How long *should* it take?

I guess this is one of those 'how long is a piece of string' questions, but... how long *should* conception take if you're charting temps, using OPK's and timing BD right?

My husband and I have been trying for four months. I've got regular as clockwork cycles, though my temps seem to vary between them. AF arrives on CD31 every month, and I ovulate on CD18. I guess my LP could be a bit short - on average it's about 12 days, so to help out I've just started taking Vitamin B6.

Right now, I'm 9DPO. My temp dipped from 36.7 to 36.5 this morning (still above my coverline of 36.3, and overall my chart has been sloping down in temps since CD5 - not up!! I had bad cramps last night (8DPO) but no bleeding. I'm gutted to think that this is yet another month of no success with no reason??

Is it too late for implantation? Does anyone else have temps that go down during LP?? When should we start getting stuff checked out? I had a laproscope done in May (no problems at all) and aside from that we're both a healthy weight and exercise relatively regularly.

I've been reading this forum for a while now but this is my first post... really looking for some people to share their experiences with me before I totally pull my hair out on this TWW!!

Hi & welcome to BB :welcome:

The average couple with no fertility issues takes around 12 months to conceive. Some longer, some shorter but something like 85-90% of couples will be pregnant by 12 months actively TTC. This is the reason why doctors won't do any testing for infertility until you've been TTC for 12 months unless there is a previously known about issue.

Implantation can occur from 7-10DPO so 9DPO isn't unheard of. During your LP the hormones that are released are what causes your temp to increase so it would be unusual as a general rule for your temps to trend downward during your LP.

hi Orchid!

welcome to BB :) ull find it a great help with different things you want to know about or didnt know about! i know i have :P


As for the dips in temp? its fairly normal, i dont know if this link will work but you can see by my LP with this pregnancy, my temps were all over the place! (not that i was much help on my chart before ovulation :P

here's the chart: 2cbd28 Ovulation Charts

the cramping COULD be implantation? :dunno: its not too late at all, they say usually between 6-10 DPO? but then, everything in the two week wait COULD mean something :rolleyes:

have u started chatting in the trying to conceive forums? that may help you abit, as there are alot of nice girlies in there going thru the same thing, they range from 1-6 months, 6-12 months and 12 months + so theres a forum for every situation :)


HTH, look forward to seeing you around, and hope to see a pregnancy announcement soon! :)

hi & welcome!

i wanted to echo what sarah said & also say that it can depend on age as well - i was 34 when we started TTC & my GP said to come back & see her if we hadn't had any luck in 6-9 months.