Taking Charge of Your Fertility

Knowledge of a woman’s fertility is very important when she is trying to achieve a pregnancy or trying to prevent one.  The rest of her life the thought of her fertility hangs on the periphery of her consciousness.  It’s not a real concern or thought that passes through her brain.  Possibly once a month she’ll be reminded that a pregnancy is possible but unless she is actively trying to prevent one or achieve one this thought passes through quickly.

It is during those times when trying to get pregnant or prevent a pregnancy that taking charge of her fertility is important.  The first step to taking charge of your fertility is to understand your menstrual cycle.  Each menstrual cycle a woman’s body gets ready to conceive a baby.  There is a point in each month that you are more fertile than at other times.

The most fertile time of the month is the middle of the menstrual cycle.  Using several different methods you can take charge of your fertility to predict when you would be most fertile.  This way you can either avoid or have intercourse, depending upon your goals.

One of the most difficult times in a woman’s life is fighting infertility issues. The desire for a child and the inability to do what other women seem to easily achieve is heart breaking.  It seems that around every corner is a pregnant woman. Around every corner is a stroller, baby and happy mom.  You know the pictures in your head and they seem to be everywhere you look.  Trying to get pregnant?  You are sure to be invited to several baby showers to celebrate the happy event for one of your friends.

You can take charge of your fertility and decrease your stress levels using several techniques.

The first is to become well educated on the way your body works.  What are the criteria for being infertile?  What are the treatment options?  Who is evaluated first – the guy or the girl?  Knowledge will decrease your stress and increase your ability to act on your knowledge.

Knowledge doesn’t take away the emotional pain but it will decrease your feelings of being out of control. Get to know your body and the signs of fertility so you will be able to time intercourse to best assure a pregnancy.

Another aspect of taking charge of your fertility is ‘planning’ intercourse.  This is difficult.  It takes the spontaneity out of the act when you are fighting with your spouse but your temperature says you’re ready to get pregnant!

Chart your course of your fertility journey so that if you are going to have to see a specialist you’ll be fully prepared with data.  Bring with you the history of your attempts – times of the month, any temperature charts you’ve kept, history of your cycle for several months.

If you feel that you may have a problem with infertility you should know that an appointment with an infertility specialist can sometimes take months for a new patient.  Make the appointment early, find out the information they want you to bring and begin collecting data.  If you become pregnant in the meantime you can always cancel the appointment.  If you aren’t pregnant you’ll go into the first appointment with plenty of information for the doctor to first start his evaluation.

Taking charge of your fertility is more than understanding your body.  It also involves getting involved in the process – doing your own research, and having an understanding partner who is willing to go through the process with you.  This is a minor process compared with raising a child.  If your partner isn’t willing to participate now be prepared that he may very well not be prepared to participate after the blessed event.

Taking charge of your fertility is the right of every woman.  In previous generations women were expected to take the advice of her doctor and her spouse and live with it.  Today there are options and education.  Become educated so that your decisions are based on knowledge and not strictly the advice of another.