Tracking Your Fertility

The menstrual cycle begins every month on the first day of menstruation and generally lasts 28 days. Ovulation generally occurs on or around the 14th day of the cycle. It is important to remember, however, that many women have cycles that are very different from this pattern.

How it Works

Tracking Ovulation - Normally, ovulation occurs once every month. Thousands of eggs, which are present at the time a woman is born, are stored in the ovaries. An egg is released from one of the ovaries where it then travels down through the fallopian tubes (the passage between the ovary and the uterus) and into the uterus.

Conception occurs when a sperm breaks through the thick barrier of the egg cell. This generally happens while the egg is in one of the fallopian tubes.

Once inside the uterus, the egg attaches itself to the uterine wall. Pregnancy has been achieved.

If the egg is not fertilized by sperm, the endometrium (the lining of the uterus) is shed, which rids the egg and creates a clean environment for the next ovulation cycle. This process is the menstrual period.

Conception

For conception to occur, there must be three factors working together: sperm, an egg and cervical mucus.

Sperm is abundant; a man produces millions of sperm each day. A man is designed to always be fertile.

A woman, on the other hand, is only fertile a few days out of each cycle. A woman is infertile more often than she is fertile.

Therefore, timing the joining of sperm and egg is critical.

During sex, the sperm are ejected into the vagina - which is a very hostile place for sperm to be. As they travel towards the uterus, they must first pass through the neck-like opening called the cervix. A few days after ovulation and for most of the cycle, the cervix is closed and sealed by a protective, thick mucus. This mucus protects the uterus from infection and prevents sperm from entering.

Right before ovulation, however, the mucus changes into a thinner, slicker consistency and becomes beneficial to sperm. Not only does it act as the perfect lubricant for the vagina, but it also provides an environment where sperm can easily travel through the cervix and into the uterus. Before entering the uterus, the mucus "feeds" the sperm, nourishing the cells so that they are stronger, while filtering out the abnormal cells. The number of sperm dwindles before reaching the fallopian tubes; only the strongest will make it. They continue to travel up through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, where the egg is traveling down.

Once the egg is fertilized, cells immediately begin to divide, and the fertilized egg then continues down the fallopian tube. It embeds itself into the endometrium where it is nourished and protected.

Tracking Mucus Changes

These mucus changes are generally noticeable to a woman during normal visits to the bathroom. A few days before ovulation, you may notice the mucus when using toilet paper. The first phase of the mucus is generally white and sticky. It can be stretched from thumb to middle finger easily. After a few days, the mucus becomes wetter and more abundant. Most women report that the mucus is very slippery. It is right around these slippery mucus days that ovulation should occur.

For couples who have had continued trouble conceiving, it is especially important to track mucus changes, as some women are only fertile for a few hours of one day in the cycle.

Mucus changes are recorded on a special chart and previous cycles are used as guides.

This method of tracking mucus changes was introduced in the 1960s and is commonly referred to as the Billings Ovulation Method. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that in five different countries, 91 percent of women who were taught how to track their mucus changes for only one cycle were rated as having a good or excellent understanding of the method.

Tracking the Basal Body Temperature

Upon awakening, the body is in a "basal state."

Taking your temperature with a special thermometer each morning at the same time gives you your basal body temperature. Like the ovulation tracking method, changes in the body are recorded on a chart, in hopes to predict ovulation. But, unlike the ovulation method, the changes are recorded on a daily basis throughout the cycle and past charts are studied for prediction more seriously because ovulation is not apparent on the chart until after it has occurred.

So, when taking your temperature for the first cycle, the reading will remain about the same (with no large changes) for the first weeks of the cycle and through ovulation. It is after ovulation has already occurred that the temperature reading will rise. This is due to the progesterone that is released. This higher temperature remains until menstruation begins.

After charting a few cycles, a couple may begin to notice a very scheduled pattern. Ovulation can then be predicted.

Using the Methods Together

Commonly called the "Sympto-thermal" method, using both the basal body temperature tracking method and the ovulation tracking method together can increase the awareness of fertility.

Also, there are other symptoms some women have noticed during their cycle that help them understand which days are the most fertile days.

a mid-cycle abdominal discomfort (called mittelschmerz) localized on one side of the lower pelvic region can alert a woman that an egg is being released or will be released very soon

Charting both temperature changes and mucus changes may seem daunting, but can greatly improve your chances of conception. It can help both you and your partner become more aware of fertility changes that might affect your mood or sexual appetite.

Many couples will use these methods to avoid pregnancy once they have had a child.

In the end, working together to understand fertility on such an intimate level may be the best way to strengthen the relationship and prepare for parenthood.

Talk to your gynecologist about your interest in learning fertility tracking methods like those mentioned in this article. Some doctors have sample charts and basal thermometers and will explain the method in more detail.

Using these methods based on information in this article alone is not recommended.

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The Billings Method
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Tracking Your Fertility - Just the basics