11 Questions About Conceiving You'd Probably Never Ask

My period isn’t late yet, but I really feel like I’m pregnant. Am I crazy? Could I tell so soon? How early can you do a home pregnancy test?
Early pregnancy often feels like a period about to start, but some women do notice the effects of the early rise in hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels, which can result in breast tenderness. Dr. Morris conducted an informal five-year survey at his fertility office and asked women about to take a pregnancy test if they believed they were pregnant. What he found: “Most pregnant patients did not think they were pregnant.”

A pregnancy test is the best way to determine if you’re pregnant, and a blood test is the most accurate type, particularly in early pregnancy. Home tests (which detect hormone levels in urine) are accurate when used according to package instructions, usually not until the first day of your missed period. Some brands now offer results up to five days sooner, but with decreased accuracy.

Does having an orgasm help you to get pregnant?
In theory, an orgasm could help you get pregnant, but experts agree it’s definitely not necessary. When you have an orgasm, your uterus contracts, causing a vacuum effect. It makes sense that the vacuum effect could help move sperm up into the uterus. But as Sandra Glahn points out, “There is a certain logic in this theory, yet while studies have shown that such a vacuum effect exists, whether it actually brings about a higher pregnancy rate is unproven.”

The key to getting pregnant is not whether or not you have an orgasm (although having one sure makes trying more fun!), but, instead, timing intercourse to correspond with your fertile period. Trying to force yourself to have an orgasm every time you have sex would just be a recipe for disaster, since the stress will definitely not put you in the mood.

On the other hand, it sort of goes without saying that it’s pretty important for your partner to have an orgasm if you’re trying to make a baby! Without it, no sperm will be able to fertilize an egg, whether you have an orgasm or not.

If I get my period regularly does that mean I’m ovulating and fertile?
If only it did. Fortunately, for the vast majority of women, regular periods equal ovulation. And not getting a period is definitely a sign that you may not be ovulating. But it is possible to get a period in months in which you do not ovulate.

“Even the fact that you’re ovulating doesn’t mean for sure that you’re able to get pregnant,” points out Georgetown’s Jennings, who explains that you could have a tube blockage or low progesterone levels or other problems. If you’re concerned, chart your basal body temperature and use an ovulation prediction kit to check whether your cycle is functioning normally.

Should I try to stop the sperm from leaking out after sex, and if so for how long?
After your partner ejaculates, the fluid that carries the sperm liquefies and most of it runs out of your body. But your body can’t use and doesn’t need that fluid, so that’s fine. You may be worried that you’re losing valuable sperm, but, according to Dr. Bohrer, “The vagina naturally slopes backwards and the majority of ejaculate will be retained.”

Sperm are speedy little guys and can actually make their way to the fallopian tubes within five to ten minutes of ejaculation. Many experts do recommend lying on your back with a pillow under your hips for about 15 to 20 minutes after intercourse. The consensus is that it can’t hurt and may in fact help. But forget standing on your head—that won’t do anything other than make you dizzy.