| In order to increase
your chances of conception, you may want to try timing
sex at the time of ovulation. This increases the chances
of conception, because it gives the sperm and egg a
better chance of meeting. You can use a conception calculator
or conception calendar to determine your "fertile
time" so that you can plan baby making sex. Conception
can only occur around the time of ovulation, and this
information can help you increase your chances of pregnancy.
Menstrual period timing ( Calendar method)
To determine the length of the menstrual cycle, one
only needs to note the date of the beginning of the
menstrual period (first day of flow) for two consecutive
periods, and then count the day from one date to the
next. Keeping track of the length of menstrual cycles
will help determine the approximate time of ovulation,
because the next period begins approximately two weeks
from the date of ovulation.
The rough rule to calculate the approximate date of
ovulation is : NMP minus 14 days, where NMP is the (
expected) date of the next menstrual period. This is
because the luteal phase for most women is 14 days long.
Date of ovulation = NMP - 14
Keeping track of the menstrual cycle by charting it
can indicate other ovulatory disturbances . For example,
if a menstrual cycle that is normally 28 days starts
to occur every 35 or 40 days, this may mean that ovulation
is disturbed, and an evaluation is needed.
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) chart
During the luteal phase of the cycle, the corpus luteum
produces the hormone progestrone, which elevates the
basal body temperature. When the basal body temperature
has gone up for several days, one can assume that ovulation
has occurred. However, it is important to remember that
the BBT chart cannot predict ovulation - it cannot tell
you when it is going to occur !
The basal temperature chart can be a useful tool. It
allows the patient to determine for herself if she is
ovulating as well as the approximate date of ovulation,
in retrospect. Basal body temperature charts are easy
to obtain and the only equipment required is a special
BBT thermometer.
General instructions for keeping a basal body temperature
chart include the following :
- The chart starts on the first day of menstrual flow.
Enter the date here.
- Each morning immediately after awakening, and before
getting out of bed or doing anything else, the thermometer
is placed under the tongue for at least two minutes.
This must be done every morning, except during the
period.
- Accurately record the temperature reading on the
graph by placing a dot in the proper location. Indicate
days of intercourse with a cross.
- Note any obvious reason for temperature variation
such as colds, or fever on the graph above the reading
for that day.
The major limitation of the BBT is that it does not
tell you in advance when you are going to ovulate -
therefore its utility in timing sex during the fertile
period is small. Interpreting the BBT chart can be tricky
for many patients - rarely do the charts look like those
you see in textbooks!
Also, keeping a BBT chart can be very stressful - taking
your temperature as the first thing you do when you
get up in the morning is not much fun. What is worse
is that you start to let the BBT chart dictate your
sex life. This is why though the BBT chart used to be
a useful method in the past, it's utility is limited
today - and newer methods are available which are more
accurate are available.
Manufacturers have now incorporated a microprocessor
along with the digital thermometer, to create an electronic
fertility management device , called The Bioself Fertility
Indicator. This makes calculation of the "fertile
days" much easier, because it combines and optimises
both the basal body temperature and calendar method
of ovulation prediction.
Fertility Software Programs
Newer software programs (easily available on the internet),
such as CycleWatch, help you learn about your body's
fertility signs by giving you the tools to document
and analyze your observations. For women who are comfortable
with computers, this is a useful tool to organize your
cycle data and analyze your cycles to determine fertile
times.
You can also use our free online fertility calculator
to determine when you ovulate !
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