PARENTHOOD.IE

When trying to get pregnant one of the best things you can do is to get to know your body better. As the chances of conception are small at the best of times, knowing and timing the fertile days will increase your chances.

Charting your fertile and menstrual cycle is a long process that will take several months, but it will give you will eventually see a pattern and you will be more in tune with how your body works. The key is to know when is ovulation, to understand the signs and changes in your body that flag the peak in fertility.

Basal Body Temperature

The hormonal changes just before and during ovulation rise your basal body temperature (BBT) slightly. BBT is the temperature you have when you wake in the morning, before getting up, drinking or sleeping. This is when your temperature is at its lowest.

To chart you BBT you will need a digital and very sensitive thermometer that can track changes of 0.05 centigrade or 0.1 Fahrenheit. You will need to check your temperature at the same time every morning, with the same thermometer and in the same place, generally in the mouth. Start charting your temperature on day one of your period, which is the day menstruation begins.

Any changes in the routine of checking your temperature can give you an inaccurate result. Illness, painkillers, drinking alcohol, sleeping in, will all affect your results.

BBT is not an exact science and it will take months before you can see a pattern in the changes. Once you understand the pattern, it will help you determine what days in your menstrual cycle are your fertile days.

Cervical Mucus

The hormonal changes of your menstrual cycle change the texture of the cervical mucus, which also are the vaginal discharge you have. Again this is a method that you will learn over a few months, understanding the changes that occur at different times of the cycle.

For accuracy you can insert your finger into your vagina and take a sample as close to your cervix as you can. You can also wipe the entrance of your vagina with toilet paper, somewhat less reliable. Do not insert any toilet paper into your vagina.

Once you have a sticky discharge, you take some between your fingers and pull apart. The stretchiness of the discharge will determine how fertile you are.

There are three stages of Cervical Mucus:

• Before and after ovulation – there is little or no mucus visible, discharge is sticky and does not stretch.

• Approaching ovulation – discharge can be moist or slightly sticky, cream or white coloured. Will stretch for about one centimetre.

• During ovulation – there is plenty of discharge; it is clear, slippery, thin and similar to egg whites. It will stretch several centimetres. This is the most important stage to take not off.

If you are having trouble monitoring your cervical mucus because of a low amount of discharge it could be related to hormonal imbalances, medication, lack of ovulation and age. After 35 the body does not produce as much cervical mucus, making it harder to conceive.

Ovulation prediction kits (OPK)

Using an ovulation prediction kit is probably the easiest way to pinpoint your ovulation and fertile days. They are divided into two sorts, saliva or urine based tests.

The urine based OPK works as a pregnancy test. Try to test your urine at the same time every day, avoid drinking too much liquid before the test as it dilutes the urine. The test reads the levels of the Luteinising hormone (LH), which surge a day or two before ovulation and increases dramatically. This is the hormone that causes the follicle to release a mature egg, ovulation. Once the LH surge has been established, the fertile egg will be releases within 24-48 hours.

The instructions of saliva based OPK can be slightly daunting as you will check the rising levels of the oestrogen hormone. The hormone dries on the OPK into a fern-like pattern, which you will check with small microscope, which is included in the test. You test the saliva in your mouth, by licking the test or placing saliva on it. The test has a guideline on what time of the day you are most likely to get the most accurate results; it will usually be in the morning before you eat or drink. You will also get instructions on what to look for with the microscope. Once you have established fertility, in the next 24-48 hours you have the best chance of getting pregnant.

The tests can be bought in your local chemist or online.