Monitor your fertile cycle closely. Fertility is a very complex process, which is why it is so important to use a fertility chart and track your cycles. By following just 4 simple steps, a woman can accurately determine the time of ovulation and plan her next sexual intercourse for this period. There is no guarantee that a couple will definitely be able to conceive, but following a fertility schedule will dramatically increase the chances.

Record your temperature. Tracking a woman's basal body temperature (body temperature while resting, measured after sleep) is one of the age-old ways to chart your fertility. It has been used for years to increase the chances of conceiving a child.

• After ovulation, a hormone is produced that slightly increases basal body temperature. By tracking your basal temperature, some women can accurately determine the time of their next ovulation. Usually the increase in temperature is so slight that it is difficult to predict the time of the next ovulation. However, some women are still able to track their fertile cycles by measuring only their basal body temperature. It is important to take your temperature at the same time every day to get a complete and reliable result. It is recommended to have sex on the morning when you notice a slight increase in temperature. In about 12 hours, the egg travels from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes. Having sex within 6 hours of noticing an increase in basal body temperature can increase the chance of a sperm meeting an egg.

Pay attention to cervical mucus (mucus secreted by the cervix). The thickness of cervical mucus is often considered a better indicator of fertility than basal temperature bodies.

• Cervical mucus has different functions depending on a woman's cycle. When ovulation has not yet begun, cervical mucus is thicker and acts as a barrier to sperm traveling to the uterus.
• During ovulation, the consistency of cervical mucus changes. It becomes more stretchy and less viscous and serves as an insulating layer that helps the sperm reach the egg. When you notice that your cervical mucus has changed its consistency and has become more stretchy and transparent, similar to egg white, instead of being viscous and white, you are most likely in the most fertile phase of your fertile cycle.

Track the start of your menstrual cycle. Some women track their fertility cycle best by simply monitoring the start of their menstrual cycle. Ovulation most often occurs between 13 and 15 days after the start of the menstrual cycle. Depending on the length of your menstrual cycle, the most favorable days for conception may be 8 to 10 days after the end of the cycle. This method will help you determine the period of time of approximately 7 days that is most favorable for trying to conceive. Using this method, women can determine the period of ovulation without measuring basal body temperature or studying the consistency of cervical mucus. Women who use all three methods at once can determine their ovulation period with much greater accuracy.

Track the number of sexual acts. Some couples believe that the best way to conceive is to have sex every day. But that's not true. Sperm will be more viable and more likely to reach the uterus if you only have sex a few times a month. By tracking your fertility cycle and only having sex when you are in your most fertile period, you can increase the chances that sperm will actually enter the uterus and fertilize an ovulated egg.

According to statistics, many married couples cannot conceive. There can be many reasons, including impaired fertility in females. This article will talk about what fertility is in women. in simple words and what to do if it decreases.

What is this?

Let's look at what fertility is in women. This is the period when you can leave behind offspring, that is, the opportunity to become pregnant, carry and give birth to a child. It begins at puberty and ends with menopause.

Many people do not know how many years a woman’s reproductive age lasts. On average, this period begins from 13-15 years and ends after 45 years, when menopause occurs. But this does not mean that a female person will no longer be able to give birth to a child.

Thanks to modern medicine, a woman can become pregnant at 50.

Fertility stages

A woman's childbearing age is divided into four stages.

Early

This stage lasts from the onset of puberty to 20 years. During this period, the cycle is established, hormonal levels are balanced, and ovulation may be rare. The probability of getting pregnant is high.

Average

It starts at the age of 20 and continues until the age of 40. The cycle is regular during this period, the hormonal background is stable. It is considered the most favorable time to have children.

Late

This stage of fertility lasts from 40 to 45 years. During this period, hormonal levels are unstable, but ovulation and the cycle remain stable. It is quite possible to get pregnant at this age, but problems may arise with carrying the baby.

Decaying

This stage lasts from 46 to 60 years. During this period, menopause occurs, hormonal levels decrease, the cycle becomes irregular or ends completely. Naturally it is almost impossible. And to bear a baby, a course of hormonal medications is required.

What is the fertile window?

Let's look at what the fertile period is. This is the part of the cycle when the opportunity to become pregnant is greatest. This period lasts 48 hours. An egg released from the ovary can be fertilized within 2 days.

Did you know?The sperm travels a distance of 8-10 cm to fertilize the egg - this journey can last from 30 minutes to several days.

