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Fertility problems: assessment and treatment

  • Clinical guideline
  • Reference number: CG156
  • Published:  20 February 2013
  • Last updated:  06 September 2017
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  • Evidence
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  • About this information
  • Fertility problems
  • Your care team
  • How long does it take to get pregnant?
  • Trying for a baby
  • If you are concerned about your fertility
  • What you can expect from your care
  • Tests for men
  • Tests for women
  • Treatments for men
  • Treatments for women
  • Unexplained infertility
  • HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C
  • Assisted reproduction
  • Intrauterine insemination
  • In vitro fertilisation
  • Before starting IVF
  • What happens in IVF?
  • Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
  • Donor insemination
  • Egg donation
  • Freezing sperm, eggs or embryos before cancer treatment
  • Questions to ask
  • Terms explained
  • Sources of advice and support
  • Update information

How long does it take to get pregnant?

In the general population, more than 8 out of 10 couples where the woman is aged under 40 will get pregnant within 1 year if they have regular sexual intercourse (that is, every 2 to 3 days) and do not use contraception. More than 9 out of 10 couples will get pregnant within 2 years.

For women under 40 who are using artificial insemination rather than sexual intercourse to conceive, more than half of women will get pregnant within 6 cycles of intrauterine insemination. Within 12 cycles, more than 3 out of 4 women will become pregnant.

This page was last updated: 06 September 2017


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