Most Womens Cycles Are Not Average
As many as one in two couples may be trying to conceive at the wrong time, because they dont know when their most fertile days are. A study amongst women trying to get pregnant found that only 13% correctly estimated their ovulation day, and only 55% of women estimated their day of ovulation within their fertile window .
It is difficult to be sure when you are ovulating because most womens cycles are not “average”
Many women believe that ovulation occurs on day 13 or 14 of their cycle. This is based on a typical cycle of 28 days, but this varies between women, and between cycles. In fact, 46% of menstrual cycles vary by seven or more days. This has a significant impact on the timing of ovulation from one cycle to the next. It is therefore often difficult for women to accurately predict their fertile days during each cycle.
Professor Bill Ledger, Fertility Specialist
Everyone is different and women cannot rely on population averages to understand their own fertility. Understanding when they ovulate is one of the easiest steps that women can take to understanding their fertility, and ovulation tests are the easiest way for women to accurately predict when they will ovulate.Your personal cycle is controlled by your individual hormone levels
What To Expect At Your Appointment
During your first visit with a fertility specialist, your doctor will ask a lot of questions about your history, to try to understand factors that may be making it harder to become pregnant. They may order some blood tests to try to understand any irregularities that might be keeping you from getting pregnant, and to make sure you are in the best possible health to become pregnant. Theyll also order a semen analysis on your partner though this wont be performed on the day of your initial appointment. Depending on your medical history, you might also plan an ultrasound and additional imaging to further explore. If you arent ovulating, your doctor may prescribe medications, including ones that can help induce ovulation. The best choice is very personal and your doctor will help you understand all of your options.
Wherever you are on your fertility journey, remember that approximately 85% of healthy women will get pregnant within a year of trying. For those who struggle to conceive, you can increase your chances by mixing love with science and seeing a doctor who specializes in fertility.
We want our patients to feel as comfortable as possible during this emotional and sometimes stressful time. Our team is committed to providing the most caring, compassionate, and leading-edge fertility care available.
How To Track The Best Time To Get Pregnant
To properly plan your baby-making schedule, you need to know when youre ovulating. Regardless of the length of your cycle, ovulation usually occurs about 14 days before your next period. Physical signs, such as watery vaginal secretions, or pain on one side of your pelvis, can also tip you off that your egg is about to drop. You can easily ballpark when to have sex by looking at the calendar, says Shapiro. And add to that your own body changes to confirm what you already know.
Apps, such as the one my husband was using, are like Google Calendar for your ovaries. Their basic function is to flag when youre expected to ovulate based on information you plug in from past periods. If your cycle is regular, apps are highly accurate. But, if you have irregular periods, the calculations can get more complicated and more likely to result in error.
Shapiro points out that its normal for your cycle to vary in length by up to eight days. This can make narrowing down when to have sex more challenging, which means youll have to spend more time in the bedroom to maximize your chances. Having sex a couple of times around ovulation, 48 hours apart, is probably sufficient, Shapiro says. And if youre not sure when youre ovulating, add an extra day.
Trust yourself, Shapiro says. Youre probably getting the timing right. Dont stress too much over it. And dont forget to have fun.
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/6why Waiting Is Important
Conceiving immediately after recovering from the COVID-19 may take a serious toll on the newborn’s and the mother’s health. That’s because the coronavirus infection does not only infect our respiratory system but its impact can be witnessed in different parts of the body as well. Moreover, in some cases, one can even experience symptoms of COVID-19 long after the initial infection. The nine-month-long journey of pregnancy in itself is challenging and if your body is not prepared to handle the drastic changes, things can become even more complex. For all these reasons, it makes sense to wait for a while before planning the pregnancy.
When Is The Best Time To Have Sex To Get Pregnant
The best time to try for a baby is on the days leading up to ovulation and the . Since sperm can live up to 5 days inside a womans body, timing sex for the days leading up to ovulation can also lead to pregnancy.
There is a common myth that all women have a 28 day cycle, but this is not the case. 52% of menstrual cycles vary by 5 or more days so using a method to identify when you ovulate can help you conceive.
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Diet Exercise And Conception
There is no special diet that improves the odds of conception, but a healthy range of foods that includes lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats is recommended.
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the body to function. Read more about the benefits of vitamins and minerals for fertility and pregnancy health, including folic acid, iodine, vitamin D, zinc and selenium supplements.
