Pregnancy takes a lot of moving parts. Still, most couples conceive successfully. It just takes some time. There are two ways in which to look at how long it takes to get pregnant.
In the broader sense, it can take six months to a year for a couple to conceive. Back to those moving parts and multiple factors that influence conception.
In the direct sense, it takes about a week for conception to occur when all circumstances align. After having sex, the sperm spin their way up through the cervix into the fallopian tubes. They can survive there for up to 72 hours. There, they wait for the egg to pass by on its way from the ovaries. This is an important detail to know because it indicates why it isn't mandatory to wait until ovulation to have sex when you're trying to conceive. In fact, a woman is more likely to conceive when sperm are already present in the reproductive tract at the time that the egg is released from the ovaries. When sperm and egg meet and the egg is fertilized, it can take up to another three days for the egg to divide and become implanted in the uterine lining. It is at that time when the body's production of hormones surge to support a viable pregnancy.
If, after six months of unprotected sex, you have not become pregnant, contact us! Your experienced gynecologist can discuss the next best step.