Astrology to Predict Fertility and Pregnancy: Can You “Choose” Your Baby’s Zodiac Sign?

You can use astrology to predict fertility and plan pregnancy. So take a deep breath (not just to practice for that hoped-for delivery), and let these astrology-fertility facts help ease your mind—and enrich your fertility/conception calendar.  

Monitoring fertility to increase your chances of conception? Keeping an eye out to avoid an unexpected pregnancy? Whatever family-planning goals are in your stars, when it comes to using astrology to predict fertility and pregnancy, keep this in mind: adding a dose of astrology to the mix can deliver (pun intended!) a powerful tool to help you achieve your goals.

The Lunar Effect on fertility and pregnancy

Here’s one area where science tiptoes and astrology dives right in: the moon is a kind of a big deal when it comes to making babies.

Let’s start with the fact that menstrual cycles, which regulate fertility, are the same length as the lunar month (women vary in their cycles, but on average match the 29.5-day lunar cycle almost exactly). Hmmmm…according to hard science, that’s probably just an “interesting” coincidence. 

What do we know about monthly cycles and the moon?

A study of more than 8,000 women, presented to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine by fertility specialist Dr. Philip Chenette in 2014, found a clear link between monthly cycles and the moon. Most women reach peak fertility around the time of the new moon and have their periods within 10 days of the full moon. 

But there are tons of exceptions, including many anecdotal reports that peak fertility happens AT the full moon. Why the discrepancy? One research study theorized that constant exposure to artificial light might be keeping a lot of women from “synching up” with the moon’s pull. There are also anecdotal reports that households with more women living together are more likely to “synch up,” and that younger women are more likely to be aligned with the moon’s phases.

Czech fertility expert Dr. Eugen Jonas has made an even more explicit link to fertility and astrology with his “Jonas Method,” that’s been used by women since the 1950s to achieve pregnancy. According to Dr. Jonas, the connection between the moon and fertility is unique to each woman: “A woman’s fertility correlates exactly to the phase of the moon at the time of her own birth. If the moon was full when she was born, she will be fertile during the full moon.” 

Sound plausible? Here’s an online calculator to predict your most fertile times using his method. 

The moons and fertility: truth or tale?

It’s true that many scientists would say it’s just an “old wives’ tale” that fertility increases leading up to the full moon. They’d also likely discount the numerous anecdotal tales of EMTs, emergency room personnel and first responders who regularly staff up for busy times during the full moon.

There is, however, “scientific” evidence that many human experiences—including such diverse events as epileptic seizures, motorcycle crashes and stock market peaks—coincide with the phases of the moon. Not to mention tides (and our over-90%-water bods).

Women are as unique as their birth charts

So…while there are many compelling connections between the moon and fertility, it’s important to remember that, just like every astrological chart is completely unique and different, so is every woman. 

Does your personal fertility track the moon’s phases in a meaningful way? A good place to start learning about your own lunar fertility relationship is by using a traditional ovulation calculator, like this one offered by WebMD—then matching it to the phases of the moon.

Covering your “moon bases” for using astrology to predict fertility and pregnancy

As you can see from the above, there are a few differing opinions out there when it comes to using the moon to track your fertility. But it’s actually not too hard to cover all your “moon bases.” 

According to Dr. Jonas’ method, women have two fertile periods during each cycle. 

  1. When the moon is in the same phase it was at her birth. (Find your natal moon phase here!)
  2. When she ovulates, which can be tracked using a traditional ovulation calendar like WebMD’s.

To add Dr. Chenette’s research to the mix, you also want to keep an eye on the new moon, which some observers have noted has a deep historical connection to conception—because, heck, it’s darker then!

And…just to add one final wild card to the deck, there’s also “spontaneous ovulation” that can be caused by a number of factors, including astrology, an especially delicious chocolate cake, closing a big deal at work or watching an Idris Elba movie (just kidding, but you get the idea—spontaneous ovulation is as individual as you are.)

Moon signs and houses in astrology that boost astrology to predict fertility and pregnancy

According to astrology, not all full moons are the same when it comes to fertility. Here are a few of the things to watch for that make certain moons more (or less) fertile.

