timing has to be absolutely perfect.
Maybe your and your partner’s schedules just didn’t line up for the baby dance on ovulation day this month.
But if it did in the days prior, you might wonder if sex two days before ovulation produces any success stories.
So we researched studies, interviewed medical professionals, and got real-life anecdotes from parents who tracked their ovulation!
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How likely is it to get pregnant before ovulation?
We know you can’t figuratively get pregnant before ovulating because the egg produced during ovulation is necessary for conception.
But what about when you ovulate just a couple of days after you last had sex?
How likely are you to end up pregnant if you had intercourse 2 days before ovulation?
We discussed the statistics with doctors.
One Day Before Ovulation
Dr. Pattie Haebe, NMD and Senior Medical Advisor for Premom, says your odds of conception are excellent when you have sex the day before ovulation.
She states: “Studies have shown an average of a 30% chance of getting pregnant the day before ovulation, which is considered very promising in the reproductive world!”
The company Dr. Haebe works for manufactures super-popular at-home ovulation test strips.
These strips usually have strong positive lines about 24 hours before ovulation actually occurs.
That makes the day before the egg is released one of the easiest days for couples to target for intercourse. As Dr. Haebe stated, this is great news!
Two Days Before Ovulation
“The odds of getting pregnant by having sex two days before ovulation are also relatively high, as sperm can still survive in the female reproductive tract for [several] days,” says Dr. Maria Rodriguez, an OBGYN and Content Advisor for Welzo.com.
A study published in Human Reproduction also showed that intercourse two days before ovulation had the second-highest rate of conception (behind sex occurring on the day of ovulation).
It’s also worth noting that during this study, pregnancies conceived via sex two days before ovulation had the lowest rate of early pregnancy loss (miscarriage within the first six weeks)!
Three Days Before Ovulation
Dr. Rodriguez advises against getting your hopes up when baby dancing several days before ovulating.
“The odds of getting pregnant by having sex three days before ovulation are considered to be somewhat lower, as the chances of surviving sperm reaching the egg decrease as time goes on.”
In the Human Reproduction study mentioned earlier, not only was the rate of conception three days before ovulation extremely low, but it had a much higher rate of early pregnancy loss.
Is the best time to conceive before or after ovulation?
Our experts are unanimous: the best time to conceive is before ovulation.
Dr. Rodriguez explains exactly why early sex is better than cutting it close. “Sex [both] before and after ovulation can result in pregnancy, but having sex prior to ovulation is generally considered to be more effective.
“This is because sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for several days, which allows them to be in place when the egg is released.
“However, having sex after ovulation can still result in pregnancy, particularly if the timing is close and the woman has a short menstrual cycle.”
The life of the sperm isn’t the only thing to take into consideration, either. Dr. Haebe discusses the much shorter life of an egg.
“You’ll want to have sex just before ovulation because an egg only lives 12-24 hours after ovulation […] so there’s a significant advantage to having sperm present before you ovulate,” she says.
The study we’ve been discussing concluded that having sex on the day of ovulation can lead to sperm not meeting an egg until it has already aged. After all, 24 hours is not a long lifespan!
Unfortunately, this situation is predicted to be the reason for the higher rate of early pregnancy loss among partners having sex on the day of ovulation.
How many days before ovulation should you have sex?
Both of our medical experts agree on this question as well.
You should try to conceive no sooner than 5 days before ovulation.
“While it is technically possible to get pregnant from sex that occurs several days prior to ovulation, the odds of success decrease as time goes on.
“Generally, it is recommended to have sex no more than five days prior to ovulation for the best chance of pregnancy,” says Dr. Rodriguez
Dr. Haebe elaborates on why this is the case. “Sperm can survive in fertile cervical mucus for an average of 3 days, but up to 5 days!
Since we know that ovulation occurs 24 hours after a luteinizing hormone (LH) peak, having sex the 5 days before ovulation and on ovulation [day] covers the entire fertile window and maximizes your chances of getting pregnant.”
Best Day(s) to Get Pregnant Before Ovulation
With all of this information, is the day before ovulation the best day to conceive?
Based on our expert medical advice and the Human Reproduction study, it’s clear that the best time to get pregnant is the day before ovulation – and even the day before that.
