 TTC Articles
Charting
Ovulation to Pregnancy
An
advanced introduction - from BBT to EWCM
One the first questions
a couple will ask themselves when the decide to start a family is, "How
long will it take to conceive"? It's a good question - and most couples
are surprised to learn that, on average, conceiving a baby takes longer than
they originally anticipated. Instead of a cycle or two, it may take several
months to over a year to conceive, particularly after using contraception or
birth control pills (which can knock the reproductive hormones out of phase
for a while). And as couples today tend to start families a little later in
life than previous generations, age is a factor as the older we start to TTC
(trying to conceive), the longer it may take.
Doctor Facts: Looking at statistics,
50% of TTC couples will conceive within six months of actively trying and more
than 4/5ths will fall pregnant within 12 months. Of course, there are methods
to increase your odds, and our articles section deals with these methods in
detail: The key is to time lovemaking during your most fertile time of the month
- right before you ovulate. If you know - or can predict - when you ovulate
every month, then you should be able to get pregnant much sooner than the "random"
procreative sex method. The former is called "timing intercourse"
and it is based on several concerted strategies that fall under the rubric of
fertility
charting. Learning about your body, experiencing the nuances of your unique
cycle, feeling or observing the symptoms of fertility and ovulation - that's
the exciting and dynamic path to becoming pregnant and starting your pregnancy
off in a healthy, conscious way.
Once you decide you want
to have a baby, seriously consider starting a fertility chart. Of course, charting
is just one star in the constellation of preconception, and you will also need
to ensure that a sound diet, a healthy lifestyle, prenatals with folic acid,
exercise, proper weight, a good doctor, and the elimination of all bad habits
like smoking and drinking (this goes for the guys as well) are included as variables
to improve fertility.
Charting
for Ovulation
A quick educational review: The lynchpin
of any fertility chart is your bbt calendar (or basal body temperature chart).
Basal means the "resting" temperature of your body after a good night
of sleep and before you even start moving. Don't leave your bed. The point of
fertility charting with a basal thermometer is to find out the moment a hormone
change takes place in your body (a rise of progesterone and fall of estrogen).
Progesterone causes the body temperatures to increase by a minimum of two-tenths
of a degree Fahrenheit - and this bbt temp increases within a day or two after
ovulation. This elevated basal temperature will typically hold steady until
right before day 1 of your next menstrual cycle. If the temp does not drop,
take a pregnancy test! When drawing your ovulation calendar (bbt chart), you
should have an almost evenly divided biphasic graph: the first phase is your
follicular/ovulatory cycle (the first 14 plus days of your cycle) and the second
phase comes after ovulation - the luteal or post-ovulatory phase. Plot temperatures
daily and you should see a surge in temperature at the midpoint of your cycle.
Your ovulation date takes place right before this surge. Looking for patterns
on each month's graph will help you predict ovulation.
BBT charting is important
for several different aspects: As noted above, maintaining a bbt graph as part
of your overall charting helps you understand when (and if) you ovulated. It
also allows you determine the length of your menstrual cycle and know if you
timed lovemaking properly. If bbt temps are erratic or you do not see a spike,
charting can also let you know that there may be fertility or health issues
to check on. For example, LPD - or luteal phase defect - is a shortened second
half of your cycle (which may indicate a deficiency in progesterone or hormonal
imbalance). Such imbalances can be obstacles to pregnancy, so charting your
bbts will let you know if your luteal phase is too short. If you are taking
a supplement of fertility medication, charting will also inform you about any
positive changes in your cycle (for example, before or after starting clomid
or a fertility supplement). There's much to be discerned from charting your
bbts!
BBT and Ovulation
Symptoms: EWCM
Finally, as part of your
fertility chart, you will likely be examining other fertility signs or taking
ovulation predictor tests: If so, you can compare your bbt graph with other
ovulation and fertility factors like fertile mucous, ovulation pains, opks,
etc. In the days before you temperature rise, you should experience changes
in your cervical mucous - or CM. When the CM becomes clear or translucent, stretchy
(not sticky) like egg-white (hence the acronym EWCM - egg white cervical mucus)
and your cervix is open, moist, and higher than during the rest of your cycle,
you know that ovulation is in the works! Expect your mid-cycle temperature rise
and ovulation to take place.
Following ovulation - and
the flood of progesterone into your system - the CM will again become tacky,
dry, or absent and the cervix will close up and drop. You should start to see
these changes a few days after the bbt temp line shoots up. It's also possible,
if there is no drop in temp, to learn of an early pregnancy symptom if the your
bbts stay elevated after a missed period.
To start charting, simply
find a quality basal thermometer. Start on day one of your cycle - the first
day of menstrual bleeding. Chart daily at the same time every day - and measure
your bbt temp first thing, before moving, before rising from bed. For more information
and faq's on bbt
charting, click here.
If you are using an ovulation microscope, then ensure that you do your bbt first
- then collect your morning saliva sample for the saliva test.
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Predicting Ovulation
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