Regular exercise also improves fertility. Australian and international guidelines recommend you do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity such as brisk walking, gardening or dancing on most but preferably all days of the week. If possible, do some vigorous activity such as running, fast cycling or fast swimming every week as well.
For men and women who are overweight or obese, exercise can help to prevent further weight gain or achieve a modest weight loss that improves general health and fertility. As part of weight management, international guidelines recommend that overweight or obese adults perform 225300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week .
When Should You See A Fertility Doctor
Most heterosexual couples should wait one year before seeing a fertility doctorbut in some cases, it’s best to make an appointment sooner rather than later. “If you’re 35 or older, you should see a fertility specialist after six months of trying without success,” Dr. Chen says. And if you’re younger and have irregular periods or a history of sexually transmitted infections , ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease , or other health issues that may affect fertility or pregnancy, Dr. Chen says it’s a good idea to seek out a specialist right away.
Also important to note: When a couple has a difficult time getting pregnant, they shouldn’t be so quick to blame the woman. “From day one, couples need to think it could be the woman, the man, both, or simply unexplained infertility,” says Dr. Chen. “About half of infertility issues have to do with the woman, 40 percent with the man, and the other 10 percent is both or neither.” The best thing, she adds, is for both partners to be assessed to know for sure.
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Myth : Ovulation Occurs 14 Days Before Your Next Period Starts
You may have heard that ovulation will occur 14 days before your next period is due and that this is the best time to get pregnant. But this advice relies on the assumption that the second phase of your menstrual cycle is 14 days long. And again this is NOT always the case.
The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle is the number of days between your day of ovulation and the start of your next period. Were often told that the luteal phase is exactly 14 days long. But in reality it varies in length from woman to woman. A normal luteal phase can be anywhere from 10 to 16 days long.
So if youre doing the maths to figure out when you ovulate, counting back 14 days from your expected next period doesnt always work. If your luteal phase is longer or shorter than 14 days, your calculation is going to be wrong. The easiest way to figure out the length of your luteal phase is by learning fertility awareness and charting your fertility .
Track Your Basal Body Temperature
This is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning. When you ovulate, it goes up slightly and stays up until your next period.
To track it, you’ll need a basal body thermometer, which measures small changes. You can get one at most drugstores and supermarkets.
Take your temperature before you get out of bed every morning. Note the first day it goes up.
“Once you identify the day you ovulated, you can predict that ovulation will happen on or close to that day in future cycles,” Manglani says.
Continued
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Your Body Has Already Successfully Done It
In an interview with Romper, Dr. Kenan Omurtag says that, most of the time, the easier time isn’t a matter of something different, but rather something familiar. In Omurtag’s words, once your body does something, it should be able to do it again.
In order for a woman to conceive a child, her body must put multiple pieces together, much like a puzzle. Just like with a puzzle we solve on our kitchen table our bodies find it easier to perform tasks repeatedly. Therefore, it’s often easier for a woman to get pregnant again once she carries and delivers one child because her body already knows what to do.
Obviously, it isn’t always the case because pregnancy does sometimes change the body. Assuming your body hasn’t undergone any other major changes, though, it may in fact be easier to conceive a second time.
What If You Have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome , a hormonal disorder, is one of the most common reasons for female infertility. It affects between 6% and 12% of American women of reproductive age.
There is no single test to identify PCOS, but a doctor will determine if a woman fulfills two of the following three criteria,the CDC said:
- Irregular periods or no periods, caused from lack of ovulation
- Higher than normal levels of male hormones that may result in excess hair on the face and body, acne or thinning scalp hair
- Multiple small cysts on the ovaries
It is not clear why some women develop this syndrome, although it is often diagnosed when they struggle to get pregnant.
There is a strong link between PCOS-related infertility and weight. About 40% to 60% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese, and healthy eating and exercise have been shown to improve reproductive problems in women with PCOS, according to a 2019 article in the journal Therapeutic Advcances in Reproductive Health. A number of prescribed medications may also induce ovulation and regulate insulin levels, such asletrozole and metformin. High levels of insulin push thepituitary gland to release large amounts of hormones thatdisrupt ovulation.
Doctors recommend in-vitro fertilization if other interventions have not worked, or as a primary treatment if monitoring, cost and accessibility are not issues.
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When To See A Doctor
Women who track their fertile window with the aim of getting pregnant should see their doctor for preconception planning.
As well as identifying barriers to conceiving, a doctor can advise on the use of folic acid or prenatal supplements to encourage a healthy pregnancy.