But sperm that enter the female body can live for about 3-5 days. They may encounter an egg in the fallopian tubes. Therefore, they say that this period lasts about 6-8 days thanks to the male. Doctors call it the “fertile window,” which begins 3-4 days before ovulation. Of the entire fertile period for women, one day is allocated when the possibility of conception is maximum. This means that fertilization cannot be avoided when the egg has just left the follicle and a sperm meets on its way.

Fertility forecast

To determine the body's ability to conceive, you should undergo some studies:

• Ultrasound - the doctor looks at the size of the ovaries and the number of follicles;
• blood test - if the ovaries are not functioning well, then the FSH level is higher than the LH level.

• very low chance of conceiving a child;
• average fertility rate;
• high-level fertility - you can get pregnant almost the first time.

What does it depend on?

Fertility depends on the following factors:

1. Age. The higher it is, the less fertility.
2. . Too much or very low body weight is a cause of infertility.
3. Alcohol, drug addiction.
4. Psycho-emotional disorders.
5. Bad ecology.
6. Too much physical activity.
7. If you have pelvic diseases.

What to do if there is a decline?

There are several ways to increase fertility:

• You need a healthy one that contains a lot of vegetables and fruits. It is better to avoid refined fats, sugar, and flour products;
• it is necessary to control weight;
• It is recommended to give up cigarettes;
• you need to regularly visit a gynecologist;
• it is important to take vitamins;
• the cycle should be monitored;
• you need to actively have sex with a regular partner;
• you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day;
• physical activity is recommended.

Important!For increase reproductive function Alcohol and caffeine should be limited.

If you lead healthy image life and control the days of ovulation, then the woman will be able to experience the joy of motherhood and give birth to a healthy baby.

In order to prevent the onset of an unwanted pregnancy or, conversely, to quickly receive a long-awaited replenishment, it is important for a woman to have an idea of ​​some of the characteristics of her body and understand what a fertile day means. This will allow you to understand on which days the probability of fertilization is reduced, and on which it reaches its maximum level.

What does fertility mean?

A woman's fertile period characterizes her ability to conceive, bear and give birth to a child. Reproductive age begins with the establishment of the menstrual cycle and ends with the menopause. Thus, the fertility zone is determined by the interval from 15 to 49 years. Generally accepted norms narrow this period; according to medical recommendations, pregnancy planning should be done between the ages of 20 and 40 years.

Male fertility indicates the ability to impregnate a partner. This possibility, provided there are no health problems, remains from the moment the production of active sperm begins and until the end of life.

Male Fertility Index

The following factors may have a negative impact on male fertility:

To determine a man's ability to conceive, laboratory research, the most common of which is a spermogram. It allows you to find out the approximate number of sperm, their shape, motility, etc. Based on the results obtained, two fertility indices are calculated, showing the probability of successful fertilization of an egg during one sexual intercourse.

Kruger index

The size of the head, neck and tail of the sperm is measured. After this, the percentage of healthy sperm without defects from the total number is calculated. A value above 30% is considered a good indicator.

Farris index

The proportion of motile sperm in the total volume of sperm, as well as in 1 ml. An indicator of 30% is the norm, more is an increased ability to fertilize.

Based on the results of a spermogram, you can assess the overall picture, but even a low fertility index in a man does not mean that he has no opportunity to become a father. Rather, it means that this may require more time and effort, and in some cases, special therapy.

The body's ability to conceive may be affected by the following symptoms:

To determine female fertility, a set of studies is carried out:

Before starting treatment, you must consult with a specialist - andrologist or gynecologist. Based on the examination results, the doctor will select the optimal treatment option for you. In mild cases of fertility disorders, dietary supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes (Spematon, Tribestan, Pregnoton, SpermAktin, Vitrum, etc.) are used. In more serious pathologies, gonadotropins (Pregnil, Humegon, etc.) and ovulation stimulants (Clostilbegit, Clomiphene, etc.) are prescribed. ). In most patients, the problem disappears after treatment, especially in the absence of other pathologies. In order to speed up recovery, the following recommendations must be followed:

What does “fertility window” mean?

Experts use the concept of “fertility window” to refer to the period during which the most favorable conditions for conception are observed in a woman’s body. Sperm that enter the female genital tract remain active for up to a week, waiting for the right moment. The likelihood of fertilization increases during ovulation, as well as 3-4 days before it. After maturation, the life cycle of the egg lasts no more than a day; after this period, the chance of getting pregnant is significantly reduced.

