How long does it take to get pregnant?
The time it takes to get pregnant is different for each woman and can depend on certain things, such as how old you are or how often you have sex. Women become less fertile as they get older.
However, about 85% of couples trying for a baby will get pregnant within a year.
How long does it usually take to get pregnant? on the NHS website
Getting help
If you've been trying for a baby for 12 months without success, you should speak to your GP as a couple for advice.
Your GP will probably want to do various tests such as blood tests to check your hormone levels and ask you to arrange a semen analysis. Your doctor might refer you to the Assisted Reproduction Unit (ARU) at the hospital to see a fertility specialist.
IVF
About IVF
In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby.
During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory.
The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman's womb to grow and develop.
It can be carried out using your eggs and your partner's sperm, or eggs and sperm from donors.
Who can have IVF
IVF is recommended for you following detailed investigation and diagnosis and if other treatments have failed.
Not everyone will fit the requirements for IVF and this will be based on the clinical reasons for why you are struggling to get pregnant.
How to access IVF
You can access IVF treatment through the
Assisted Reproduction Unit (ARU). You can be referred by your GP or a hospital doctor.
If you would like further information about accessing IVF from Jersey, contact the
Assisted Reproduction Unit (ARU).
IVF cost
The costs of IVF and related treatments are based on the type of treatment required and your individual diagnosis.
These will be discussed with you in detail when you attend your consultation.
You can visit the
Lister Fertility Clinic website which our Assisted Reproduction Unit (ARU) is affiliated with. Their list of charges cover a whole range of different types of treatments and will give you some idea of the cost.
Ovulation
You're most likely to get pregnant if you have sex within a day or so of ovulation (when an egg is released from one of your ovaries). This is usually about 14 days after the first day of your last period (if your cycle is around 28 days).
How to tell when you're ovulating on the NHS website
Folic acid
You should take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid each day while you're trying for a baby. You should continue to take it until you're 12 weeks pregnant.
Folic acid is important for pregnancy, as it can help to prevent birth defects known as neural tube defects, including spina bifida. If you didn't take folic acid before you conceived, you should start as soon as you find out that you're pregnant.