Having Sex 1-2 Days Post-Ovulation is NOT an Effective Conception Strategy
Having intercourse only 1-2 days after ovulation has already occurred will likely miss the fertile window entirely and significantly reduce your chances of conception. The fertile window closes at ovulation, not after it.
Why This Timing Doesn't Work
The viable conception window occurs before ovulation, not after. Here's the critical biology:
- Sperm can survive approximately 1.4 days on average (with a 5% probability of surviving more than 4.4 days and only 1% surviving beyond 6.8 days) 1
- The ovum (egg) survives only about 0.7 days (roughly 12-24 hours) after ovulation 1
- Conception is most likely during the 6-day window ending on the day of ovulation itself - specifically from 5 days before ovulation through ovulation day 1
- Conception probabilities are significantly different from zero only from 5 days before ovulation to the day of ovulation itself 1
By 1-2 days post-ovulation, the egg has already deteriorated and is no longer viable for fertilization. You've missed the window.
The Optimal Timing Strategy
To maximize conception chances, intercourse should occur during the 5 days leading up to ovulation and on ovulation day itself 1. The highest probability days are:
- The day before ovulation and ovulation day have the highest conception rates 1
- Days 2-5 before ovulation also contribute significantly to the fertile window 1
The Challenge: Knowing When Ovulation Occurs
A major practical problem is that most women incorrectly estimate their ovulation day:
- Only 12.7% of women correctly identified their actual ovulation day in one study 2
- The median error was +2 days (range -10 to +27 days) 2
- Only 55% of estimated ovulation days fell within the actual fertile window, and only 27% on peak fertility days 2
- The most common assumption (ovulation on day 14) is often inaccurate, as the timing of the fertile window varies greatly even among women with regular cycles 3
Women trying to conceive benefit from prospective methods to identify their fertile phase (such as ovulation predictor kits or fertility monitors) rather than relying on calendar calculations alone 2.
Expected Conception Rates with Proper Timing
When healthy couples have regular unprotected intercourse properly timed throughout the cycle:
- Approximately 85% will conceive within one year 4, 5, 6
- This assumes intercourse is occurring during fertile windows, not after ovulation has passed
Bottom Line
Stop having sex 1-2 days post-ovulation and instead focus intercourse in the 5 days before and on the day of ovulation 1. Consider using ovulation predictor kits or fertility monitors to accurately identify your fertile window 2, as self-estimation is frequently inaccurate and could explain difficulty conceiving.