Fertility and trying to conceive: guides

How the fertile window works, what tracking can and can’t show, when to ask for help, and support when things don’t go to plan.

A ribbon cradling an open sage-green pod that holds six round seeds, with two small leaves.

7 min read After a miscarriage: recovery, your first period and trying again How bleeding settles after an early miscarriage, when your period may return, contraception, and what UK and US sources say about trying again.
4 min read Ectopic pregnancy Symptoms that need urgent care, how ectopic pregnancy is checked and treated, and support with recovery and future pregnancy.
4 min read Fertility and age How age affects eggs and sperm, what fertility figures can tell you, and why egg freezing can’t promise a future pregnancy.
4 min read Getting ready for pregnancy Folic acid, vaccines, medicines and everyday health: what to check before pregnancy, with UK and US advice explained. Includes when to get help.
7 min read Home pregnancy tests: when to test, faint lines and unclear results When a home test gives a reliable answer, how to get a clear result, what a faint line or negative result can mean, and when to get help.
4 min read IVF, IUI and egg freezing: the basics Compare the main fertility treatments, what they involve, costs and funding, donor options, and questions to ask a clinic.
4 min read Looking after yourself while trying to conceive Practical ways to make room for life, relationships and support while trying for a baby, without blaming yourself for stress.
4 min read Miscarriage: signs, care and support What miscarriage can look like, when to get urgent help, care options, and support for you and anyone close to you. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Recurrent miscarriage How UK and US definitions differ, what tests may be offered, and where to find care and support after more than one loss.
5 min read Signs of ovulation and what they can tell you How cervical mucus, LH tests, temperature and ovulation pain can hint at ovulation, what each one can't tell you, and when to get help.
4 min read Sperm health and male fertility What affects sperm, why testosterone treatment needs a talk about fertility, and what to expect from a semen test. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Tracking ovulation: temperature and LH tests What temperature charts and LH tests can tell you, where they fall short, and when to ask for help instead of tracking more.
4 min read Trying to conceive: when to get help When to ask for fertility advice, how UK and US timings differ, and what a first fertility check may involve. Includes when to get help, with UK and US notes.
6 min read What a fertility window estimate can and can't tell you What an estimated fertile window can and can't tell you, and how it differs from a temperature reading, a test result or a prediction.
5 min read What is the fertile window? The fertile window includes days before ovulation. How long eggs and sperm survive, why the dates vary, and when to ask for advice.

Written by the Ruva team from the sources listed in each guide. They aren’t medical advice. If you’re worried about a symptom, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.