What Are The Most Fertile Days For Women?

Every woman should have an idea about when she is able to fertile or ovulating.

Knowing your fertile days can save an enormous amount of anxiety and worry and also control the risk of unwanted pregnancy.

Everyone should know the facts that there is only certain period during your monthly cycle during which you are fertile or can get pregnant. So, it is essential to know when this time is.

Everybody can clearly know when fertility is approaching and happening.

Your body gives clear clues about this. A woman is said to be fertile when ovulation happens and for some days prior to ovulation, you will observe cervical mucus.

Generally ovulation occurs during mid cycle that is precisely 14 days before the onset of bleeding. But, most of you mistaken it as the day 14 of your menstrual cycle. Typically, ovulation occurs within day 11 to day 21 of your menstrual cycle.

Sometimes, ovulation can be disturbed with various factors like travel, sickness, stress, alcohol, etc, which makes counting the period difficult.

Sometimes, ovulation can also occur during the natal lunar phase. This phase can occur at any time throughout the menstrual cycle, including before, during, and after your menstrual period.

Natal lunar fertile time varies from woman to woman. Also, this phase can be calculated based on your birth data that is “with which phase of the moon you were born under”. Here is the data, which gives you an idea on the physical and emotional symptoms that you will experience during your menstrual cycle.

Here the time frame I have mentioned is very approximate, so don’t worry if your cycle is not the same. Apart from these symptoms, if you notice any other signs and symptoms, let me know. So that I can add them to the list.

Week 1 from first day of bleeding: Along with bleeding various other symptoms that you experience will greatly vary from individual to individual.

Generally, during the post bleeding phase, you will notice an increase in your energy and vitality. Your appetite and sleep patterns become normal and you may notice absence of vaginal mucus.

Week 2: When ovulation is approaching, your vaginal mucus becomes more slippery, wet and white

Week 3 Premenstrual phase right after the ovulation: You will observe a great decrease in mucus production, and also mucus becomes drier and thicker. You mood becomes normal.

Week 4 Premenstrual Phase: This is the time to start premenstrual symptoms. That range from headaches, bloating, insomnia, food cravings, and cramps. You energy levels will greatly decrease and libido may also increase.



Is Infertility A Woman’s Problem Only?

No, infertility is not always a woman’s problem. Men and women can have similar problems that cause infertility, both are affected almost equally.

More than 1 out of 10 couples experience infertility.

It is estimated that 6.1 people throughout the United States are infertile.

Conception and bringing a pregnancy to term are both very complicated and both greatly depend upon a variety of factors.

Both of them are not only dependent on the man’s ability to produce healthy and viable sperm, but also they both depend on the woman’s ability to produce healthy eggs.

Also, they are strongly dependent on the unblocked fallopian tubes to ensure the sperm to meet the egg.

One more important fact is the ability of the sperm to penetrate and meet the egg for fertilization to occur.

Lastly, two factors that ensure a healthy conception are the ability of the fertilized egg to implant into the uterus and the ability of the embryo to develop as it is supposed to do.

One third of women’s problems are responsible for infertility, another one third is due to male problems and the remaining are due to a mixture of male and female problems or may be due to some unknown causes.

It is a myth that infertility is always a woman’s problem. About 80% of the cases with a diagnosed cause, about half are due to male problems, such as azoospermia, a condition that produces no sperm, oligospermia, a condition that causes low sperm count, increased testicular abnormalities, and a decreased reach of climax.

For women, the most common causes of infertility include endometriosis, tubal blockages, and waiting until later in life to try to get pregnant.

An estimated 20 percent of infertility cases are connected to unknown causes. Regardless of where the source of infertility lies, this is a problem that negatively impacts both partners.



How To Test Male Infertility?

Male infertility testing is simple and routine one. Approximately 50% of infertility cases are due to male infertility.

In order to determine the male infertility factor, testing is very essential.

Semen analysis is the most common procedure used to determine male infertility factor.

Your sperm is collected into a specimen jar and tested under a microscope to evaluate the shape, count, mobility and appearance.

While evaluating the sperm count, your technician checks whether your sperm concentration is above or below 20 million sperm cells per milliliter of ejaculation fluid.

If the test results in low sperm count, then the specialist recommends for testing blood testosterone levels, LH, FSH and prolactin levels.

Sometimes, urine analysis is recommended for testing white blood cells that indicate an infection. If the specialist finds sperm in the urine, then it is a problem with your ejaculation and is known as retrograde ejaculation.

If all the above tests analysis is normal, then your specialist recommends tests for your partner before considering further evaluation of the man.

Here are some infertility tests with a brief description:

Hemizona assay: This laboratory test includes cutting a non-usable human egg into half. The aim of this procedure is to observe whether the sperm can enter into the outermost protecting layer of the egg.

Testicular biopsy: In this test, a piece of tissue is taken from the tubules in your testes and is tested to find out whether you are producing healthy sperm or not.

Ultrasonography: This test is used to find any damages or blockages in your reproductive tract, including seminal vesicles, ejaculatory ducts and prostate.

