You can get pregnant very soon after sex, but the exact timing depends on ovulation and fertilization processes.
- Fertilization can happen as quickly as minutes to up to 12 hours after ejaculation if the egg is already present in the fallopian tube
. Sperm can reach the egg within 15 to 45 minutes after sex by traveling through the cervix and uterus to the fallopian tubes
- Sperm can survive inside the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days, waiting for an egg to be released
. This means you can get pregnant from sex that happened several days before ovulation.
- The egg remains viable for fertilization for about 12 to 24 hours after ovulation
- After fertilization, the fertilized egg (zygote) travels to the uterus and implants into the uterine lining about 6 to 12 days later, which is when pregnancy officially begins
- Although fertilization can occur quickly, pregnancy is not considered to start until implantation, which can take 2-3 weeks after sex
In summary, you can potentially get pregnant within minutes to hours after sex if ovulation has just occurred, but pregnancy itself is only established after implantation about 1 to 2 weeks later. Sperm survival up to 5 days means sex several days before ovulation can also lead to pregnancy
