Understanding Your Ovulation Cycle

By Jenny Belle

Are you planning to start a family? As you may know, there are only a few days of the month when a woman's body is fertile, so it is important to understand how to predict your ovulation in order to get pregnant faster.

We consider the first day of your period to be the beginning of your menstrual cycle, since it is a date that can be determined with some certainty. That is also why doctors use it for projecting a future due date if you get pregnant, since most people don't know for sure when fertilization actually occurred. It would be so much more convenient if we could actually see what's going on inside!

In this new cycle, (usually) one egg starts to mature in your ovaries and prepares to get released during ovulation. The body triggers ovulation by increasing the Lutenizing Hormone (LH) in your blood stream, which is why most of urine-based ovulation tests (sometimes known casually as "pee sticks") as well as saliva ovulation sticks check for the level of LH in your bodily fluids for an indication of recent LH surge as preliminary to ovulation.

Another way of predicting your ovulation is through the charting of your basal temperature. This requires a very accurate thermometer, one that can measure your temperature to the hundreds of a degree. For charting to work correctly, you need to take your temperature immediately after you wake, before you start moving and increasing your body temperature that way. Hormonal shifts in your body will reflect in changes in your resting temperature, so if you take your temperature consistently and graph them, you will see trends that give indications of the changes inside your body.

At ovulation, the mature egg pops out of the ovary and travels down the fallopian tubes towards the uterus, which then has a new layer of lining prepared. The sperm needs to meet and fertilize the egg while it's traveling, so the optimal fertile times for the woman range from a day or two before ovulation to a few days afterwards, since the sperm can survive in her body for up to a couple of days.

Predicting your ovulation can be a complicated and frustrating process if you are not used to it or if your body doesn't behave 100% like the textbook says, so for an easier way to determine your fertility level, you may want to consider a digital ovulation predictor such as the Clearblue Fertility Monitor that will do all the thinking for you. - 31802

About the Author:

Getting Pregnant - Increase Your Chances Part One

By Amy Roberts

There are many women who never have to worry about infertility because they get pregnant quite easily. But when a woman does not get pregnant soon away after they start trying, they begin to feel like perhaps they have a fertility problem. It is possible to increase your chances of conceiving by taking advantage of the many actions to increase your fertility levels.

When conception is the goal, Keep A Positive Perspective has done studies that have shown a woman's physical health may not be the only issue. These studies have proven that having negative feelings will also tend to affect your odds for conception. The fact is that as stress levels tend rise, the fertility levels can lower. One thing that's important is not be overly concerned about getting pregnant quickly. Everyone has their own way of relaxing, so you might think about what you choose to do when you want to relax. For some women it might mean slipping into a warm, fragrant, candlelit bath. For others, they may need a little extra help. A couple options that can make a tremendous difference to your mental state are aromatherapy massages or a reflexology session. In addition, aromatherapy can also help in controlling menstrual cycles. You can search for professional scent specialists either on the internet or in your own local phone book.

Another practical approach is to just spend quality time with your partner. Think of activities to do together that you both enjoy.

This by itself helps increase the emotional parts of your relationship and can take away part of the stress that just seems to build when you're trying for a baby. Another option is acupuncture, which has been reported to have a really positive effect on a woman's fertility when it's been used along with in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Further research as to it's effects solely on fertility has not been concluded yet.

However, smaller research has reported it can be useful. Acupuncture has been used by the paramedics in China for almost five thousand years, and has pretty solid reputation for having tremendous affect on a host of health problems. It's only in the past two or three decades that American paramedics have recognized its many advantages. If acupuncture interests you enough to check it out, make sure to find a reputable, licensed acupuncturist. The best, and most trustworthy, source for finding licensed acupuncturists would be the Institutes of Health and the North American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. Keep in mind, it's regularity of your menstrual, and ovulation cycle, that is what your odds of becoming pregnant depend on. It is during this time that you have the best chance of getting pregnant and your odds definitely go up. One way of calculating this would be if your normal cycle is 28 days, then subtract 14 from 28 to know the best date for being fertile would be day 14. However, a woman's menstrual cycle can change each month, so your consider your ovulation day as possibly being the 13th or the 15th day.

This is all we are going to cover in the first part of this two part series on optimizing your probability of getting pregnant. In order to have a full understanding of this subject, take the time to read the second part of this series. You should also find out what natural herbs and other methods you can use in conjunction with modern technology to increase your chances of getting pregnant. - 31802

About the Author:

Review: ClearBlue Fertility Monitor

By Amy Roberts

You too can figure out when you are most fertile, much like thousands of women before you have, by using a fertility monitor. There are many different types of kits that are considered both diagnostic and in the category of fertility monitor, like a predictor kit that is based on the LH level in your urine or Fertile Focus which tests your saliva. The ClearBlue or ClearPlan fertility monitor is the most common fertility monitor used by women today.

What makes ClearBlue fertility monitors different from others, is it can be connected to your PC through a data port and is completely automated.

What guides the ClearBlue fertility monitor?

Your urine contains two different types of hormonal levels that the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor tracks, which are estrogen and LH, or the lutenizing hormone. How long you will use the monitor for, each cycle, is dependent upon how long your cycle lasts and when your LH surges, so you will most likely be doing readings for between ten and twenty days in a row.