Sperm agglutination: This laboratory test helps to find whether the sperm are clumping together or not. Clumping stops the sperm from flowing the cervical mucus.

Acrosome recreation: It helps to determine whether the sperm heads can undergo through the chemical changes that are essential to dissolve an egg’s tough outer shell.

Vasography: It is an X-ray exam used to determine any blockages or leakages in the vas deferens.

Sperm penetration assay: It uses hamster eggs in order to assess your sperm ability to penetrate into the egg. But, it is a rarely used procedure.

Hypo-osmotic swelling: It uses a special type of salt and sugar solution to detect your sperm’s tail and its ability to penetrate into the egg. The healthy sperm’s tails gently swell in the solution, while abnormal or dead sperm can’t swell.



Benefits Of Testicular Self-Examination!

Testicular self-examination (TSE) is one of the best ways to maintain good sexual health. No need of doctor’s consultation, you can test the testicles at your home only. Testicular self-examination helps to find any unusual lumps or bumps, which can be an indication of testicular cancer.

TSE is a risk-free and pain-free way to check your testes for potential cancers and various other problems.

Testicular cancer is the most common solid tumor found in men between the ages of 20-34 years. If the condition is detected and treated in early stages, it is almost 100% curable. If undetected, it can spread to the lungs and lymph nodes.

Usually, the tumors are detected on one side, but 2-3% of men can get them on both the sides. So, it is essential to do a testicular self-examination every month. It makes you to become familiar with the normal size and shape of your testicles. Then you can easily identify when you feel something different or abnormal.

How to perform testicular self-examination?

• You can do TSE during morning or night after having hot shower. After having the bath, the scrotum is most relaxed, so that it will be easier for you to examine the testicles.


• It is best to examine one testicle at a time. With the help of your hands, gently roll the testicle between the fingers. Keep the thumbs on top of the testicle and then rotate it between the fingers.


• During the process, you can feel the epididymis, which is the sperm carrying tube. It feels like soft, tender and a rope like structure. You can locate the epididymis at the top of the back part of each testicle. Remember that it is a normal lump.


• You should know the fact that one testicle is larger than the other. But it is not for all men and this is also normal.


• While examining the testicles, observe any lumps or bumps along the sides or front. Lumps can be as small as a piece of rice or pea.


• If you notice lumps, swelling or any variations in the color or size of your testicles, or any pain in groin area, then immediately consult your doctor.

During the testicular self-examination, observe any of the below mentioned symptoms because they indicate testicular cancer.

• Change in the consistency of the testicles


• Heavy feeling in your testes


• Tenderness or swelling of the breast


• Pain in your testicles


• Lump in the testicles


• Testicle enlargement


• Hardening, swelling or painful inguinal lymph nodes
  

Laparoscopy To Determine The Infertility Cause!

Laparoscopy is the procedure that evaluates the condition outside of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Laparoscopy procedure checks for the existence or absence of adhesions, scar tissue, endometriosis, fibroid tumors and various other conditions that lead to infertility.

How is laparoscopy beneficial for infertile women?

If any of the above mentioned conditions are recognized, then they can be corrected with operative laparoscopy.

This procedure includes inserting instruments through the ports in the scope and through additional, narrow (5 mm) ports, which are placed at the top of the pubic hair line in the lower abdomen.

Usually this procedure is performed by a reproductive specialist as a surgical treatment. It is performed during diagnostic evaluation. This may reduce or eliminate the need for secondary laparoscopy. Endometriosis or adhesions if present can be treated during the procedure only.

The entire laparoscopic treatment takes about an hour and the patients are released from the hospital within three to four hours after the surgery.

When is laparoscopy performed?

If your doctor suspects any cause of infertility, then this procedure is suggested. Normally, laparoscopy is performed only after undergoing other infertility tests. If you have pelvic pain, which is a major symptom of PID or endometriosis, then laparoscopy is performed to determine the cause of pain. Sometimes, laparoscopy surgery can also be performed in cases of ectopic pregnancy.

How is laparoscopy performed?

Usually it is done in a hospital under anesthesia. Well before the surgery, your doctor will tell you about the surgery. The surgery needs you to not to eat or drink for about 8 hours before undergoing the surgery. You are suggested to take antibiotics before the surgery.

After administering the anesthesia, a small cut is made around your belly button. A needle is inserted through the cut to fill carbon dioxide gas in your abdomen. It allows your doctor to observe the inner organs and move the surgical instruments.

After introducing carbon dioxide gas, laparoscope is inserted through the cut to observe the pelvic organs.

How will I feel during and after the surgery?

During the procedure, you won’t feel any pain as you are under the effects of anesthesia. After completing the procedure, you will experience sore throat, which is caused by a tube inserted at that area for free breathing during the surgery.

You may feel sore at the area of surgery and you feel tender abdomen, particularly when your doctor removes lot of scar tissues. Bloating and sharp pains at your shoulder, but it goes away in few days.