Posts Tagged ‘Ovulation’
Checking cervical fluid can help you get pregnant
A couple who wants to have a baby have several methods available to them to help assure conception. One of these is to track the quality of the woman’s cervical fluid, which can aid in conceiving a baby.
The cervix, or entrance to the vagina, secretes cervical fluid. The hormone estrogen produces this fluid during the first phase of a monthly menstrual cycle, called the follicular phase.
Cervical fluid plays a crucial role in conception, because it helps to keep sperm alive for as long as five days. The fluid protects the sperm from the vagina’s naturally acidic environment and helps the sperm move up the fallopian tube so that it can fertilize an ovum, or egg.
To check cervical mucus, wipe the vaginal area with a tissue and observe what’s on the tissue. Then close the tissue around the sample you’ve collect and open it. Does the fluid sample appear to “stretch?” If the sample is thin and “stretchy,” you are at your peak time of fertility. This should be your optimal time to have intercourse in order to conceive.
Another way to get a sample of cervical mucus is to wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap, and then insert two fingers into the vagina and pulls out some fluid. (Don’t do this if you think you might have a vaginal infection). Again, observe the sample for the characteristics listed earlier to determine fertility. In addition to being thin and stretchy, the fluid can be clear or iridescent in color. If the fluid has a bad odor, however, this can be a sign of a vaginal infection, and you should see your doctor right away.
In order to be sure of what you’re seeing when you check samples of cervical fluid, it’s a good idea to check the fluid at other times during your menstrual cycle so you become familiar with the differences.
In State 1 after the conclusion of your period, the cervical fluid appears sticky or gummy. This stage lasts two to three days.
In Stage 2, lasting two to four days, the cervical fluid changes to appear creamy or milky, similar to lotion. This signals the start of your fertile period.
At Stage 3, the cervical fluid begins to look like the white part of an egg, showing the thin and stretchy appearance. At this point, you are very fertile and likely to conceive if you have sexual intercourse as soon as possible. Women in their mid-20s are likely to have this “egg white” cervical fluid for as long as five days, while women who are in their mid-30s or older may only experience this stage for one to two days. That’s part of the reason that conception can be so much harder when the woman is older.
At Stage 4, the cervical fluid turns moist or sticky, or the cervix may seem dry altogether. This means that conception did not occur, and that you are infertile until the next ovulation period.
Some women can have a condition known as “hostile cervical mucus.” This occurs when the mucus becomes too sticky and thick for the sperm to penetrate it. This type of mucus also can become much too acidic for sperm to survive. Among the ways to overcome hostile cervical mucus:
Drink at least 10 glasses of water daily
Stop smoking and cut down on caffeinated drinks.
If you’re taking a medication that dries up mucus in your sinuses, such as antihistamines for allergies, these can also dry up the mucus in your cervix. See if you can cut back or skip this medication around ovulation time to improve the condition of cervical mucus.
There is one final and quite surprising home remedy that can help the condition of hostile cervical mucus: Robitussin cough syrup. Robitussin typically is taken to loosen mucus resulting from colds, but it also works to thing hostile cervical mucus that is too thick. Robitussin contains guaifenesin, which is the active ingredient that loosens mucus. It can be found in generic cough syrups as well, but be sure to check the label to see that guaifenesin is the only active ingredient. Doctors suggest taking two teaspoons of Robitussin three times a day for five days prior to expected ovulation. Drink a full glass of water with each dose to help mucus production.
Whenever there is a release of a mature egg from the ovary it is pushed down to the fallopian tubes and the tiny hairs on the inside of the fallopian tubes wave in slow motion as to push the egg towards the womb where the occurrence of conception takes place. If in case conception does not occur then the lining of uterine wall and blood is shed with the unfertilized egg. This process is known as menstruation.
Often only one egg is released from the ovary during ovulation and the egg released can stay alive up to 1 day. The time of ovulation is very crucial for a woman to conceive, as it is the period when maximum fertility is observed. The time of ovulation can determine the pregnancy as fertility is at its peak 5 days before ovulation and it continues even after 2 days of occurrence of ovulation. Some times ovulation can occur even if the menstrual period have not occurred and vice versa. There are countless eggs in a woman for ovulation, but stress is the main cause for disruption of ovulation. When the egg is not fertilized, it is re-absorbed by the uterus. Women may feel pain around the ovaries and there can be little blood spotting during ovulation.
When the menstrual cycle in a woman is normal then it is easy to determine the fertility days, although there are number of cases where women have irregular periods or abnormal menstrual cycles due to various reasons. Many women have ovulation between the 11th to the 21st day of their menstrual cycle; this is counted from the first day of the Last menstrual period. Sexual intercourse is these days increases the chance of pregnancy as these days are known as the fertile days.
The two parts of the ovulation cycle are the follicular phase and luteal phase. The follicular phase begins on the first day of the last menstrual period and it continues till the ovulation occurs. Every woman have a different menstrual cycle and it can last anywhere between a week to forty days. The luteal phase begins from the day of the ovulation and continues till the beginning of the next period. This phase is shorter when compared to the follicular phase as it lasts anywhere between 12-16 days.
A basal thermometer is usually used to determine the rise in body temperature, which indicates the occurrence of ovulation. The tracking of ovulation gives an idea whether a woman stands a chance to get pregnant or not during her cycle.
Women can improve their chances of getting pregnant during ovulation and also they can try for a certain gender of the baby. There are x (female) and y (male) sperm cells which are produced by men and they are responsible for the gender of the baby. When the intercourse takes place closer to the ovulation the chances are bright to have a baby boy, as the y sperm cells are quicker than the x sperm cells. They reach the egg first, so if you have intercourse one day before ovulation a baby boy can be expected. To increase the chances of having a baby girl you should have intercourse 3-4 day prior to ovulation as the y sperm cells are slower than the x sperms cells and they take much time to reach the egg, but they are larger and stronger than x sperm cells. The process can be a bit confusing at times but it is necessary to know the period of ovulation as it helps a woman to decide whether she wants a pregnancy or to prevent pregnancy.