Most couples who engage in frequent, unprotected sex will conceive within 12 months.
Women under 35 years of age should see their doctor if they do not conceive after a year of trying. Those over 35 years of age should seek medical advice after 6 months of trying to conceive.
Anyone who has irregular cycles or does not appear to ovulate should also speak to their doctor. There may be an underlying medical cause that is preventing ovulation and conception.
Ovulation predictor kits and fertility monitors are available for purchase online.
How Can You Track Ovulation
Many women follow the textbook rule that ovulation occurs 14 days after the first day of their periodbut the reality is that cycle lengths vary, and ovulation doesn’t always occur at the same time each month, says Machelle Seibel, M.D., Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Some women think they can detect ovulation symptoms. “If you’re in tune with your body, you may notice that you have an increased clear egg-white-like vaginal discharge a few days before ovulation,” says Yvonne Bohn, M.D., OB-GYN and co-author of The Mommy Docs Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. But many women miss this, and some mistakenly think their normal discharge is a sign of ovulation.
Instead of guessing, Dr. Seibel says that using an ovulation predictor kit can give a more accurate answer. Charting your basal body temperature or tracking your menstrual cycle can also help identify ovulation for the best days to get pregnant.
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Talk To Your Gynecologist
Before you start trying to get pregnant, visit your gynecologist. Its ideal to schedule a preconception visit three to six months before your planned pregnancy. This gives you enough time to make any health improvements and lifestyle adjustments and complete any testing that may be recommended.
Here is a list of preconception tests a health care provider may suggest:
Your health care provider will also ask about your general lifestyle. They may suggest making a few changes to ensure a healthy pregnancy. This is the perfect time to ask any questions you might have about fertility and getting pregnant.
Planning For Your Pregnancy
If you are thinking about pregnancy, visit your doctor for a preconception consult. They will provide you with expert advice on planning your pregnancy.
The preconception period is the time to make life changes that can help boost fertility, reduce problems during pregnancy and assist in recovery from birth.
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/6the Right Time To Get Pregnant After Recovering From Covid
Getting pregnant and raising a little one in the womb for nine months is not an easy job. A woman’s body has to undergo several physical, emotional and hormonal changes during this time, which are taxing for the body. To sail through the long pregnancy journey and give birth to a healthy baby the mother needs to be fit. If you try to conceive right after recovering from COVID-19 you might have to face several challenges.
Best Time To Get Pregnant You Might Be Surprised
July 25, 2016, by
Timing sex correctly is critical to getting pregnant. If you dont have sex on the handful of days that youre fertile each month, sadly, you wont get pregnant. But figuring out when those fertile days are isnt always easy. Theres a lot of misinformation out there and the best time to get pregnant may not be when you think it is!
In this article, Ill be looking at some of the myths and facts around the best time to get pregnant, and how to ensure you get your timing right!
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Start Taking Folate Supplements
Also known as vitamin B9, folic acid is incredibly important if you are trying to conceive. Folic acid supports the neural tube formation of your baby, ensuring proper brain development.
Doctors recommend taking at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day leading up to conception and for the following 12 weeks after conception.
Why should you start taking folic acid before youre pregnant? The neural tube begins to develop quite soon after conception and is usually complete just four weeks into your pregnancy. Therefore, it might start to develop before you know youre pregnant.
Start taking a prenatal vitamin with folate as soon as you start trying for a baby. You can also get folate from eating beans, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains like brown rice.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of pregnancy. Being overweight reduces your chances of getting pregnant because it may interfere with ovulation.
Being underweight can also hurt fertility body fat levels that are too low interfere with cyclical hormonal changes. So if youre thinking about how to get pregnant quickly and naturally within two months, you might want to start a healthy exercise regimen that meets your weight goals and activity preferences.
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How Long Should You Keep Sperm Inside To Get Pregnant
“When a man ejaculates, sperm swims out, goes directly into the cervical mucus and into the fallopian tubes,” says Serena Chen, M.D., director of the division of reproductive endocrine and infertility at the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Pennsylvania. “This happens in a matter of seconds, regardless of the position during intercourse.”
Some women think that lying on your back with your hips elevated for 20 minutes after sex will help ensure that every last sperm gets a fighting chance at the prize, but the belief has no scientific foundation. Definitely take the excuse to relax after TTC sex, but if you’re short on time, you don’t need to “wait” for sperm to make its way inside.