A woman is the most fertile when she ovulates each month - at this period, the ovum is released, and you have 24 hours to get it fertilized! It's absolutely integral to time your sessions of intercourse accurately!

The ClearBlue fertility monitor works simply by urinating onto the ClearBlue testing stick. You then press a button and the monitor will tell you your fertility level, it will give you one of three answers, 'low', 'high' or 'peak'. Simple enough? It certainly is. You should attempt to conceive during high or peak days, this improves the chances of success. The average women will have six days of good fertility according to the monitor. One to five of these days will be of 'high' level, then two days of 'peak' level. You will have 6 months of information stored at a time on the monitor, which helps you learn your fertility trends. You can upload this information to your computer and produce a calender of your ovulation or a fertility chart.

This fertility monitor by ClearBlue measures two different types of hormones making it unique from to other methods. You can only find out if your estrogen levels have risen through a saliva ovulation test. You can also test for LH but it is through your urine. You can do both and truly pinpoint your fertility by using the ClearBlue fertility monitor. The test reads Low, High, or Peak, to make it simple for you to figure out what your current level of fertility.

Some Benefits of ClearBlue Fertility Monitors:

* Easy to understand results and easy to use. Along with great information that can be interpreted into helpful charts on your computer.

Disadvantages:

* There is a tight schedule when using ClearBlue fertility monitors, straying from the schedule will result in less accurate results.

There are some downsides to the ClearBlue monitor. You need computer access to download and store your data, and it is important to keep up with the rigid schedule. However, if you were only looking for ways to avoid inconveniences, you would not want to carry a child in the first place. Don't worry; even if it is a tiny bit tedious , that wonderful feeling of having a child will make up for it!

To Conclude:

If you want to get pregnant and make the most of your chances of getting to your goal, use the ClearBlue Fertility Monitor. You only have 24 hours to fertilize the egg once ovulation has occurred, which is important to keep in mind. You can put the odds of getting pregnant in your favor by determining when you are most fertile using the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor. You can find out each month when you are at your most fertile peak by using this method which is reusable, reliable, right on the money and recommended by doctors. - 31802

About the Author:

What Are Ovarian Cysts ?

By Rebecca Wincup

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries. While, generally cysts are harmless, they can initiate problems such as bleeding, rupturing or pain. For women in their child-bearing age or for past menopausal females with cysts and no warning signs, vigilant checking is vital. If the chance of getting pregnant does not happen, the corpus luteum dissolves, but every now and then, the entire progression is not concluded properly, forming functional ovarian cysts.

Throughout the menstrual cycle, if the follicle does not split and issue the eggs, the fluid remains within, and forms a cyst, disturbing one of the ovaries. Functional cysts usually diminish and vanish within a number of menstrual cycles, and are more common amongst females who are in their child-bearing years. Cysts are more common in women of childbearing age, and the most benign ovarian cysts disappear on their own devoid of any therapy. Cystadenoma cysts stem from cells present on the on the outside surface of ovaries.

Endometrioma cysts are also termed chocolate cysts of endometriosis, and these are formed when tissue similar to uterus lining is attached to the ovaries. Malignant cysts are more common amongst women who grow them after menopause. Nevertheless, several of the common disorders that may well be present consist of erratic menstrual periods, lower stomach or pelvic pain, feeling of pelvic or lower abdominal fullness or pressure, vomiting or nausea, pelvic tenderness after sexual intercourse or tiring training, infertility, vaginal ache or spots of blood from the vagina. Pain during sex and delayed and erratic periods are other symptoms of the existence of ovarian cysts.

Ovarian cysts are mostly recognized at some point in the twelve-monthly pelvic examination, and supplementary diagnostic assessments including laparoscopy and ultrasound. Growths that develop into unusually large or persist for more than a small number of months must be eliminated. Laparotomy is a more invasive surgical procedure where a cut is made in the belly wall to eliminate the cyst. Restraining the total of hard physical activity can lessen the probability of rupture or torsion of the cyst.

Now and then, health care givers recommend oral contraceptives or hormones that minimize the functional cysts, although these pills are not helpful to treat the other forms of benign cysts. It is essential to minimize the strenuous physical activity to reduce the peril of cyst burst. Ovarian cysts in the post menopausal females can cause severe bleeding and soreness, and in severe cases, hysterectomy is suggested to get rid of the cysts. - 31802

About the Author:

When is the Best Time to Get Pregnant

By Tammy Richardson

Knowing the best time to conceive is about knowing when the fertile time in a woman's cycle is, but this is a somewhat complex thing to understand. To begin with the life of an egg when released is a maximum of 24 hours and given that there may be two eggs released in the twenty four hours of ovulation, this leaves only around two days which are fertile. From the man's side his sperm can survive inside for around five days so coupled with the woman this means around a week of fertility in a month. The presence of fertile cervical fluid which resembles eggwhites is the best indication that the fertile time has arrived, however this may only last a couple of days.

Many women think they may have gotten pregnant during a menstrual period, which is an essentially impossible thing to do. There are occasions when one may become pregnant from intercourse during the end of her period, but this is quite rare. It is possible if the woman's cycle is very short, and the sperm live long enough to fertilise the ovum. The more common case is when a woman mistakes blood spotting during ovulation as a period and get pregnant at this time. This only serves to highlight the importance of knowing your cycle well.

