Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

How many cycles did it take for you to conceive?

142 replies

FlyOnTheWall89 · 23/11/2021 09:59

There seems to be so many people who become pregnant in the first 3 months of trying.... or it takes much longer. Intrigued by actual statistics from you ladies on here.

How many cycles did it take you?

(I am trying for baby number 1 and moving into the 8th cycle of TTC)

OP posts:
Nahhh · 24/11/2021 13:32

I’m on month 19. I already have a DS and DTwins: I suspect my age (37) isn’t in my favour this time.

Metallicalover · 24/11/2021 13:31

30 cycles for me, no reason for why it took that long, IVF failed cycle and we conceived naturally 2 cycles after that.

Most people I know conceived in the first 6 months x

Original poster
FlyOnTheWall89 · 24/11/2021 13:30

@Juno231 seemingly so! Which is depressing and ….. so unfair. The whole journey is so unfair and so different and individual.

OP posts:
Original poster
FlyOnTheWall89 · 24/11/2021 13:29

@Shortmamashortcycles yes I am starting checks now. Tomorrow I have bloods taken. I started using OPKs a few months ago but we have very regular sex throughout my cycle so timing shouldn’t be the issue - annoying really because they do say it is often a timing issue but that can’t be the case for us. The problem with OPKs is they don’t actually confirm ovulation… they just confirm presence of the hormone so a blocked tube for instance would still mean I am getting positive OPKs but the egg never arrives. I’ve been reading quite a bit about Soy Isoflavones but hesitant to start meddling too much without medical advice. X

OP posts:
Alarae · 24/11/2021 13:28

First 'proper' cycle since removing the implant as I waited for my first period.

I did temp tracking via an app which gave suspected days of ovulation, although turns out it was out by a week anyway! Only had sex a couple of times as well, DH was bitterly disappointed with that!

Juno231 · 24/11/2021 13:19

[quote FlyOnTheWall89]@ElleFreddie It is... but it is also a very very small scale sample. I am cycle 8!!!! I had just noticed so many people mention that it either seems to happen quite quickly or take a while....! Lets change those stats this month (gulp) .... trying to be positive. x[/quote]
It's consistent with actual statistics though - I think I mentioned on the first page that the first cycle is by far the most common to conceive in.

Shortmamashortcycles · 24/11/2021 13:16

@FlyOnTheWall89, @ElleFreddie, @Dollywilde - same for my 10 cycles for DD.

I would say that if it's been 6 months, it's worth getting some tests done (sperm analysis, thyroid check, do some OPKs to check ovulation seems to be going ok and you're having sex at the right time) simply because there might be something to investigate or a minor fix that can boost your chances, or at least give you something to explain why it might take a bit longer than others.

But ultimately, bodies are weird and nowhere is that more apparent than when trying to have a baby. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Dollywilde · 24/11/2021 12:50

@flyonthewall89 @ellefreddie I always found the same whenever I looked on here when TTC#1! That's why I'm always posting about DD taking 10 cycles/13 months - all I ever saw was 'first cycle' or '2+ years followed by IVF'. We are out there, I promise Grin

bewitchingnight · 24/11/2021 11:29

6 to get DD, had a chemical cycle 3 and an early loss at cycle 5

Hope it's not too much longer for you

dutchessmom · 24/11/2021 11:11

It takes time, it's not the same for everyone. For me, 7 cycles for DS, and for the 2nd one after more than 2 years of trying we're doing our 2nd IVF cycle on Jan.

ElleFreddie · 24/11/2021 10:23

@FlyOnTheWall89 Agreed! Positive vibes and buckets of baby dust all over the place.

But also, let's hear from more of you 2 - 9 cycle BFP's to keep our spirits up please 😅

romdowa · 24/11/2021 10:05

I got pregnant on the first try. We had no idea what we were doing , had no idea when I ovulated etc and obviously just got extremely lucky

Iamahippo · 24/11/2021 09:50

26 months and counting ☹

I have suspected endometriosis so waiting for a laparoscopy to investigate.

Good luck.

CornishGem1975 · 24/11/2021 09:47

Three pregnancies, all of them after the first cycle so I appreciate I was super lucky. I was in my 20s with the first and 40 with the last.

Original poster
FlyOnTheWall89 · 24/11/2021 09:38

@ElleFreddie It is... but it is also a very very small scale sample. I am cycle 8!!!! I had just noticed so many people mention that it either seems to happen quite quickly or take a while....! Lets change those stats this month (gulp) .... trying to be positive. x

OP posts:
ItsSunnyOutside · 24/11/2021 09:18

DC #1 took 2 cycles
Recently found out we are expecting DC #2 and it took 6 cycles. I have had irregular periods and a couple of months of no ovulation since af came back this Spring. I do feel very lucky and was prepared for things to take longer.

ElleFreddie · 24/11/2021 09:07

Wow. That's... depressing Sad

I'm cycle 3 TTC and according to those statistics it's not looking good Confused

PoleFairy · 24/11/2021 09:05

I'm just going into cycle 5 off the pill so thinking I might track this month. I do have an app and have been looking at ewcm but might try ovulation tests this month. I know my mum took 18months ish with me and a year with my brother in her early 20s but only 6 months with my younger sibling in her 40s. She never had anything wrong with her, just seemed to take a while so I guess I'm the same

Original poster
FlyOnTheWall89 · 24/11/2021 08:46

wow - so may different stories.

I have done a rough round up of statistics so far. I got distracted half way through so may have missed a couple of lines, but...

1st: 38
2nd: 8
3rd:1
4th: 4
5th: 2
6th: 2
7th: 1
8th: 0
9th: 0
10th: 3
11th: 2
12th: 2
13th: 0
14:4

14th /IVF: 10

An overwhelmingly large amount of first month pregnancies with a dip in the middle months and then an uptick towards a year TTC.

OP posts:
DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 24/11/2021 03:29

I did nothing, no monitoring etc. We had sex,I got pregnant and that was really all there was to it

IVFdreams2021 · 24/11/2021 03:28

48 cycles and 2 IVF attempts - 20 weeks pregnant now.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 24/11/2021 03:28

First time. Dh was most disappointed he didn't get "months of trying" 😂

VeronicaFranklin · 24/11/2021 03:19

1st cycle, we used the digital clearblue ovulation kit, I was sceptical about it but can honestly say it worked for us.

I also used Flo app to track and better understand my cycles before starting to try and took healthy start folic acid & vitamins in preparation. We realise we are very lucky and had fully expected it to take 12 months or more!

LondonladyTTC · 23/11/2021 23:39

I'm on my 25th cycle TTC #1, having IVF in January 🤞🏻

growingmybaby · 23/11/2021 23:15

Fell pregnant 3rd month, ended in a chemical pregnancy. Then BFP on 10th month & now 34+4 x