Knowing your menstrual cycle improves your chances of
getting pregnant. The first phase starts with the first day of your period or
blood flow. Your body releases hormones that makes the eggs inside your ovaries
grow. Between day 2 and 14, those hormones also help thicken the lining of your
uterus to get ready for a fertilized egg. This is called the follicular stage.
What
Happens During Ovulation
The
average menstrual cycle is 28-32 days. Ovulation usually happens between day 11
and 21 of your cycle. A hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH) surges,
triggering the release of the egg that’s most ripe. At the same time, your
cervical mucus becomes more slippery to help sperm make their way to the egg.
It’s
All in the Timing
Women are
born with about 1-2 million eggs, but only release 300 to 400 through
ovulation. Usually you release just one egg each month. The egg travels down a
fallopian tube, one of the two tubes that connect your ovaries to your uterus.
If the timing is right, sperm may fertilize it on its way to the uterus. If
fertilization doesn’t happen within 24 hours of the egg leaving the ovary, the
egg dissolves. Sperm can live for about 3 to 5 days, so knowing when you are
ovulating can help you and your partner plan sex
Tracking
Your Most Fertile Days
Generally,
the highest chance of pregnancy is when sex happens1-2 days before ovulation.
If you have a regular 28-day cycle, count back 14 days from when you expect
your next period to start. Plan on having sex every other day around that time
— say, days 12 and 14. Keep in mind that having sex every day may lower a
man’s sperm count. Your cycle may be longer or shorter, so an online ovulation
calculator may help you identify the likely day.
Tracking
Ovulation by Temperature
After your
body releases an egg, the hormone progesterone kicks in to help build and
maintain the lining of the uterus. Progesterone causes your body temperature to
go up slightly. So taking your temperature with a basal thermometer every
morning before getting out of bed can help you figure out if you ovulated.
These thermometers are available at the drugstore and are inexpensive, but
they aren’t as accurate as other methods for tracking ovulation.
Predicting
Ovulation by Hormone
A surge in
LH triggers your ovaries to release the egg. The surge usually happens 36 hours
before the egg is released. Ovulation kits check LH levels in your urine to
help you pinpoint the day of ovulation. These kits, which are available at
drugstores, are convenient and highly accurate. You may want to test 1-2 days
before you expect the surge so you can note the rise in LH.
The
Last Phase of Your Monthly Cycle
During the
second half of your menstrual cycle, the hormone progesterone kicks in to help
prepare the lining of your uterus for a fertilized egg. If the egg isn’t
fertilized and doesn’t implant, it disintegrates, progesterone levels fall, and
about 12 to 16 days later, the egg — along with blood and tissues from the
lining of the uterus — is shed from the body. That process is menstruation. It
usually lasts 3 to 7 days. Then the cycle begins again.
Ways to
Boost Ovulation
There is
growing evidence that links environment to fertility. If you want to boost your
chances of getting pregnant, you may want to:
·
Eat foods rich in folic acids.
·
Buy more organic foods and green products.
·
Avoid certain plastics (including plastic wrap).
·
Maintain a healthy body weight through diet and exercise.
·
Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Weight
Affects Fertility
A study
found that women whose body mass index (BMI) was above normal took twice as
long to get pregnant as those with a normal BMI. If you’re overweight or obese,
losing weight can boost your fertility and chances of getting pregnant.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a drop in weight
of 5%-10% can dramatically improve ovulation and pregnancy rates. Obesity can
also cause infertility and low testosterone in men. Being significantly
underweight can also lead to infertility.
Age Affects
Your Conception Chances
Fertility
goes down with age, especially after the mid-30s. It also lowers the chances
that fertility treatments will be successful. Experts say you should talk to
your doctor if you’re under 35 and have been trying to conceive for more than
12 months, or over 35 and have been trying for more than 6 months.
Fertility
Declines in Older Men, Too
Studies
show that sperm count and sperm movement decrease as men age, as does sexual
function. But there isn’t a cut-off age that makes a man too old to father a
child. One study found that it took men age 45 or older longer to get a woman
pregnant once the couple started trying. If your partner is older, you may want
to talk to your doctor about ways to boost your chances.
How Men
Can Boost Fertility
·
Manage stress.
·
Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
·
Maintain a proper weight.
·
Eat a diet high in zinc (found in meat, whole grains, seafood,
and eggs), selenium (meat, seafood, mushroom, cereals, and Brazil nuts), and
vitamin E.
·
Keep the testicles cool — no long, hot baths, hot tubs, or
saunas, which can reduce the number of sperm.
Treatments
for Infertility
A number
of things can cause infertility. The first step is for your doctor to check out
you and your partner. Infertility treatments can include fertility drugs to
stimulate ovulation and in vitro fertilization, which involves removing eggs
from the ovaries, fertilizing them (shown at left), and then implanting them
into the uterus.
How
Home Pregnancy Tests Work
Home
pregnancy tests check your urine for the “pregnancy hormone,” called hCG, that
your body makes once a fertilized egg implants in your uterus. Some of these
tests may be able to tell if you’re pregnant as early as 5 days before your
first missed period.
Pregnancy:
5 Early Signs
·
You miss a period.
·
You need to urinate often.
·
You tire easily.
·
You’re nauseous in the morning — or all day.
·
Your breasts become tender and enlarged.
Culled
from: webmd.com
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