The common method provided by doctors for finding the best time to conceive is by measuring the basal body temperature. Unfortunately there is little attention given to cervical fluid, which is one of the most accurate indicators of fertility that the body produces. Furthermore the basal temperature method can actually do more harm than good for finding the fertile times, as in most women by the time a temperature rise is noted, the egg is already dead. Of course that doesn't mean that there is no use for charting the basal temperature, but it is useless as a measure of the fertile period.

Noting the changes in your cervical fluid is the best way to determine the fertile time in the month. There is cervical mucus which resembles eggwhites, and this is what you are looking for as an indication of your fertile time. Ovulation occurs with this eggwhite fluid, but for women who can't tell if it is eggwhite fluid or not, then the wettest fluid, or a wet sensation is the indicator you are looking for. The last day of this eggwhite mucus is the most fertile day and the best time to conceive.

If the man has a normal sperm count then couples should have intercourse daily when the wet eggwhite fluid is present and should continue until the fertile window is closed (indicated by a rise in basal temperature). For couples who have low sperm issues then intercourse should be every second day till the rise in temperature is recorded.

Prior to keeping a record of the cervical fluid, you must know what it is you are looking for as the cervical mucus changes greatly in colour, consistency as well as volume. Keeping a record of these changes can greatly increase your chances of a successful conception.

Ovulation is the best time to conceive, and this is the time of the month when there is a high volume of cervical fluid. At ovulation the cervical fluid called 'eggwhite mucus' is present, and as it is the most fertile cervical fluid, it is premium baby making stuff!

If you want to know where you are in your cycle, then it is important to start taking notice, and recording the changes in your cervical mucus. Noting these changes for a number of months will give you the tools to pin-point very accurately when you ovulate, and in contrast to the use of the basal temperature method, you will actually know before hand, and have the opportunity of using the fertile window. - 31802

About the Author:

Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage

By Tammy Richardson

The thought of getting pregnant after miscarriage can be quite daunting, as many women are afraid of a second miscarriage. A miscarriage, referred to by doctors as a spontaneous abortion, is the loss of a pregnancy before around twenty weeks. As much as 25% of all pregnancies that are known about end in miscarriage according to statistics from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. In real terms this rate is probably higher, as many miscarriages occur in the very early stages of pregnancy before a woman is even aware she is pregnant.

The reasons behind miscarriage are not yet fully understood. In general miscarriages in the first trimester are attributed to the presence of chromosomal abnormalities in the foetus (which are randomly occurring).

The healthiness and state of well-being of the mother are also important factors. A woman's medical history can also be a factor, as conditions like diabetes (if untreated) and some autoimmune diseases as well as structural abnormalities in the uterus can all make a miscarriage more likely. A woman's (and prior to conception, a man's too) lifestyle choices can also affect the likelihood of miscarriage - things like drug abuse or smoking can play their part. There are also a large number of miscarriages which are the result of the egg not being implanted in the uterus correctly - thankfully this can be corrected by knowing the most appropriate times of the month for successful conception, but more on that later.

There are a number of signs that may precede a miscarriage including lower back pain and cramps in the abdomen and pelvis as well as fluid or tissue and blood coming from the vagina. Although vaginal bleeding almost always precedes an early miscarriage, it is important to remember that blood spotting is quite normal in early pregnancy as well, so it doesn't always mean a miscarriage is occurring.

Most miscarriages in the early stages do not require medical treatment as the uterus voluntarily empties out like a heavy period. If an ultrasound shows that there is tissue remaining inside the uterus, then medications may be proscribed to make the uterus expel them, or a clinical procedure performed to cleanse the uterus of the left-over tissue. It is important that no tissue remains in the uterus in order to stop any infection forming. It is best if couples do not try getting pregnant after miscarriage for at least a couple of months, six months is best. If there are recurrent miscarriages then more tests can be done to try and determine the causes and to see if the problem can be stopped.

It is important before going out and getting any of these (sometimes painful) tests, that you make sure that the improper implantation of the egg into the uterine lining is not the cause. The problem can be lowered significantly by having intercourse at the right time in the month.

The indication of this time is the presence of an 'eggwhite' like cervical mucus in the woman, which is the sign of her fertile time in the month. For men who's sperm count is normal then intercourse should be undertaken every day that the eggwhite-like cervical mucus comes, up until the woman charts a rise in her basal temperature. If there is a problem with sperm count, then it is important that intercourse is only undertaken every second day of the fertile cervical fluid up until a rise in temperature is noted. By having sex during this fertile period, the chances of conceiving are higher, and it is more likely that the egg will be properly implanted into the uterus' lining, thus lowering the chances of miscarriage.

Pre-conception is a crucial time for getting healthy. It is important to make sure you are eating right, are keeping your weight in a healthy range and are getting enough exercise. It is also important not to smoke, and try to limit time spent around second-hand smoke. Alcohol is a big no-no and caffeine is on the cut list too. Awareness of your external environment and any toxins you may be exposed to are also important - painting the house is out, unless 'green' paints are used, and carpeting should be avoided, as new carpets are often laced with formaldehyde. Importantly for getting pregnant after miscarriage, you have to remember to look at lifestyle factors like stress and emotional worries, and try to have intercourse at the appropriate time of the month. - 31802

About the Author:

Problem Getting Pregnant?