“The best chance of pregnancy is generally considered to be when sex occurs one to two days before ovulation, as this is when the egg is most likely to be viable and the sperm are still likely to be alive,” concludes Dr. Rodriguez.
Sex Two Days Before Ovulation: Success Stories!
Medical studies and expert advice are always reassuring when attempting something as important as pregnancy!
But we’re also human.
That means we like to hear anecdotes from other regular people who have gone through the exact same things we have.
Check out these success stories from parents who got pregnant after only having sex two days before ovulation!
Second Verse Not Same as the First
“We had trouble getting pregnant with [our second child], so we definitely tracked my cycle. I used the Clue period tracker app but also tracked using ovulation pee sticks and a basal thermometer. I was doing ALL of the things!!
“We tried having sex while I was ovulating according to strips, but that didn’t work, so we switched to trying a few days beforehand, and, bam!
“I actually got a positive pregnancy test five days before I was supposed to get my period. It was really faint, but it was there!
“I delivered at 38 weeks 1 day, and I had a baby boy!”
-Taylor Beal, Traverse with Taylor
The Plan Fell Through
“I used a fertility tracker app *and* a wall calendar – I needed to get alerts and mark the dates so I could visually keep track. I did not use ovulation tests because I had kept track of my fertility for many years.
“Our plan was to have sex two and one days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation and the next day. But I got sick so we only had sex two days before I ovulated, and I got pregnant.
“I started doing pregnancy tests 12 days after ovulation, [and] the first positive showed up 15 days after ovulation.
“My pregnancy went to term […] and my baby was born 3 days before his due date.”
-Kerry, Hypnobabies
The Data-Based Husband
“My wife and I had been trying to conceive for three years.
“We tracked her fertility using an ovulation app, as well as taking ovulation test strips.
“Our doctor explained that having intercourse two days before ovulation allowed us the greatest chance of conceiving, as this is when sperm can remain viable long enough for the egg to be fertilized.
“It is not that having sex on any other day would not result in pregnancy, but that this timing would give us the best chance of success.
“Though we were very eager to take a pregnancy test, we waited until the day my wife was supposed to have her period. … [We] were astounded to see two pink lines.
“After nine months [she] gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Every moment of it was an absolute blessing, and we thank our lucky stars every day for having this little one in our lives.”
-Mark Joseph, Parental Queries
Too Busy to Get Busy
“When my husband and I decided to start trying to conceive, I meticulously tracked my cycle to increase our chances of success.
“I used a combination of methods to monitor my fertility, including tracking my basal body temperature, monitoring cervical mucus, and utilizing ovulation test strips. This allowed me to pinpoint my ovulation window accurately.
“We only had sex two days before ovulation due to our busy schedules, which made it challenging to synchronize our intimate moments with my fertile days.
“After ovulation, I waited for 12 days past ovulation to take my first pregnancy test. To my delight, the test showed a faint positive line.
“I took a few more tests over the next few days, and the lines gradually became darker, confirming my pregnancy.
“I’m thrilled to share that my pregnancy went to term, and I gave birth to our healthy baby girl at 40 weeks. Our little miracle is a testament to the power of understanding and tracking your fertility when trying to conceive.”
-Mona de Lacy, Lift Big Eat Big
Get Pregnant Using Our Fertility Tracker
If you’re assuming you ovulate exactly 14 days after the start of your period (or at the exact mid-point of your cycle), stop.
This study showed that of women with regular menstrual cycles lasting 28 days, only 10% of them actually ovulated on day 14!
So you need more reliable data from your body to determine when you’re ovulating.
Print out our free charts to track details about your:
- Period
- Basal body temperature
- Cervical mucus
- Sexual activity
- Ovulation predictor tests
- Factors that may affect fertility
- Various symptoms of ovulation
I hope these success stories have given you the optimism you need as you wait for that positive pregnancy test!
Just remember that even with as much as we know about conception, there are still fine details that need further research from the medical community.
This is particularly the case for women with non-regular cycles. Some can even get pregnant by having sex during their period!
If you’re struggling to get pregnant, there are natural ways to improve your fertility.
We’ve researched the best fertility supplements as well as the best teas for fertility to help give your body a healthy, natural boost!
Learn all the tips and tricks for getting pregnant fast.
