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Creating a baby is a lot more complicated than most people realize. While men are fertile no matter what time of the month it is, women are fertile only one or two days of each month. So when it comes to getting pregnant, timing is all. And to get the timing right, you have to understand how conception works.

Ovulation

When you ovulate your ovaries release an egg into your fallopian tubes. "Ovulation typically happens about 14 days before your next period," explains Suzanne Schlosberg, author of "The Essential Fertility Log: An Organizer and...

Creating a baby is a lot more complicated than most people realize. While men are fertile no matter what time of the month it is, women are fertile only one or two days of each month. So when it comes to getting pregnant, timing is all. And to get the timing right, you have to understand how conception works.

Ovulation

When you ovulate your ovaries release an egg into your fallopian tubes. "Ovulation typically happens about 14 days before your next period," explains Suzanne Schlosberg, author of "The Essential Fertility Log: An Organizer and Record-Keeper to Help You Get Pregnant.." "Sure, for women who have 28-day cycles, this means day 14. But many women have shorter or longer cycles - and the length of their cycles can vary from month to month."

Fertilization

Your egg happily sits in the fallopian tubes for about 60 hours waiting for sperm to come along to fertilize it. If the sperm fail at their objective, or if the timing of intercourse is wrong, the egg will move down into your uterus where it'll be shed with your uterine lining in your monthly period.

Implantation

If the egg is fertilized, it will then travel down to your uterus where it will try to implant in your uterus. If the egg isn't fertilized or if it fertilizes but fails to implant, the uterine lining will slough off along with the egg, and you will have your period.

To increase your chances of conception, you should have sex on the days leading up to and including the day you ovulate so that there will be sperm waiting in your fallopian tubes when the egg is released. Sperm can last 48-72 hours in the uterine environment but your egg will be viable for only about 12 to 48 hours. It's easier to have the sperm waiting than it is to try to catch the egg within hours of ovulation!

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