By Tammy Richardson

As a couple with a problem getting pregnant, it is of the utmost importance that you fully understand what it takes to achieve a conception.

At the time of ovulation, the fallopian tube will pick up the new egg after it burst out of the ovarian wall. It is only a matter of seconds after the egg is released from the ovarian wall that the fimbria, or the tip of the fallopian tube will pick the egg up and draw it into the tube properly. If an is not fertilised it will only remain alive for a maximum of twenty four hours after which it dies and is absorbed by the body, or it disintegrates and comes out with the flow of the menstrual period. To put things in scale, the egg is about as big as the punctuation mark at the end of this sentence.

If there is success and fertilisation occurs this will actually take place in the fallopian tube. Fertilisiation does not take place in the uterus, contrary to the widely held misconception that it does. It can take even a couple of hours for the sperm to reach the egg in the fallopian tubes. There are cilia, or tiny hairs which line the fallopian tube, and when an egg has been fertilised, these vibrate and draw the egg further inside. The fertilised ovum will reach its final destination and begin to burrow into the nutritious lining of the uterus after about one week of 'travelling' to reach there.

If you are having a problem getting pregnant, it is important to remember that conception requires three things to take place: the sperm, the egg and most importantly a conduit for the egg and sperm to travel safely in the hostile vaginal environment.

The medium required is a special type of cervical fluid, often referred to as 'eggwhite cervical mucus' because of its resemblance to eggwhites. It is this cervical mucus that is the safe passage of the sperm into the cervix and the waiting egg. The eggwhite cervical mucus in produced during the first part of the menstrual cycle because of the increase in oestrogen, with the premium fluid being produced at ovulation. This fertile fluid allows sperm to survive inside for as long as five days - so its completely possible that a naughty night out on Saturday can get you pregnant at your office desk on Wednesday!

As it would be a total disaster for a pregnant body if the lining of the uterus were to disintegrate as it usually does in normal cycles, the body does an amazing trick and stops this from happening. When an egg that has been fertilised digs into the uterus the body immediately starts to produce a pregnancy hormone (called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) ) which will stop the process of disintegration and save the nutritious lining. It does this by sending a message to the 'corpus luteum' or the nourishing lining, and tells it to remain alive. This will continue on for a couple of months, or until the placenta is ready to relieve the corpus luteum of its job, after which it is the placenta which keeps the lining alive, whilst also providing the nutrients and oxygen that the tiny foetus needs to grow.

If you have ever received a false negative pregnancy test then it is because the test has been done too soon - these tests measure HCG in the blood or urine, and as it can sometimes take so long for an egg to burrow and start releasing the hormone, then the test will come back negative. By charting her menstrual cycle and her cervical fluids, women can avoid these false-negatives and actually have a much clearer indication of pregnancy via the results of charting process.

Couples with a problem getting pregnant need to fully understand the ins and outs of what it takes to achieve conception, because contrary to what we are all told as teenagers, sometimes it is not so easy to become pregnant. - 31802

About the Author:

What Are The Causes Of Ovarian Cysts ?

By Rebecca Wincup

There are numerous causes of ovarian cysts. During a normal menstrual cycle, the ovaries develop follicles each month. Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones which support pregnancy, are produced by these follicles. If a normal follicle continues growing for an extended period of time ovarian cysts can result.

Follicular cysts are among the most usual to occur. These cysts will have no obvious symptoms. They are generally considered to be harmless and disappear of their own accord. Ovarian cysts affecting the follicle are caused by the release of hormones from the pituitary gland that is supposed to initiate the release of an egg. A failure to release an egg makes the follicle continue to grow and develop into a cyst.

When luteinizing hormone surges during the monthly cycle and an egg is released a corpus luteum cyst is created. Once the egg is released the body then begins to prepare for possible conception through the ruptured follicle producing estrogen and progesterone. At this stage, the follicle is known as corpus luteum. A cyst is formed when the corpus luteum seals off and fluid collects inside it.

Corpus luteum cysts usually disappear on their own without treatment within a few weeks. In the meantime, however, it can grow to nearly 4 inches in diameter. It can also bleed into itself or twist the ovary. This can cause severe pelvic and abdominal pain. Moreover, if the corpus luteum cyst fills with blood, the cyst may rupture. This can cause internal bleeding and sudden, sharp pain.

It is important to note that the fertility drug clomiphene citrate, which is commonly used to induce ovulation, might be one of the causes of ovarian cysts, since it can often increase the risk of the development of a corpus luteum cyst. Corpus luteum cysts do not prevent or threaten pregnancy.

Some cysts, such as hemorrhagic or endometrioid cysts develop like other cysts but are classified as such because they contain blood. This blood can result from injury or from the leakage of blood vessels into the egg sac. Causes of ovarian cysts forming in the endometrial tissue include bleeding and sloughing off of endometrial tissue that transplants itself in the ovaries. Blood eventually builds up, rupturing and causing pelvic pain.

