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Pregnancy prep: ovulation tracking and fertility awareness

Trying to conceive can be stressful, but there are more options than ever to gain insight into how to improve fertility awareness for both men and women.

Updated: July 23, 2025 | 6 minutes to read

Written by: Lauren Bedosky

Young child smiles and holds both their parents’ hands.

Fertility is often considered a women’s issue, but in many cases, it isn’t. In fact, statistics show that when it comes to infertility, which is defined as an inability to conceive following one year of trying (or 6 months for women over 35 or older), the cause could come from either or both partners.

About one-third of infertility cases are due to health conditions in women; another third is due to health conditions in men; and the remainder is a combination of both or other factors. For the purposes of this article, "man" and "woman" refer to individuals' biological sex as opposed to their gender identity.

Research shows that while fertility obstacles can be a natural part of the conception journey, affecting over 17 percent of people worldwide, the stigma around infertility may unfairly cause feelings of shame, with women carrying this burden squarely on their shoulders.

This can threaten women’s psychological well-being, and it can also cause stress that can make getting pregnant harder, so it’s important to learn the facts about fertility when trying to conceive.

It’s important to talk to a health care provider before taking any over-the-counter supplement. For most women, health care providers recommend taking a prenatal vitamin that contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and 27 milligrams of iron for at least one month before getting pregnant and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects, and iron helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to the growing fetus.

In this article:

Difficulty getting pregnant

About 10% of women have received medical help to become pregnant.

In the U.S., about 9% of men and 11% of women of reproductive age have experienced fertility problems. These numbers increase by age, with women being half as fertile in their 30s as they are in their early 20s, and the chances of conception decline rapidly after age 35.

A person puts their ear to a pregnant person's belly to listen for the baby's heartbeat.

Testing fertility at home

Over-the-counter (OTC) fertility tests give both women and men the ability to learn more about their fertility in a private, at-home setting, but it’s important to keep in mind that the test results may not accurately predict how easily a couple can conceive.

At-home male fertility tests

At-home sperm tests enable users to check out certain qualities of semen, such as whether sperm are present and how well they are moving, from the comfort of home. 

If the results indicate a problem, it’s best to schedule a follow-up visit with a health care provider to confirm the count and discuss next steps. “I support using at-home tests as an initial conversation, but they’re only the start of the conversation, not the end,” says Ashley Margeson, BSN, ND, a naturopathic doctor with a focus in hormonal health.

At-home sperm tests generally measure only one factor reliably (sperm count), and they don’t always measure other important components to achieving pregnancy, like motility or morphology (shape of the sperm). “This can only be done at a testing laboratory because sperm samples can be time- and temperature-sensitive,” Margeson says. 

At-home fertility tests for women

Some tests allow users to measure estradiol (one of the main types of estrogen), a follicle-stimulating hormone (a hormone that stimulates egg growth) and/or prolactin (a hormone that causes breasts to grow and make milk).

People can also take an at-home Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) blood test. AMH plays an important role in egg production and can be used to predict how many potential eggs a woman may have left. This is known as the ovarian reserve.

The higher their AMH levels, the higher someone’s egg count may be. However, Dr. Margeson notes, AMH results are best used only as a guide. Ideally, other tests should be completed at the same time to give a full picture of the ovarian reserve.

While home fertility tests are readily available, their use should be discussed with health care professionals in order to fully understand their usefulness and should not replace a comprehensive evaluation by health care professionals.

Trying to get pregnant?

Talk to a doctor about supplements

Most pregnant people need 600 micrograms of folic acid every day. To reach the recommended dose, a doctor may recommend taking a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms starting one month before getting pregnant. Once pregnant, they may suggest continuing with 400 micrograms for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

An illustration of a spoon holding a few pills resting in front of a pill bottle.

Track ovulation

People trying to get pregnant can use at-home ovulation tests to help identify their fertility windows, which is the six or so days during the month when their chances of getting pregnant are the highest.

An illustration showing an example of a calendar tracking a menstrual cycle and highlighting a fertility window.

Seek medical advice

Many different factors can contribute to difficulty conceiving. If couples are experiencing issues, they should talk to a health care provider.

An illustration of a doctor advising a patient over the phone.

Tracking ovulation

Tracking ovulation can help couples time intercourse so it takes place during the fertility window, or the six or so days during a monthly cycle when someone could potentially conceive.

At-home ovulation tests can help identify this window each month. These ovulation tests require users to dip a test stick in their urine. The test stick then turns a certain color or displays a positive sign if it detects a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH).

While LH is always present in urine, levels surge 24 to 36 hours prior to ovulation. This LH surge triggers one of the ovaries to release an egg.

Some such products include the Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test and CVS Health daily ovulation predictor.

For the best chance of getting pregnant, research suggests couples should have sex every day or every other day during this six-day window. Two weeks later, a person can start testing for pregnancy using OTC options. However, tests may not be reliable if taken before a missed period so be sure to talk to a health care provider if unsure about the result.

Issues surrounding intercourse

Sexual dysfunction gets in the way of enjoying intimacy, and it can also make trying to conceive even more difficult. Dysfunction can look like a lot of things. For men, common issues include the inability to maintain an erection and absent, delayed or premature ejaculation. For women, common issues include inadequate vaginal lubrication or the inability to relax vaginal muscles so intercourse can proceed.

If someone is experiencing these problems, it’s always a good idea to talk to a health care provider. However, certain OTC options, such as personal lubricants, can help as well, but because many lubricants can affect sperm motility, be sure to check labeling to ensure it is “sperm friendly” or “fertility friendly.”

When to seek fertility help

If someone has been trying to get pregnant for a year or more with no success, it may be time to visit their health care provider. Women who are trying to get pregnant after age 35 and those with known biological factors that can impact fertility, including a history of endometriosis or irregular menstrual cycles, should consider seeing their health provider sooner for guidance.

PARA VITAMINAS Y SUPLEMENTOS: Consulte a su profesional de la salud antes de tomar cualquier vitamina o suplemento. Estas declaraciones no han sido evaluadas por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos. Estos productos no están destinados a diagnosticar, tratar, curar ni prevenir ninguna enfermedad.

Este contenido tiene solo fines informativos y no reemplaza el consejo, diagnóstico ni tratamiento médico profesional. Consulte con su médico o profesional de la salud si tiene alguna pregunta sobre medicamentos, vitaminas o suplementos que esté considerando, o sobre cambios en sus rutinas de bienestar o de atención médica.

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