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Q: I had surgery on my thyroid last year and I am taking thyroid medication now for a low thyroid (hypothyroidism). However, my cycles last longer than 45 days and are very irregular. Could the hypothyroidism be a cause of my ovulation problems?   A: Hypothyroidism is one of the major causes of ovulation problems. Your doctor...

Q: My doctor suggested that I take Clomid even though I am ovulating regularly. What advantage does Clomid offer?   A: Some doctors like to suggest Clomid to certain women because Clomid seems to improve both the quality of the egg as well as the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone after ovulation. This may improve your...

Q: We have been trying to get pregnant for 3 months now and about a week before I was due for my period I started spotting lightly. It only lasted a few days, and happened again a week later. A few days after that I started bleeding heavily and started passing big clots, as well as having cramping that was so bad I was almost...

Q: Is there a way to make a boy? A: Sperm are either X-carrying or Y-carrying, while the egg is always X-carrying. If an X-carrying sperm fertilizes the egg, it's going to be a girl, if a Y-carrying sperm fertilizes the egg, it's going to be a boy. Thus, the baby's sex is determined by which sperm gets to the egg first. Some...

When does a pregnancy begin Q:When does pregnancy begin? A: A pregnancy usually begins when a sperm fertilizes an egg (fertilization), and the egg subsequently implants in the uterus (conception or implantation). The beginning of the pregnancy is usually calculated as starting from the first day of your last menstrual...

Q: What are the signs and symptoms of premature labor?   A: A delivery before 37 weeks is considered "premature". Anytime you have certain symptoms there is a possibility that you may have premature labor and you should let your doctor know about it right away. Premature delivery is responsible for over 75% of all neonatal...

One of the most important reasons for prenatal visits and for doing an ultrasound examination is to estimate the fetal size of your baby. If the fetus is too small, there may be a problem with the placenta or with the fetus. If it's too big, the mother could have gestational diabetes. Traditionally, doctors or midwives estimate...

Q: I am 8 weeks pregnant and my blood tested positive for toxoplasmosis. What does this mean?   A: The initial test for toxoplamosis is an antibody test for IgG. Among American women of childbearing age, 40-50% carry IgG antibodies against the parasite because they've been exposed to it in the past. Testing positive for the IgG...

Chicken pox or varicella is usually worse in adults who didn't have chicken pox as children. It's even worse in pregnant women because it puts them at high risk of developing life-threatening pneumonia. The varicella virus is usually transmitted by close contact from one person to another, but it can also travel through the air...

A nonstress test (NST) is a test done during the last three to four months of pregnancy in certain high-risk situations, usually to evaluate the fetus' health. The NST is an "external" test, which means no invasive procedures are necessary to perform the test. It can be done in the doctor's office, a hospital, or a fetal-...

Q: My partner had an abnormal sperm count and we are desperate. Does that mean we will never get pregnant? A: A normal semen analysis or sperm count is a finding that reliably shows there's no problem with the male's fertility. But a single abnormal sperm count doesn't necessarily mean that there is anything wrong. First, you...

What are the explanations for an abnormal sperm count? Here is the Abnormal Sperm Glossary: Aspermia: No semen volume Asthenozoospermia:Sperm motility is <40% Azoospermia: No sperms in the semen Globozoospermia : Round headed sperm without acrosome Hematospermia: Red blood cells present in semen Hyperspermia: Semen...

A sperm count, also known as a semen analysis, is a test of a man's ejaculate to check for problems that may contribute to infertility. Normal findings vary from one laboratory to the other. Semen analysis measures the amount and quality of a man's semen and sperm. Semen is the thick, white fluid released during ejaculation...

Q; When does the cervical mucus indicate high fertility? A: You are in your most fertile time when the mucus has this "egg white" consistency, which allows sperm to pass easily from the vagina into the uterus. After ovulation, the cervical mucus again becomes dry until your menses (period) begins.

Q: What can cause a miscarriage at 6 weeks? A: Over 60% of early miscarriages are due to chromosomal anomalies in the embryo. An early miscarriage is one that occurs between 6 and 12 weeks of pregnancy, or in the first trimester of pregnancy. Keep in mind, that there is nothing anyone could have done to prevent this. Here are...

The menstrual cycle is divided into two parts or phases: The phase before ovulation is called follicular phase and the phase after ovulation is called luteal phase. The Follicular Phase: This is the part of the menstrual cycle between menstruation and ovulation. It ends at the time of ovulation. It is named "Follicular Phase"...

  The corpus luteum (yellow body in latin)  is the small structure in the ovary from which the egg emerges during ovulation. After ovulation, it normally produces progesterone to support implantation of the fertilized egg and maintain pregnancy until about the 10th or 11th week. Without pregnancy, the corpus luteum phase lasts...

What is infertility? The American Society for Reproductive Medicine defines infertility as "the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse." They suggest that "couples in which the female partner is under the age of 35 and who have not conceived after one year of unprotected intercourse should seek the help...

