Pregnancy Chances: What Really Affects Your Odds of Conceiving

When you’re trying to get pregnant, pregnancy chances, the likelihood of conceiving in a given cycle or over time. Also known as fertility probability, it’s not just about timing—it’s about your body’s whole system working together. Many assume it’s easy if you’re young and healthy, but the truth is more complex. Even in perfect conditions, a healthy 30-year-old woman has only about a 20% chance of getting pregnant each month. By 40, that drops to under 5%. It’s not failure—it’s biology.

What affects these numbers? ovulation, the release of an egg each month, which is the foundation of conception. Without it, nothing else matters. Then there’s IVF success rates, how often in vitro fertilization leads to a live birth, based on age, egg quality, and clinic protocols. A 2023 study showed that for women under 35, IVF leads to pregnancy in about 55% of first cycles. For those over 40, it’s closer to 15%. And while some think more embryos mean better odds, clinics now transfer just one to avoid risky twin pregnancies—because one healthy baby beats two complications.

Other big factors? Weight, stress, smoking, and even how often you have sex. You don’t need to have sex every day. Every other day around ovulation is enough. Sperm live up to five days, so timing matters more than frequency. And if you’ve been trying for over a year (or six months if you’re over 35), it’s time to look at underlying issues like PCOS, blocked tubes, or low sperm count—not just "bad luck."

What you’ll find in these posts

You won’t find vague advice like "just relax" or "try harder." Instead, you’ll see real data on how IVF changes pregnancy chances, what drugs actually help, how age impacts egg quality, and why some people get pregnant fast while others need help. You’ll learn what’s possible, what’s risky, and what’s just myth. Whether you’re starting out, stuck in a loop, or considering IVF, the posts below give you the facts—not the fluff.