Conception Question for a professional

[Rhon]

I have a question about conception %'s. If a healthy man and woman are TTC, and DTD pre, during, and post ovulation, what are the %'s that conception will occur (if sperm is where it needs to be when the egg is released)? I have read conflicted things, and wanted some clarification.

Any input is appreciated.
Thanks,
Rhon- Doula

[mwherbs]

well this is a hard one- the gals over on the TTC or fertility awareness boards probably have some well referenced answers- I think that some of it depends on your age and that you have an awareness of when you are fertile -- if you are aware probably 20-25% chance

[Charmie981]

I've always read that there's a 20% chance of conception when everything is timed perfectly.

[Rhon]

Thank you! That is what I have read as well. If everything is timed correctly, with a regular cyle, there is a 20-25% chance!
Thank you!
Rhon

[nimblemama]

I've read 20% also, but know some women who are "super fertile" and go way against that statistic. I know quite a few women who are "quiverfull" minded (aka have as many kids as possible) and they conceive like nothing else. Within a month or two of marriage, miscarriage or weaning, they are already pregnant. It is almost scary at times. It took us awhile to conceive #1, so I totally understand the 20% idea.

[cal195]

I think 20% must be an average and not necessarily true for any individual.
Dd was conceived on the first try, 3+ years ago, (without even knowing when I ovulated), and #2 was conceived several months ago, without even trying. @@ In fact, dh and I had sex 5 full days before I ovulated, and not again until well afterwards, and I got pregnant from that! I did FAM, and I had clear and multiple indications of when ovulation and implantation occured, so I'm sure of my dates here. I guess I'm one of those very fertile women. And dh has some "super dudes" as he puts it. I'd always read that the absolute longest sperm can live is 5 days but that it is rare.

So, if it was me, I'd take the 20-25% figure with a grain of salt, and I'd temper it with a knowledge of my personal and family reproductive history.

Catherine

[yeahwhat]

Originally Posted by cal195

I think 20% must be an average and not necessarily true for any individual.

So, if it was me, I'd take the 20-25% figure with a grain of salt, and I'd temper it with a knowledge of my personal and family reproductive history.

Catherine

This is so true. The only time it took dh and I more than one month without contraception/avoiding during vaguely fertile periods to conceive was when my cycle was still adjusting after losing our 1 month old ds and suddenly going from nursing 2 to 0. I thought that this time it would take longer since I was 33 and not 25; nope, one month again.

[channelofpeace]

Originally Posted by nimblemama

I've read 20% also, but know some women who are "super fertile" and go way against that statistic. I know quite a few women who are "quiverfull" minded (aka have as many kids as possible) and they conceive like nothing else. Within a month or two of marriage, miscarriage or weaning, they are already pregnant. It is almost scary at times. It took us awhile to conceive #1, so I totally understand the 20% idea.

Slightly OT, but to clarify: I am not a quiverfull Mama, but i am pretty sure the goal is not "have as many kids as possible". I believe that since they view children as blessings from God, they do not actively do anything to prevent themselves from having children. To say they are having as many kids as possible would indicate that they are seeking pregnancy when they know they are fertile, every time, which would be different than "letting the chips fall where they may"

But like i said, i am not a quiverfull Mama, that is just how i always understood it

[Charmie981]

Okay, maybe a better way to phrase is would be to say that there's an AVERAGE of a 20% chance of conception if everything is timed perfectly.

This average would include people who have been actively TTC for, say 60 cycles and never conceived (0%), as well as people who have only had unprotected sex three times and have three kids (100%) and all of us in between.

A little bit off topic, but I calculated my percentage as 14.8%, given that we have a combined 47 months of TTC, and 7 pregnancies. Now, if I were to figure the VIABLE pregnancies that resulted, that figure would go down very quickly (4 to 6% depending on whether this current pregnancy is viable or not).

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by milkydoula

Slightly OT, but to clarify: I am not a quiverfull Mama, but i am pretty sure the goal is not "have as many kids as possible". I believe that since they view children as blessings from God, they do not actively do anything to prevent themselves from having children. To say they are having as many kids as possible would indicate that they are seeking pregnancy when they know they are fertile, every time, which would be different than "letting the chips fall where they may"...

I depends on the individual. Some are as you described... just throw the birth control out the window and it's all in God's hands. Some are very strident, even speaking about nursing on cue/demand as a sin against God's best will for an individual as it can delay ovulation and keep God from blessing you with as many children as he desires to bless you.

BV, who prefers friends of the non-strident variety

[channelofpeace]

Originally Posted by bryonyvaughn

I depends on the individual. Some are as you described... just throw the birth control out the window and it's all in God's hands. Some are very strident, even speaking about nursing on cue/demand as a sin against God's best will for an individual as it can delay ovulation and keep God from blessing you with as many children as he desires to bless you.

BV, who prefers friends of the non-strident variety

Yipe, that is scary. Isn't it, um, God's plan that an mother's breastfeed? Wouldn't it be screwing around with His plan to do the above? I just figured most of the woman on this website who are quiverfull are of the non-strident variety

[nimblemama]

[QUOTE=bryonyvaughn;8689528]I depends on the individual. Some are as you described... just throw the birth control out the window and it's all in God's hands. Some are very strident, even speaking about nursing on cue/demand as a sin against God's best will for an individual as it can delay ovulation and keep God from blessing you with as many children as he desires to bless you.

Sorry, I didn't mean to start a huge deal on this. I agree with the above quote. I don't mind if people want many kids (I think they are a blessing to Christian AND non-Christians), but it is the attitude that some have. Some are very humble about it, but a majority that I know make a HUGE deal about how many kids they have. It's like a competition on who can be pregnant the most. The women are not totally vocal on their fertility, but I have heard statements like "Please LORD give me another baby. I guess I'm just getting too old." (after a few months of ttc, this woman was about 33 at the time) to husbands/wives making mention (like on a pretty constant basis) that they have x number of kids (so far). I know of some who really don't keep track of their cycles, but my question is "who doesn't know when they are basically fertile?". It is interesting that these women don't feed on command. They all do strive for a schedule.

Just my 2 cents.

[mom3b1?]

[QUOTE=nimblemama;8690685

Sorry, I didn't mean to start a huge deal on this. I agree with the above quote. I don't mind if people want many kids (I think they are a blessing to Christian AND non-Christians), but it is the attitude that some have. Some are very humble about it, but a majority that I know make a HUGE deal about how many kids they have. It's like a competition on who can be pregnant the most. [/QUOTE]

It sounds like you are talking about a herd mentality/peer pressure. I think this is something most people are prone to at least a little. This is one of my husband's pet peeves, but I think it's pretty normal, though often not very helpful. People tend to egg each other on. A lot of the time this is a good thing, and amounts to encouraging each other in our choices, even when it's hard. Like AP moms here encouraging each other to keep working at it, even when it's difficult. Sometimes it can get out of hand and become overly competitive. I think it's an easy line to cross, between healthy encouragement and support, and too much of a good thing. It's usually pretty obnoxious to outsiders.

Kiley