Getting Pregnant Naturally_ Healthy Choi - Winifred Conkling [5]
Normal body temperatures vary from person to person, but it is the change in temperature, not the temperature itself, that is important in measuring fertility. You may have a hormonal imbalance and should consult a doctor if your temperature remains the same throughout your cycle (you may not be releasing an egg) or if your temperature tapers off during the second half of your cycle (you may not have sufficient hormonal support to produce a mature egg). If your temperature remains elevated for more than two weeks after ovulation, you may be pregnant!
Note Changes in Your Cervix
You can learn to recognize the approach of ovulation by learning to recognize the changes in your cervix as ovulation approaches. If you want additional information on how to detect ovulation, take time to feel your cervix throughout the month so that you can learn to appreciate the subtle but important changes that occur during your menstrual cycle:
During your menstrual period, your cervix should be easy to touch with the tip of a finger inserted into the vagina. The area at the opening of the cervix should feel soft and opened wide to allow the uterine lining to escape.
After the bleeding stops, your cervix should feel firm and tightly closed; some say it feels like the tip of a nose. If you have not delivered a child vaginally, the opening of the cervix may feel like a dimple or pointed impression. If you have had a child vaginally, the opening may feel wider.
As the body prepares for ovulation, the cervix will rise or move away from the vaginal opening. (You will have to insert your finger deeper into your vagina to feel it.) The cervical opening should feel softer and wider, to allow the sperm to enter the uterus and fertilize the ripened egg.
After ovulation, the cervix lowers and grows firmer, and the opening closes tightly to prevent sperm from entering the uterus since conception can no longer occur.
Try an Ovulation Predictor Test
If you don’t trust yourself to read your body’s ovulation warning signs, you can pick up an ovulation predictor test kit at almost any pharmacy or grocery store for about $20. This test looks for the surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) that occurs just before ovulation. (The rise in LH actually triggers the release of the egg from the ovary.) Ovulation should take place twelve to thirty-six hours after the test is positive.
The kits are relatively easy to use and tend to be quite accurate—as long as you follow the directions. However, keep in mind that the test does not guarantee that ovulation has taken place. Some women, especially those with premature ovarian failure or those over age forty or approaching menopause, sometimes have LH surges that are not followed by the release of an egg. If you want some assurance that you are identifying your time of ovulation accurately, give an ovulation predictor kit a try for a month or two, but don’t rely on this test if your infertility continues for several months longer.
Stay on Your Back for Twenty to Thirty Minutes After Intercourse
It takes about twenty minutes or so for the sperm to work their way through the cervical mucus and up to the Fallopian tubes in search of the prized egg. Staying horizontal won’t guarantee success, but it can help minimize the risk of sperm leakage from the vagina—and it certainly can’t hurt. Plan ahead and have a book, music, or the television remote nearby to help pass the time, or close your eyes and take a nap.
Don’t Douche
Your vagina can keep itself clean, so there is no medical or hygienic reason to douche. Douching with commercial products can disrupt the natural pH of the vagina, possibly damaging or destroying sperm.
Even douching with plain water isn’t good for you: It has been linked to an increased incidence of ectopic pregnancy