How Do I Know If I Can Get Pregnant? Let’s Investigate Fertility!

last updated on: 03.06.2025 | Medical review by:

Mayara Belli

Nutritionist

And what woman who has been trying to get pregnant for years hasn’t asked herself this question? How do I know if I can get pregnant? It’s a rather complicated question to answer since you only get a real and definitive answer when pregnancy actually happens. However, there are factors that can indicate whether a woman can get pregnant or not. You just need to follow a few steps as we will see below.

First of all, the woman should go to the doctor and ask: How do I know if I can get pregnant? The doctor will then start a superficial or, in some cases, an in-depth investigation. It is normal for doctors to consider a minimum period of one year for the couple to conceive naturally, but anxiety can arrive long before this time frame.

So to ease the tension, the couple should do tests to find out if they can get pregnant. These tests are investigative, and with them you can get a partial conclusion to know if the couple can or cannot conceive.

A fertile couple would not have any problems, but those with some relative difficulty could already at this point have an indication as to why they are having trouble. Before one year of trying, the doctor will usually order the woman some simple tests, such as:

Transvaginal ultrasound
Hormonal blood tests (progesterone, estrogen, FSH, LH, and prolactin)

Generally, after a year of trying for women under 35 and 6 months for women over 35, the doctor will investigate the couple more thoroughly. For the woman, they will order more complex tests such as:

Hysterosalpingography: Checks the patency and anatomy of the fallopian tubes, and whether there are adhesions, masses, or collections obstructing them¹.

Hysterosonography: A test involving the placement of a dilating substance in the cervix to insert a thin tube with a micro camera that can detect uterine malformations².

Doppler ultrasound exam: Checks the anatomy and blood supply of the ovaries³

Serial ultrasounds: Used (in different phases of the cycle) to determine if the woman is ovulating and if ovarian activity is normal.

Additional hormonal tests: To detect if there has been any hormonal change during the period of attempts.

Other, even more complex tests may also be part of the investigation to find out if the couple can conceive. Some of them are expensive but can be done through the public health system. This is the case for testing for gamete incompatibility or rejection of the male gamete by the woman’s body.

For this, there are tests like the post-coital test and also the cross match. In specific cases where endometriosis is suspected, the doctor will order a test called CA 125, which will find out whether or not there is a coagulation problem and, once confirmed, an ultrasound and even laparoscopy may be requested by the gynecologist assisting the woman who is seeking answers about her fertility.

How Do I Know If I Can Get Pregnant? Tests for Men!

When we talk about fertility, we must always remember that the COUPLE may present a problem, or the man, or the woman, and sometimes both. For this reason, it is recommended that the husband also undergo tests after the necessary period before starting the investigation. Usually, the investigation of the male starts with a semen analysis, includes PSA, and also hormonal tests. The doctor will likely request testosterone tests, estrogen, progesterone and others.

These tests will show if the sperm is healthy, if the quantity is normal, and if the quality is satisfactory. The semen analysis is done and repeated if any problem is detected. You can also have the semen analysis done through the public health system at fertility clinics.

Gamete compatibility should also be considered for the man; if there is any compatibility problem, the woman will receive vaccines made from her husband’s blood. A small amount of the husband’s blood is injected several times into the woman’s body, in order to eliminate the body’s hostility to the husband’s sperm. Both men and women should also have specific blood tests for sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and syphilis, because these diseases can prevent pregnancy. With all these tests, the couple increases their chances of conceiving by 20%, because if there is any problem, it will certainly be detected.

There is also the factor of unexplained infertility. If there is over a year of attempts and all the tests are normal, it is up to the doctor, together with the couple, to choose the best course of action. Anything from timed intercourse to in vitro fertilization can be tried.

The best thing is to seek a specialist and do all possible tests! Turning yourself inside out can give you the closest answer about whether you can get pregnant naturally or if you’ll need to take more complex measures.

Good luck!

References:

1Chalazonitis, A., Tzovara, I., Laspas, F., Porfyridis, P., Ptohis, N., & Tsimitselis, G. (2009). Hysterosalpingography: technique and applications. Current problems in diagnostic radiology, 38(5), 199-205.
2Robin, F., Lécuru, F., Bernard, J. P., Darles, C., & Taurelle, R. (1998). Use of hysterosalpingosonography for early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 79(2), 217-218.
3Dickey, R. P. (1997). Doppler ultrasound investigation of uterine and ovarian blood flow in infertility and early pregnancy. Human reproduction update, 3(5), 467-503.

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