How much do you know!

Having a baby is an important and wonderful milestone in your life. And it is never too early to start planning for a successful conception. For most healthy married couples (below the age of 30 years), regular sex (about 2 - 3 times per week) will enhance your chances of conception. Knowing your body and being aware of signs and symptoms of fertility may also help you to pinpoint your fertile period.


Fertility Issues - Do take note!

Fertility decreases with age. Female fertility decreases steadily after 30 years old and rapidly after 40. Male fertility also decreases with age, although not as drastic.

It is best to have your first child before 30. Procreation does not happen at will.


Fertility Awareness

Fertility Awareness means the ability to identify the signs and symptoms of fertility during menstrual cycle so that you know which days you are fertile and which days you are not. This can increase your chances of being pregnant.

Want to get pregnant?


Conception

Conception can only occur at certain time of a woman's menstrual cycle when the egg is fertilized by a healthy sperm at ovulation.

The majority of women releases an egg from the ovary once a month – this takes place approximately 14 days before the next menstruation. If at about this period of time, sexual intercourse takes place, sperms deposited in the vagina swim up the uterus into the fallopian tubes. The released egg also enters the fallopian tube. When the egg meets up with the sperm, conception takes place. The fertilized egg (which is one cell) begins to divide into 2, 4, 8, 16 cells and so forth as it continues its journey through the fallopian tube. This journey takes about 4 days and by the time it enters into the uterine cavity, it consists of a ball of thousands of cells (the morula) which then implants itself into the wall of the uterine cavity and then continues its cell division and differentiation to form the embryo.


Fertility

Fertility depends on both the male and the female and of course on the timing of the intercourse. For an average couple who has regular sexual intercourse, say three times a week, there should be no problem conceiving, provided both of them have no fertility problems. The problem arises if sexual intercourse is very infrequent. It may be the husband works as a seaman and comes home once every three months and stays home for 2-3 days. The couple may keep missing the fertile period.


Fertile Period

The release of the egg takes place 14 days before the next menstrual period. This released egg can live in the body for 2-3 days after which it dies. Sperms deposited into the body can also live for 2-3 days to fertilize the egg.

For a woman with a 28 day menstrual cycle, the fertile period is from the 11th to 17th day of the menstrual cycle. This has to be adjusted with women with different menstrual cycle. Thus, a woman with a 35 day cycle, her fertile period will be from the 18th to 24th day of her menstrual cycle.

Fertility Charting : find out how you can estimate your fertile period.