In many cases the causes of ovarian cysts could be due to the normal functioning of the body so it isn't possible to completely prevent ovarian cysts. However by taking care of your body, such as increasing exercise, controlling stress, improving the quality of your diet, and improving your health, you can significantly minimize the probability of the development of an ovarian cyst. - 31802

About the Author:

Gender Selection Methods - Methods To Select The Sex Of Your Baby

By Olivia Campbell-Price

Did you know that you have the chance to increase the likelihood of having a boy or a girl? By employing new gender selection methods, you can choose the sex of your baby. Sure, it's not one hundred percent effective, but it does increase the likelihood.

Gone are the days when you have to "hope and pray" that you have a little girl or boy. Today, with the help of certain gender selection methods, you may be able to increase your chances by thirty to thirty five percent. Does this sound too good to be true, Well, relax, it is a reality for many people.

You should take note that most of these methods can work, but it may cost some money and you still have to get pregnant. There are no guarantees that you'll have the baby boy or baby girl you really want, but your chances are increased through using gender selection methods.

Many of the selection methods that are used when it comes to pregnancy depend on IVF in order to complete the whole process. The IVF is only going to increase your chances of becoming pregnant by thirty to thirty five-percent. For some people that is better than it being zero percent.

The PGD method, which is short for Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis, is something that some couples can turn to in order to predetermine the sex of their baby. PGD is illegal in most countries unless there is a medical reason to justify its use. You should take note that this method could cost you quite a bit of money and you are still not one hundred percent guaranteed to get pregnant. However, you are close to being one hundred percent sure of your baby's gender if you do get pregnant using this method.

During PGD, they will be taking the embryo and determining the sex of it before they put it in the uterus. This method has been banned in many countries, so you should check and make sure your clinic is able to do it. Nearly every method out there involves the IVF process, so even with PGD, you still only have a thirty five percent of a successful pregnancy.

Apart from costly but effective methods such as PGD, there are natural gender selection methods that you can use. These natural techniques involve can eating certain foods. For instance, potassium and salt will increase your chance of having a little boy. It also has to do with the positions during intercourse and paying attention to your ovulation cycle.. - 31802

About the Author:

Conceiving with PCOS

By Tammy Richardson

One of the leading causes of infertility and conception problems in women is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS. It can develop as a reaction to the body producing too much insulin. This problem induces in women a response whereby the body begins to produce male hormones and androgens to balance the oversupply of insulin. Naturally this affects the body in many different ways, one of which is infertility and so it can be very hard getting pregnant with PCOS.

PCOS has multiple effects on a woman's body. As every woman is different, the symptoms and effects felt from PCOS also differ from woman to woman. There are some common symptoms such as type two diabetes, an increase in facial hair, hair on the back and chest accompanied by a loss of head hair; acne and pelvic pain among others. For some women, all this symptoms amount to nothing when compared to infertility.

PCOS disturbs the normal functioning of a menstrual cycle. In the first stages of the cycle the ovaries develop tiny follicles inside of which are the eggs. As the cycle continues, only one follicle will develop fully and it is from this follicle that the egg comes out of during ovulation. There is a hormone called LH which is responsible for setting this all in motion, and the body responds in the menstrual cycle to rising levels of LH. If there is not enough LH, then there will be no ovulation, and women with PCOS usually don't secrete the necessary amounts. This means that all those follicles that come at the start of the cycle and usually develop into eggs don't mature, and many simply turn into cysts. These cysts are the ones which are visible when women get ultrasound testing. These cysts often share the appearance of a string of pearls around the ovaries. On top of this, the menstrual cycle can become very irregular of cease outright in women with PCOS.

Every woman with PCOS is not diagnosed with the condition. Not all women have trouble getting pregnant with PCOS even with an irregular cycle there are those who can still conceive and birth a healthy baby. Estimated put the figure at around five or ten percent of women have PCOS.

What are the things which can help those who suffer from PCOS? Some women have had success with simply loosing weight, as this can help to trigger a hormonal rebalance in the body. For women without a weight issues, there are medical drugs for PCOS, but rushing into a treatment with harsh drugs is unnecessary and unadvisable when there are numerous natural remedies and tonics which can effectively help with PCOS. The unfortunate reality is that these kind of wonder drugs are lumped on us left right and centre for whatever condition we may have. Lots of these drugs are simple tested for short-term side effects, without any studies made of their long term effects, or the effects on the next generation. These drugs are still available, even though there is mounting evidence that they are linked to cancer.

A good friend, who I'll call Candy for the purposes of the article had PCOS from when she was just a child. Candy had the condition all through her teens, but didn't know it until she had an ultrasound test when she was 17. Her real concern was that she may not be able to get pregnant in later years, as her menstruation had always been irregular. When Candy got the ultrasound done, it showed that she had a very serious case of PCOS. Because she was so concerned she went to see a specialist to see what could be done, and find out if she would still be able to have kids when the time was right. The so called 'specialist' told her that there was no problem, because she could just take drugs to conceive when she wanted to, despite the fact that these drugs are responsible for multiple births and complications in thousands of women. Needless to say, she is in no hurry to be going back to that 'specialist' for those drugs.