Medications fall into certain categories which signify how harmful a drug might be during pregnancy. Drugs are categorized into categories A, B, C, D, or X. Category A: Adequate studies in pregnant women have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus in the first trimester, and there is no evidence of risk in later trimesters. The...

  Traveling during pregnancy is safe as long as you take certain precautions. When commercial air flights began there were concerns about air-pressure changes inside the cabins and exposure to radiation at high altitudes. Nowadays, cabin pressure in commercial airplanes doesn't change that much, and exposure to radiation is...

Q: I had preeclampsia (toxemia) in my last pregnancy. What are the odds of getting it again? A: The risk of recurrence increases if preeclampsia was diagnosed early in pregnancy and if the woman has had preeclampsia in two previous pregnancies. Women with chronic hypertension, for example, have a 70% risk of recurring...

Q: He comes too fast, what can we do? A: Premature ejaculation (PE) is also known as rapid ejaculation, premature climax, early ejaculation, or by the Latin term ejaculatio praecox. Premature ejaculation is a very common sexual problem in men, affecting 25%-40% of men and is characterized by a lack of voluntary control over...

Q: The last miscarriage I had was immediately following a hard bowel movement. Now I am wondering if pushing so hard during my bowel movements could cause a miscarriage. A: Pushing too hard is unlikely to cause a miscarriage as most miscarriages happen because of chromosome problems. Read More:What Causes A Miscarriage At Six...

Q: Will there be a problem after I stop the pill? A: Your irregular menstrual cycles were probably due to anovulation (no ovulation). While on the pill you menstruate regularly, but it's not due to ovulation. The pill does not really treat the underlying problem of anovulation, so there is a chance that you will have similar...

Having sexual intercourse after ovulation will not get you pregnant, so if you make love two to three times a week every week of your cycle, you can be pretty sure that you won't miss ovulation. Ovulation usually occurs 32 hours or so after the initial LH surge, but if you wait to have sex after the LH surges, you may miss...

Q: I have yellow discharge, what does that mean?   A: Many women have some form of vaginal discharge, so in an of itself it's nothing unusual. Normal discharge may appear clear, cloudy white, and/or yellowish when dry on clothing. It may also contain white flecks and at times may be thin and stringy. A normal discharge usually...

Polycyctic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a medical condition that's responsible for about 70% of cases of anovulation (not ovulating). How is PCOS treated. If you want to get pregnant: Ovulation-inducing medications such as Clomid or LH/FSH or FSH-only injectibles. Insulin-lowering medication. IVF may improve your chances of...

Q: How can you diagnose if I have PCOS?   A: There is no quick, single test to identify PCO or PCOS. And not all women have the typical symptoms of PCOS such as amenorrhea and anovulation, infertility, obesity, hirsutism, and polycystic ovaries. The accurate diagnosis of PCOS depends on the experienced skills of the clinician,...

Q: What are my chances of twins when I take Clomid? A: Over 90% of Clomid-induced pregnancies result in single deliveries. Less than 10% of Clomid-induced pregnancies result in the delivery of multiples, and nearly all are twins. Read More:Clomid Ovulation CalculatorGuide To Infertility: Why Can't We Get Pregnant?Quiz: Is Your...

Q: How many women ovulate on Clomiphene? A: If you get clomiphene because you did not ovulate before, pregnancy rates are very high, as much as about 30% per cycle for the first three cycles. If you get Clomiphene even though you normally ovulate, pregnancy rates are lower, and depend on other factors, mostly your age, other...

Q: I had an hCG human chorionic gonadotropin shot or injection to help me with ovulation. What will happen to the pregnancy test after my hCG injection? A: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced by the placenta, but it is also made in a laboratory and given as an injection to help with certain fertility...

You're disappointed. You have a late period, negative pregnancy test. But you may want to look at the reasons behind the negative test. There are two reasons for having a negative pregnancy test and missing your period: You did not ovulate anovulation or you did too early pregnancy testing. When you miss your period you have '...

Q: Could I get pregnant if he never inserts the penis into my vagina, but ejaculates outside on my panties and they get wet? A: It's very unlikely that you will get pregnant if he does not insert his penis into your vagina. However, it takes only one sperm to get you pregnant. So, if any of the ejaculate comes even close to...

Q: I ovulated 11 days ago and I started spotting today. Could that indicate that I am pregnant? A: The earliest sign of pregnany is when you miss your period. Before missing your period it's really impossible to diagnose a pregnancy. Many women report some symptoms even before they miss their period, but those are not...

Q: When can the embryo first be seen on ultrasound? A: The embryo should first be seen on the ultrasound on or around cycle days 40-42, about 26-28 days after ovulation/fertilization (5w4d – 6w0d). Read More:Implantation Signs and SymptomsEarly Signs You May Be PregnantOnline Pregnancy Test

The following are ways to detect ovulation with some certainty, in order of decreased probability: A typical temperature rise on the BBT chart. An endometrial biopsy that shows typical changes 7-10 days after ovulation. An elevated blood progesterone level about 7-10 days after ovulation. Seeing on ultrasound a follicle that...