Plan your fertility by the transiting moon

Fertility is…

  • generally higher when the moon is in one of the “fruitful” signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces
  • at its lowest ebb when the moon is in one of the “barren” signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Sagittarius and Aquarius. (Don’t worry! If your Sun sign falls under one of these signs, that alone will NOT affect your fertility!)

The fifth house rules fertility in astrology—here’s how to use it

Of all the 12 houses of the zodiac in astrology, the fifth house is most commonly associated with fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and children (it’s also linked to fun and sex).

So, for instance, if next month’s full moon is in the fruitful sign of Cancer and your fifth house, go ahead and let the babymaking begin. The stars are on your side. Here’s when the full moon will be in your fifth house, based on your Sun (zodiac) sign. You can find out when it will be full by using a moon calendar like this one.

If your zodiac sign is:

  • Aries, conceive at a Leo full moon (January/February)
  • Taurus, conceive at a Virgo full moon (February/March)
  • Gemini, conceive at a Libra full moon (March/April)
  • Cancer, conceive at a Scorpio full moon (April/May)
  • Leo, conceive at a Sagittarius full moon (May/June)
  • Virgo, conceive at a Capricorn full moon (June/July)
  • Libra, conceive at an Aquarius full moon (July/August)
  • Scorpio, conceive at a Pisces full moon (August/September)
  • Sagittarius, conceive at an Aries full moon (September/October)
  • Capricorn, conceive at a Taurus full moon (October/November
  • Aquarius, conceive at a Gemini full moon (November/December)
  • Pisces, conceive at a Cancer full moon (December/January)

The fifth house at your birth is also an important general indicator of fertility. You can do your free birth chart to find out: Do you have a cluster of planets in your fifth house—or even one? The energy of planets here will influence the ease or difficulty of your child-bearing efforts. 

Is Venus in your fifth house? This can indicate daughters. Mars in the fifth house can indicate sons. Saturn on the fifth house, on the other hand, can indicate some difficulties or restrictions around bearing children.

Other signs that play a hand in fertility include the fourth house, which rules home and family, the eighth house, which rules intimacy and deep personal connections, and, indirectly, the seventh house, which rules marriage.

Using the planets in astrology to predict fertility and pregnancy

Every planet has an innate connection to parts (and functions) of your body. When it comes to fertility and conception, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on Pluto (sex and transformation), Venus (attraction), Mars (action and virility), Jupiter (growth), Uranus (surprises) and Saturn (infertility) all playing important supporting roles. 

And, just like the astrological signs, each of these planets is also considered fruitful, semi-fruitful or barren. So watch for the positions and relationships between them—especially in their relation to the moon

For instance, if a fruitful planet is sitting in your fertile fifth house, and it’s in harmonious aspect (conjunct, trine or sextile) to the fruitful full or new moon, that’s a big green light—especially if it lines up with your traditional conception calendar.

Here’s how the planets break down in terms of fruitfulness:

  • Fruitful planets are the Venus, Jupiter and Neptune, all linked to the receptivity needed to conceive
  • Semi-fruitful planets are Mercury (and sometimes Uranus)
  • Virile planets are the Sun and Mars, both associated with the life force
  • Non-fruitful planets Saturn (and sometimes Uranus)

Time your astrological conception for family harmony

Families have always had to coexist with every astrological combination of signs imaginable. It’s hard to deny, however, that some signs just naturally get along better than others. One Cancer mom we know, for instance, was determined that her child be born under a fellow water sign. 

If this is something you haven’t thought of but are interested in, we also wrote a book about how to parent by the stars, Momstrology—and it’s got a full section on mother-child birth sign combos.

If you do end up having a certain sign wish-list in mind for your child, you’ll want to focus on conceiving during the corresponding dates nine months in advance. A great tool for this is our Cosmic Conception Calendar.

When to conceive or get pregnant by astrology

Of course, everything about using astrology to predict fertility and pregnancy works better when you know your birth chart! If you don’t have one yet, why not start out with our free personalized chart—and go forth and multiply! 

Photo by Dexswaggerboy on Unsplash

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The AstroTwins

Identical twin sisters Ophira and Tali Edut, known as The AstroTwins, are the founders of Astrostyle.com and the authors of multiple bestselling astrology books. Their horoscopes reach millions here and through their resident astrologer column at ELLE Magazine.