21/08/2026
When trying to conceive naturally, most pregnancies happen relatively early. In couples without known infertility factors, around 80% will conceive within the first six months of trying, increasing to around 85% within 12 months.
What I find particularly useful about these figures is what happens over time. The chance of conceiving in each cycle is not the same for everyone, and the probability of pregnancy tends to decrease as the number of consecutive cycles without pregnancy increases.
That does mean that your fertility suddenly deteriorates because six months have passed. At a population level, couples with higher natural fertility tend to conceive earlier. So if pregnancy has not happened after several well-timed cycles, that in itself starts to give us some information about whether there may be a factor making conception less likely.
Six months without pregnancy does not automatically mean there is a fertility problem, and it certainly does not mean you need fertility intervention. For many people, particularly those under 35 with no other fertility concerns, continuing to try naturally may still be entirely appropriate.
But I also don't think six months should simply be dismissed as, “Just keep trying.”
An initial fertility conversation can look at your age, menstrual cycles and ovulation, medical history, how long you have been trying and male fertility factors, and help decide whether there is anything worth investigating now — or whether continuing to try naturally remains a reasonable plan.
Sometimes the useful answer is treatment. Sometimes it is further investigation. And sometimes it is reassurance that there is no reason not to keep trying.
If you have reached six months and are wondering whether to keep trying or look a little further, that can be a useful conversation to have.
