There are many myths about getting pregnant – here are the answers to some of the most common questions people ask.
If you regularly have sex 2–3 times a week, there will always be sperm waiting to meet the egg at ovulation. Some people believe that you need to have sex exactly at the time of ovulation in order to get pregnant, but this is not true. Sperm can survive for up to seven days in the uterus and fallopian tubes, and can meet the egg when it is released. You do not need to have sex at a particular time, or every day.
There is no evidence that one sexual position is better than any other for getting pregnant. As long as your partner ejaculates in your vagina, the sperm will be able to swim to the fallopian tubes.
No. It takes about 80 days for a sperm to be produced, but as production is a continuous process there are always plenty of fully mature sperm at any one time. Having regular sexual intercourse every 2–3 days will provide more than enough healthy sperm to fertilise an egg.
This website can only give you general information. Our information about planning a pregnancy is based on evidence-guided research from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Contact your doctor, practice nurse or a contraception clinic if you're worried or unsure about anything.