As an add-on to that story, Candy had some more tests done not long after to see what was happening in her body, and found out that with a big cleanse, and an adjustment in her diet to include lots of fresh organic produce the PCOS had totally disappeared. And when the time was right, her chances of getting pregnant were just like normal women.

Very often the reason for having trouble getting pregnant with PCOS and with infertility is because the internal state of the body is not healthy enough to sustain a healthy baby. By looking at the body's health and balance and finding natural solutions you can achieve your dream of a healthy happy baby and a natural pregnancy. - 31802

About the Author:

Part 3: Increase Your Fertility with Natural Herbs

By Amy Roberts

Now we've come to the last part of the herbal remedies for increasing fertility series of articles. This entire series has been going over ways to boost your chances of conceiving a child using time-tested, culturally proven natural remedies. Part one discussed red clover, wild carrot, dried clover blossom, wild yam, partridge berry, and liferoot, among other plants that can make you more fertile. Part two saw us look at more of these plants and ways to prepare them that improve conception. Now, with part three, we can show you what plants to avoid, as they can have a contraceptive effect.

An anti-fertility herb that is seen often is daucus carota, or wild carrot, which is also known as Queen Anne's lace, often seen by the public growing on the sides of roads. Parsley, dill, cumin, celery, caraway and anise are cousins to this carrot, as well as another plant that was used by Greek and Roman girls as a method of birth control, though that is now extinct. If you want to prevent a fertilized egg from implanting, you would have to eat the sweet smelling seeds of the wild carrot, at least a large teaspoonful at a time. One study found that if you do this for over a year it is about 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. You can tell that preventing pregnancy in this manner is a perfect fit with the way that nature works because, on its own, the body allows a third of all fertilized eggs to pass through your body without having it implant in your uterus.

There seems to be no side effects so far when it comes to using this method to prevent fertility. It is important to know the difference between the wild carrot and poison hemlock, as a mistake could be dangerous. It isn't likely that you will mix the two up though, because poison hemlock doesn't smell anything like carrot and you will certainly know the difference when it comes to flavor. Wild yam, or dioscorea villosa, is another anti-fertility herb that has been used among groups of women. It is taken as a cup of tea or in pill form three times a day which is not at all shocking because in the past birth control pills stemmed from this helpful plant and it has helped prevent pregnancy for a long time. Are there side effects that are negative? There is a chance of side effects but the small studies performed to date haven't shown any side effects. Your chances for conceiving a baby decrease because these plants turn themselves into progesterone if you take them daily.

If you consume them in the weeks before you ovulate, they might turn into FSH and LH, which are necessary hormones for egg fertilization, so keep that in mind. Parsley, jack-in-the-pulpit, pennyroyal, rue, oatsraw, and stinging nettle are just a few examples of other fertility related herbs and plants that provide natural solutions to these issues. It's always astounding just how much nature provides for us.

This wraps up the three part series we've written on natural herbs that help increase fertility, and if you missed part one and two, be sure to read them so your knowledge of using natural herbs can help fertility will be complete. - 31802

About the Author:

Baby Gender Test Kits That Tell You The Sex Of Your Baby

By Olivia Campbell-Price

If you're like many other expectant parents, you're probably really excited and wish you could find out your baby's gender right now even before it is born. While it is a highly accurate baby gender test, amniocentesis is reserved for testing for possible genetic disorders, so too is chorionic villus sampling or CVS testing which examines the placenta, Neither of these are viable solutions for everyday gender testing since they are high risk procedures which can harm the fetus.

What can parents do if they are really anxious to learn their baby's gender before birth? Several options exist, ranging from old wives' tales that are of questionable reliability to at home baby gender test kits that show some promise. Keep in mind that these are great for having a bit of fun, but you probably can't and shouldn't bank on the results.

Certainly, the ultrasound sonogram is the most popular and currently most useful baby gender test available. The rate of accuracy is still not 100%, but it's about as close as you can get short of undergoing amniocentesis or CVS testing. The ultrasound is just about routine for most pregnancies, but for the most accurate results, the 20-week range or mid-second trimester is the best time for determining the baby's gender.

For those who don't want to wait, there are early gender detection test kits are now on the market. Designed to detect the presence of male or female DNA material or other proprietary criteria as early as five weeks of pregnancy, these are highly touted as being the answer to the far-off ultrasound exam. However in terms of accuracy, the jury is still out.

Using an early baby gender test kits such as Intelligender and Pink or Blue Early Gender Test can certainly provide entertainment value, but until the technology is perfected, there is not enough evidence that it is 100% reliable for purposes of planning your nursery.

The baby gender test kit made by Intelligender has been around for a few years. This kit tests your urine for the presence of certain substances and will change colors that you can then compare against a color-coded guide. Results can be seen within ten minutes. You can perform this test at around six weeks after you miss a period or in the second month of pregnancy. While it can be fun to find out early, keep in mind that your results may or may not be confirmed by a sonogram.

