For two · Partnered TTC

Two people, one shared dream.

When you're trying with a partner, there's an extra layer beyond the biology. Communication, expectation-setting and navigating the months that don't go to plan become part of the journey too. Here's the path many partnered couples follow.

Optimise the natural way →Or start with tracking
Where to start

The first 90 days.

If you're a couple who can conceive together biologically, the simplest place to start is this:
  • Both start preconception nutritionEspecially methylfolate for her, plus zinc and CoQ10 for him. Sperm forms over ~74 days.
  • Stop guessing your cycleOne full cycle of OPKs tells you more than three months of “trying when it feels right.”
  • Aim for an attempt every 1–2 days during the fertile windowConsistent through your six-day window.
  • Have the time-limit conversation“If we're not pregnant by X months, we'll go see the GP.” Decide it now, before the emotional pressure shows up.
When it's harder than expected

What “trying” actually looks like over time.

About 80% of healthy under-35 couples conceive within a year. That means around 1 in 5 don't, and that's not failure. It simply means it may be time for a conversation with your GP, further testing, or a different path forward.

Under 35

If you've tried for 12 months

Time to see your GP and get the standard fertility workup for both of you. Most can be requested directly by your GP in AU.

35 or older

If you've tried for 6 months

Same: GP, blood tests, semen analysis. The 6-month threshold matters because timelines shorten with age.

Anytime

If something feels off

Cycles missing, severe pain, unusual bleeding; don't wait for a 6 or 12 month threshold. Get checked immediately.

The quiet thing nobody tells couples about TTC: most of the work is talking honestly with each other while waiting.

The option most heterosexual couples don't know about

Home insemination with your partner's sperm.

Most couples come to home insemination thinking it's ″the donor sperm thing.″ It isn't only that. Using your own partner's sperm in a home insemination, clinically called AIH (Artificial Insemination by Husband) or CAI (Conjugal Artificial Insemination) is a genuinely common method that often gets skipped over in the conversation, and it works.

When it makes sense

Mild male-factor issues

Lower motility, lower count, or lower volume on a semen analysis. Placing concentrated sperm closer to the cervix improves the odds in ways natural intercourse can't.

When it makes sense

Sexual or anatomical difficulty

Vaginismus, pelvic pain, erectile difficulty, post-injury recovery or anything that makes well-timed intercourse hard. Artificial Insemination removes the requirement of sex entirely.

When it makes sense

Timing keeps failing

Shift work, frequent travel, mismatched schedules or sometimes the issue isn't fertility at all, it's that intercourse never lines up with the LH surge. AI fixes that.

When it makes sense

Post-vasectomy reversal or retrograde ejaculation

Specific male-fertility situations where partner sperm is viable but doesn't deposit the usual way. Worth talking to a GP first to understand whether home AI or clinical IUI is the right fit.

Important honesty: AIH at home is not a fix for moderate-to-severe male-factor infertility. If sperm count or motility is significantly low, you'll likely need clinical IUI (where sperm is washed and concentrated in a lab) or IVF. But for mild issues and for the situations above, many couples conceive at home using the exact same kits we sell to anyone else.
A path through

What we'd recommend, in order.

Step 1

Optimise natural conception

The fundamentals like supplements, lifestyle, the things that actually matter.

Step 2

Track your cycle

Stop guessing. This is single biggest fix for couples who feel like nothing's working.

Step 3 · If natural isn't working

Try home AI with partner sperm

Before clinical IUI or escalating further, home AIH is a low-cost, low-pressure step that helps many couples conceive.

If needed

Talk to us

If things still aren't moving after these steps, a free consult helps you decide what to ask your GP for.

Read next

Helpful for couples.

Fertility

Male fertility 101: what affects sperm quality

Couples

How to navigate the months that don't go to plan

Real stories

It took 14 months. Here's what we wish we'd known.

Method

Discussing home insemination, IVF and IUI