When planning a pregnancy, you should consider the time when it is easiest to conceive a child. Therefore, it is important to understand what “fertile days” mean. They can be calculated using several methods.

Calendar method for determining fertility

Used if the menstrual cycle is regular. It is necessary to keep a calendar and mark the beginning and end of menstruation in it. In order to begin calculations, it is necessary to collect data for at least 6 months. The effectiveness of this method is about 50−60%.

Ogino-Knaus algorithm for calculating fertile days:

Temperature method

For most women, before ovulation, basal temperature rises by 0.2−0.6 °C. Measurements should be taken in the morning, at the same time, without getting out of bed. Record the obtained indicators to track their fluctuations throughout the cycle. Provided that basal temperature is regularly monitored over several months, this method is quite informative.

Ovulation test

For some women, when ovulation approaches a number of characteristic signs appear:

• tension in the lower abdomen, weak aching pain in the ovarian area;
• increased breast sensitivity;
• bloating, cramps;
• increased sexual desire.

Such symptoms may not occur every month, so if accuracy is needed, it is recommended to use special tests. Ovulation tests can be found at the pharmacy, usually a kit containing five strips. The principle of use is similar to determining pregnancy, but the reaction occurs when luteinizing hormone is detected in the urine. You need to start the study 5-6 days before expected ovulation. Testing is carried out at the same time, 1-2 times a day. A positive result indicates a high ability to conceive, which persists throughout the day.

Observing the nature of discharge

Cervical mucus- This natural discharge from the cervix, designed to prolong the period of activity of sperm entering the genital tract. During the monthly cycle, the state of the mucus changes noticeably:

This method has a high error and is ineffective for diseases accompanied by changes in vaginal secretion.

Have you decided to become parents and are experiencing some difficulties conceiving? Do not rush to rush to extremes and run to doctors, there are some things you can do yourself, the main thing is to choose a favorable period for conceiving a child.

Firstly, you should not despair because of one or two unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant. For some couples, everything goes quite smoothly, for others, things don't go as planned. Sometimes difficulties with conception are due to physiological reasons, they can only be eliminated with the help of medicine. However, the vast majority of cases of so-called “infertility” occur among couples who were not serious about the process of conceiving, and the problem can be solved with simple remedies.

What is the fertile window?

First, a little theory. Fertility window is a now fashionable term, introduced into use by Western doctors and, in essence, means best time to conceive a child. The West has not come up with anything new in this area; our doctors have long and successfully mastered the method of determining the favorable period for conceiving a child.

We all know that to start a new life, it is necessary for a sperm to meet an egg and fertilize it. The maturation of sperm in men is a continuous process, but a woman’s eggs mature once during the menstrual cycle. The conclusion suggests itself that the best day for conception is the day of ovulation, that is, the time of release of a mature egg into the abdominal cavity.

The lifespan of an egg is no more than 24 hours, and it must be admitted that it is quite easy to miss the time of ovulation. If you only rely on that X day, your chances of getting pregnant will be pretty low. This means that the “work” should begin well in advance, a couple of days before the moment when the egg is ready for fertilization; fortunately, sperm are quite tenacious and can live quietly in a woman’s genitals for 5 days. You shouldn’t count on all 5 days, because once in the genitals, sperm must undergo the process of capacitation, that is, in other words, mature to a state where they can begin a new life; this takes 2 days. It turns out that nature allows only 3 days to conceive a child with a high degree of probability.

The fertile window is the time when the likelihood of pregnancy is greatest. Based on the above, this period includes 2-3 days before expected ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. After this period, the chances of getting pregnant quickly fade away.

How to determine your fertile window?

To determine the best time to conceive a child, you need to know the day of expected ovulation. There are several ways to determine it.

How to increase the likelihood of conception?

• To increase the likelihood of conception, it is necessary to focus on the days corresponding to the fertile window in sexual relations.

• With each sexual intercourse, the chances of getting pregnant increase.

• The use of lubricants and greases is not recommended.

• You shouldn’t get too hung up on conceiving a child, this leads to nervous tension, negatively affects the quality of a man’s reproductive cells, disrupts the peristalsis of the fallopian tubes and makes it difficult for the egg to move into the uterine cavity.