The Pink or Blue baby gender test kit is a bit more involved and is more costly to learn the results. This is packaged as a early pregnancy test and offers the option to collect samples for laboratory testing of the gender component. While the test kit itself is relatively inexpensive, the gender testing requires an additional cost of up to $200 and requires sending the sample to the lab. - 31802

About the Author:

Know the Best Time to Conceive

By Tammy Richardson

If there's one thing a couple should do who have been labelled with 'unexplained infertility' it is to go on a 'no doctors allowed' hiatus and really learn about conception. This is because many doctors are far too quick to tell patients they are 'infertile' after just one year of trying - sometimes it just takes a better understanding of your bodies and your cervical fluid is one of the best indicators of when is the best time to get pregnant.

It's pretty standard for doctors to focus on basal body temperate and overlook the significance of changes in cervical fluid. The best indication of when is the best time to get pregnant is by using the changes in cervical fluid as a guide. For millions of couples around the world, doctors are unfortunately still prescribing the timing of intercourse be dictated by changes in a woman's temperature. If you have been told that checking basal body temperature is actually a post-indication of ovulation and fertility, then at least that is half the story - however most doctors will still tell you to check your past cycles for a predictive indication of future fertile times. There is misinformation in both pieces of advice!

Unfortunately finding when is the best time to get pregnant by keeping a temperature record may actually be impeding conception, as in most cases by the time a temperature increase is noted, the egg has already passed.

Tracking changes in temperature is of course a part of the conception puzzle, but the emphasis the medical profession gives it as a sign of fertility is misleading. There are many useful things to be gleaned from recording basal body temperature, such as your ovulation cycle length (important for knowing if an egg can be successfully implanted in the uterus) or if you are ovulating properly or not - even for determining if a conception has taken place. Be this as it may, basal temperature is not a good determinant of optimum fertility periods. Changes in cervical fluid provide a very accurate determinant of fertile times, so start checking! The prime fertile day is the last day of the cervical fluid that looks like eggwhites, or the wettest type of cervical fluid.

Chances of conception can be increased by paying attention to your cervical fluid. Knowing what you are looking for is the crucial first step of tracking changes in cervical fluids. During any cycle cervical fluids can differ immensely in terms of volume, consistency and its colour. Couples can find the best time for conception if the woman understands and tracks these changes.

Directly after the menses have finished, there is usually not much cervical fluid produced. In most women for the first half a week directly after the period there will be little mucus produced, if any at all. The general rule of thumb can be summed up thus: no cervical mucus, no chances of conception. The stage after this one, and preceding ovulation is one where there is a sticky consistency to the cervical mucus and it is a cloudy or white colour. During this phase there is normally also less mucus. A couple of days prior to ovulation the cervical mucus changes to a moist, sticky consistency like a lotion or hand cream. Usually the colour at this stage will be creamy or white.

The best conception time is ovulation. The most cervical mucus is present during the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle. During ovulation the cervical mucus takes on the colour and consistency of an eggwhite which is why this time is called the time of 'eggwhite cervical mucus'. The eggwhite cervical mucus is an indicator that the optimum time for conception has arrived.

By taking notice of the changes in your cervical mucus, you can track your cycle more accurately, and always know where you are in your cycle. By tracking these changes over a number of months, you can get a very good indication of your exact ovulation times and use this as a guide for knowing when the optimum time for conception is. - 31802

About the Author:

Natural Ways to Increase Fertility in Women

By Tammy Richardson

Are you having difficulties conceiving? If you are there may be some simple and natural ways to increase the likelihood of falling pregnant, our lifestyle can impact heavily on the reproductive systems of men and women alike so this is the best place to start if you prefer natural ways to increase fertility.

Alcohol is a hazard for pregnancy. Studies have shown that the risk of having a miscarriage increases with moderate alcohol consumption in the first trimester, especially the first couple of weeks.

Nutrition is an important factor in fertility treatment. Giving your body the proper levels of nourishment will mean that it has all it needs to function properly, and is of course the most simple and natural ways to increase fertility naturally! For the delicate reproductive hormone system to work well, a good reserve of nutrients is needed and this will not be achieved will a poor diet.

Nutrient levels and diet as well as your digestive function all play a part in determining your hormonal balance and fertility. A shortage of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and vitamins and minerals like magnesium, zinc and vitamins A and B6 may lead to a blockage of hormone production and a reduction of your chances of falling pregnant.

Has the thought of using supplementary traditional medicine and acupuncture to help with fertility issues ever crossed your mind? If you are among the people who have unexplained infertility then you may be a good candidate for giving medical acupuncture a go, as acupuncture can help to raise the readiness of the body for conception by balancing out its energies. If there is a physical impediment to conception in either partners, such as low sperm count or damage in the fallopian tubes then as a supplement to medical treatment couples can use acupuncture as well.

Acupuncture, when skilfully administered can be very effective at equalizing the multifarious physical imbalances that are often behind a reduced ability to conceive.

Stress has a lot to do with infertility. If a women is under a lot of stress the body will overproduce prolactin which is a reproductive hormone and will interfere with proper ovulation. Simultaneously the hypothalamus ceases secretion of the essential hormone gonadotrophin which will also mean that the luteinizing hormone and the follicle-stimulating hormones are both not released. These hormones are all essential for stimulating ovulation cycles, so of course fertility is the first casualty of stress.

