Is it genuinely just ‘luck’ if you conceive immediately?

[MyChristmasUsername]

I was wondering about this. Lots of people I know swear it took ‘one time’. I can group people into those categories: once or twice, or had difficulty and needed assistance to conceive.

I saw somewhere it’s a 25% chance each cycle and that the conditions have to be right etc. But theoretically if everything is healthy, why are the chances that low and why do so many couples conceive immediately vs others that don’t?

Currently 4th cycle of TTC.

Its possible to everything "right" and take ages to conceive... or have a contraception failure and conceive without trying.

Unfortunately its not an exactly science.

Both of my pregnancies were the first month of trying, we didn't do anything special it was absolutely just luck.

Good luck, OP. Hope it isn't much longer for you.

Probably is luck. Also luck to then not have a miscarriage and carry the baby to term.

I conceived first time but I lost the baby. Got pregnant again 3 months later and had dd 9 months later.

Decided to have baby number 2 and we conceived first time…only to lose that one too.

Got pregnant again a couple of months later and had ds. I did have a couple more miscarriages after that but I wasn’t trying for pregnancy so was kind of relieved. He’s been snipped now

Absolutely. Very different lengths for both of mine. Remember your body doesn’t know if it’s your first or 100fh time having sex. It just works the month it works.

Well obviously age and heath of parents is a factor as is technique/timing but otherwise, yes.

Sutely it's biology not luck in the same way some people are more susceptible to colds or COVID or sprained ankles

It's all just luck, that's just how nature works unfortunately.

Across all my pregnancies I've had miscarriages, fertility treatment, late term loss, three straight years of unsuccessful TTC, a conception that happened first go, a planned pregnancy that took a couple of months to catch and a complete and utter whoops pregnancy.

I think it's luck, combined with obviously doing the right things at the right time, and biology meaning you can conceive.
I conceived #1 and #3 first month and #2 took around 6 months.

Yes, it's luck. There are two separate battles; Getting pregnant and staying pregnant. I've managed the first bit 6 times, but the second part seems to be insurmountable. Just have to keep trying and get more tests done. Good luck, OP.

I can only speak for us, and my one pregnancy, but I think it was absolutely just luck. We only had sex once on that cycle (the first time ever we’d had unprotected sex, had no idea where I was in my cycle as periods always erratic) because I was temporarily working in another country, and DH flew in for one night to see me on his way to the US for work. He was then gone for about a month, I finished my project and went on a walking holiday with a friend and started to feel weird and tired… Positive test the day he got home. I remember sitting with him on the edge of the bath and being utterly taken aback. We were both 39 and thought it would take months or years, if it happened at all!

Surely it’s timing eg having sex when ovulating is far more likely to lead to a baby.

Yes I’m meaning if you factor in a couple who hit the fertile window every month but still don’t test positive that cycle

Well no. It is also genetics, age, fertility, health, place in cycle, frequency of intercourse etc.

I have heard rumours that 'trying' to conceive makes it less likely but cannot work out how that could be biologically true really.

I got pregnant by accident first time, withdrawal method. Second month off pill second time and then the third time it took 2 cycles again. No known miscarriages but some very late very heavy and painful periods so possibly.

Could be luck.

4 months with dc1, 3 months with dc2. Both of those were “time to get pregnant after coming off the pill” and i assume the hormones took a bit to get back in balance

There must be some luck involved. So many things at play, though - age, health, fertility issues not yet uncovered etc.

I conceived the first month of trying three times. I never tracked my fertility or tried to have sex in my fertile window. I didn’t do anything to optimise my health or chances (was still drinking coffee and wine etc). I just stopped using contraception and got pregnant.

I also conceived a fourth time by accident and while using condoms (which had been reliable for us for the previous 15 years!).

Why I conceived easily and someone else with no known fertility issues, taking care of themselves and trying at the right times of the month is difficult to pin down. So many potential reasons, and sometimes a mystery.

Its the only way to get pregnant. You can only get oregnany in the days leading to ovulation, day of and day after.

Some couples can be having sex every day in their fertile window and still not conceive. We’re on month 5 of TTC.

You might as well call it luck because there are a mix of factors at play. We spent two years plus trying to have the first one, and the second one was virtually immediate. Other than making sure you’re doing it at the right time in the cycle, try not to worry. Think there is huge natural variation in fertility - 12 years resulted in two babies for us, some people would’ve had 8 plus in that timeframe.

Age, age, age , age, age-not luck. Why is this so hard for people to grasp! When you’re young everything is firing on all cylinders, it’s the optimum time to get pregnant. For a multitude of reasons people delay having kids, then wonder why it doesn’t happen 🤔
I don’t know what the answer is 🤷🏼‍♀️

I don’t think it’s luck, it’s human nature. Or rather, it’s UNlucky if it’s not working for you. It’s massively more common for it to be very easy to get pregnant, yes. Think of how many accidental babies there are. The vast majority of people I know got pregnant right when they wanted to.

I never had any problems conceiving.

I was very fortunate

Me and DH are mid twenties, but thanks!

Age and health of parents surely comes into it.

My second child was conceived first time we had sex after deciding to have another baby. I was 26

1st child...we didn't even try, she just happily came along when I was 21

Of course age is a factor, but I got pregnant first time at 27 and at 36, so it’s not the only factor.

Mid 20s. We have conceived immediately before but ended in loss. Now in cycle 4 and wondering why it isn’t happening

I genuinely think some people just don't have enough sex to get pregnant. There's too much focus on the 'ovulation window' and nothing either side of it. But if you calculate your ovulation that wrong, then it's pointless.

It was when I had sex 3 times a week for six weeks that I finally conceived DS1 after nine months of trying. With DS2, I was on holiday so having daily sex in that two week window. Then went back to 3 times a week. I caught in that first month.