Research shows that couples who learn to recognize the best days to conceive and take into account the fertile window when conceiving a child achieve results much faster and become parents. If, despite the efforts made by the couple, pregnancy does not occur within 1 year, you should look for the reasons for the failure together with your doctor.

Content

Have you been wanting a child for a long time, but pregnancy still doesn’t happen? Perhaps you do not know what fertility is and therefore do not use all in effective ways to conceive a long-awaited baby. Understand how the female body works and how to calculate favorable days when ovulation occurs and there is every chance of getting pregnant.

Fertility in women - what is it?

This term comes from the Latin word fertilis, which means fertile. Fertility is the ability of an organism at puberty to produce offspring. You need to know that this indicator is determined not only in females, but also in males, because for conception it is necessary that both partners do not have any disruptions in reproduction. In practice, women are more likely to encounter this term and are forced to resort to various examinations and methods in order to increase their fertility and give birth to a long-awaited baby.

Fertility in men is determined by a laboratory test, during which sperm is assessed using special indicators - the Kruger index and the Farris index. To determine whether this coefficient is normal in a woman, you need to do several studies, the first of which is an ultrasound of the ovaries on the 5-6th day after menstruation. During diagnosis, the doctor sees the presence of growing follicles and gives a forecast of the likelihood of fertilization. Hormonal studies, during which the ratio of the hormones FSH and LH are determined, help show a more accurate picture of a woman’s fertility.

Fertile age

Nature has determined that people can reproduce only during a certain period of their life. If a man can perform this function from puberty until old age, then for women it is not so simple with fertilization - they can conceive and give birth only before menopause. Based on these norms of body functioning, the fertile age is considered to be the period from 15 to 49 years. Girls planning to give birth should be guided by this time frame; they should not put off this issue for too long, because at a younger age the prognosis for pregnancy and childbirth is more favorable.

Fertility days

Often girls do not know exactly when their fertile period occurs during the menstrual cycle, and do not take into account the significance of this indicator when planning a pregnancy. It is a mistake to do this, because in this case the moment when the chances of conceiving a child are maximum will be missed. It will be correct to determine fertile days and apply this information in a timely manner.

You need to know that almost every month a female reproductive cell matures in the ovary under the influence of estrogen. Approximately on the 14th day after the start of the menstrual period, ovulation occurs, the egg enters the fallopian tube, starting to move towards the uterus. She is capable of fertilization within 24 hours. Taking into account these time frames and the lifespan of sperm, the fertility window is determined - it opens 5-6 days before ovulation and closes 1-2 days after it.

How to calculate fertile days

The menstrual cycle varies in length for different girls. This fact explains why individual determination of fertile days is so important: if you correctly calculate the date of ovulation, then as a result the chances of fertilization will increase significantly. Find out which methods of calculating this period are the most effective and are often recommended by gynecologists.

How to calculate the most favorable time for fertilization using this method? The girl will need to keep a calendar of fertile days - mark in it the days of the beginning and end of menstruation, as well as the middle of the cycle, which approximately coincides with ovulation. You need to know that this method has a drawback - it will only be useful if you have a stable menstrual cycle. If, due to the influence of certain factors, this indicator is different for a woman every month, then the calendar method is ineffective in this case.

Discharge on fertile days

A woman who is attentive to her health notices that certain changes occur in her body at regular intervals. Using her powers of observation, she can sense what fertile days are like. They are characterized by a change in the nature and amount of vaginal secretion. Discharge on fertile days differs from regular topics that they are more abundant, and according to appearance it is a stretchy mucus very similar to egg white.

Why are these changes happening? In this way, the female body optimally adapts to ensure that sperm enter an environment favorable to them, and conception occurs. The fertile phase can also make itself felt by other signs: pulling pain in the lower abdomen, increased sensitivity of the breasts. Similar symptoms may occur in some gynecological diseases, so if there is an unusual change in the nature of vaginal discharge, you should definitely consult a specialist.

Basal temperature on fertile days

This method of observation is one of the most accurate for determining the most favorable moment for conception; only ovulation tests are considered more informative. If you measure the temperature in the rectum for several months and draw up a detailed schedule, based on the data obtained, you can effectively calculate the onset of ovulation.

How does basal temperature change on fertile days? On the day of ovulation, it decreases slightly, and immediately after the release of the germ cell from the follicle, it rises sharply, remaining approximately at this level until the next menstruation. Using the graph data, you can determine fertile days when fertilization of a mature egg is very likely.