Some of the things to help reduce stress include regular exercise, calm breathing practices as well as visualization techniques and hypnotherapy - a combination of the following can really help:

Using holistic therapies often work so well as natural ways to increase fertility simply because conception and fertility are actually not just affected by the reproductive system, but by the health of the body as a whole. It may be a combination of things which are needed to fall pregnant, like nutritional supplements or de-stressing with massage or acupuncture, but there are lots of natural ways to help.

Conceiving if you are a woman who smokes very often takes longer and comes with an increased risk of miscarriage as well as lower levels of progesterone and oestrogen. For males, smoking results in immotile sperm, decreased sperm density coupled with an increase in abnormal sperm as well as reduced levels of testosterone. In both men and women the risks outlined only increase with the number of cigarettes consumed each day.

As a natural and healthy way to increase fertility, hypnotherapy can be extremely helpful.

By teaching patients to let go of stress and blockages they are holding onto, hypnotherapists have had great success, especially with couples suffering from unexplained infertility. Fertility issues can arise from holding stress or having emotional blockages which can be let go with the help of hypnotherapy. Using hypnotherapy to identify and settle unresolved emotional issues can help with increasing your chances of conception.

Hidden and deep-seated anxieties can also be resolved using hypnotherapy, and this can be the key for hormonal rebalancing. This is usually when there is too much prolactin in the system inhibiting ovulation.

Hypnotherapy can also be used in the birthing process and can teach women to be calm and relaxed while birthing. Hypnotherapy can help make the birth more calm and comfortable for women by teaching them relaxation and breathing techniques to utilise in the birthing process. - 31802

About the Author:

How The IVF Procedure Can Help You

By Adam Capewell

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method of assisted reproduction that provides infertile couples an opportunity to have a child that is biologically related to them.

With IVF, a man's sperm and the woman's egg are combined by an IVF specialist in a laboratory dish. The resulting embryo is then put into the uterus (womb) of the woman and left to naturally develop. Usually, 2-4 embryos are put in the woman's uterus each time. Each attempt is called a cycle, and the cost of IVF per cycle is approximately $12,000.

So, what exactly is involved in each cycle? Here is a more detailed explanation...

The woman may be administered hormones to induce her ovaries to create a number (5+) eggs. A surgeon will then insert a needle through the vagina into the woman's ovary to remove the eggs. General anesthesia is not required for this part of the procedure, but the woman is sometimes given some sedating medication. At the same time, the man provides a semen sample. He will be asked not to have sex for a few days before the eggs are taken from his partner. The sperm are separated from the semen in a laboratory procedure.

Following this, the sperm will be mixed in the laboratory dish with the eggs taken from the woman. About 20 hours after this fertilization procedure, the laboratory dish is examined to find out if any of the eggs have fertilized and if embryos have grown as a result. If they have, they are incubated and observed for the next 2-5 days. After that time, the embryos will be transferred into the woman's uterus through the cervix with a catheter (a long slender tube). She is then given certain hormones for the following 2 weeks.

The pregnancy success rate of the IVF procedure is 36% for women younger than 35 years, 28% for those between 36-39 years, and 13% in those who are 40+ years. Therefore, the final cost of IVF is generally over $20,000, as a minority of couples succeed at their first attempt.

Finally, research has shown that children born as a result of the IVF procedure are as healthy as those born in the natural way. The only complication worth noting is the increased risk of multiple births happening, with the likelihood of giving birth to twins or triplets being perceptibly higher when using IVF. - 31802

About the Author:

Methods Of Conceiving A Boy

By Ashley Mannor

Many tips for successfully conceiving a baby boy are available online and also written in many books and guides. These guidelines and tips are all proven scientifically. They are not based on old customs and beliefs. In spite of that, there is no way anybody can guarantee the birth of a boy. But a couple can increase the chances of conceiving a baby boy for sure. For successfully giving birth to a boy, one must be aware of all aspects of the process known as conception.

Many guides describe that for a healthy boy to be born, the environment of the mother should be alkaline. Acidic nature of environment may prove fatal to the foetus. Also the male sperm can blossom and grow in alkaline conditions.

Scientifically, the more acidic part of any woman's vagina is the entrance. The alkaline environment exists near its cervix. Hence, a deeper way of lovemaking is suggested by doctors for those couples who are wishing and trying for a boy. The behavior of the male sperm generally determines the gender of the baby. This fact has been scientifically proven. The male sperm is smaller in size than the female sperm. But it moves with greater speed than the female one. Also the female sperm has a longer life than its male equivalent. Hence, lovemaking is advised as close as possible to the day of ovulation. That increases the chances of a boy. The reasons for that are, as the egg is waiting to ovulate, the male sperms, which are faster than the female ones, will reach the egg and completely avoid the female sperms.

If it is done before the ovulation period starts, the chances of a baby boy decrease greatly. To know when a woman's ovulation period starts, one can refer to the ovulation prediction kits. They include calendars and tips to what one should do on specific days. The gynecologists and hospitals can provide couples with these tips. The calendars are also found on the internet.

Maintaining a healthy diet is the key to success. Generally intake of proteins and potassium is advised by doctors and health experts too. It is also believed that continuing the daily routine can help. Also intake of calories is necessary and can increase the chances. Daily exercise helps a woman's body to be fit and ready for pregnancy. For the baby to be healthy, the mother, who acts as the host, should be strong and healthy. - 31802

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here