What Affects BBT?

Q: Which factors other than fertility affect the BBT?   A: Several factors other than fertility can affect the BBT. These factors include: Using a new thermometer in the same cycle. Emotional excitement.  Sex shortly before taking the temperature. If you have a fever.  Drinking alcohol the previous night.  Taking BBT after...

How Do Orgasms Affect Pregnancy?

The word orgasm originates from the Greek language. It means that there is swelling.   In a woman, an orgasm is preceded by enlargement of the clitoris and wettening of the vaginal walls. The pelvic muscles, vagina, and uterus have rhythmic contractions. Studies have shown that having an orgasm during pregnancy has no adverse...

Masturbation During Pregnancy

Q: Can I masturbate while I am pregnant? A: If you are at high risk for preterm labor or if you have other complications such as a placenta previa you may want to discuss this with your doctor, just to make sure. Otherwise, it is completely safe to masturbate while pregnant. Read More:How Long Does Sperm Survive?How to Increase...

Lubricants and Trying To Get Pregnant

What lubricants are good for TTC? Up to 50% of couples report problems with proper lubrication. When you are trying to get pregnant, every single sperm counts and you don't want to do anything that impairs the sperm count and/or function. Saliva is not a sperm-friendly medium, nor is water. Anything petroleum-based, such as...

BBT up 18 Days negative Pregnancy test

Q: My BBT is up for 18 days but my pregnancy test was negative today. What does this mean?   A: Sometimes it takes longer for your hCG to reach levels high enough to trigger a positive urine test and you may want to check again in 2-3 days. And sometimes there is an abnormal pregnancy with lower hCG values. If you were on...

Clomiphene and BBT

Q: Are BBTs accurate with clomiphene?   A: Clomid often causes elevated BBTs around the time of taking the medication, and it appears to be more common to have a triphasic BBT without pregnancy. It is also more common to have a long luteal phase without pregnancy. If you want to check for ovulation while on Clomid, you may want...

BBT Thermometer

Q: Is it necessary to use a special thermometer for BBT?   A: A regular fever thermometer will do, but a special BBT thermometer is usually more reliable and more accurate. Many regular glass thermometers are only accurate to 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit, but you really need it to be accurate to 0.1 degrees. Digital or glass? The...

Late Ovulation

Q: How late in the cycle is ovulation possible?   A: If you regularly have long cycles, that may indicate a problem and reduces opportunities to get pregnant. Your uterine lining needs to be ready to accept the fertilized egg, and a long cycle prior to ovulation might make the lining less receptive. If you have long cycles on a...

Erratic BBT curve

Q: What should I do if my BBT temperatures are all over the place?   A: Try taking the BBTs more consistently and make sure you sleep regularly. If you take the BBTs orally and you sleep with your mouth open you may get these strange temperatures. If being more consistent, or switching to taking your BBTs vaginally or rectally...
Q:  When is ovulation and BBT rise after a positive OPK? A: Your first OPK indicates a rise in the LH hormone, which is followed soon after by ovulation, which is triggered by that LH rise. It is essential that this is the first positive OPK. This means you must have a negative OPK followed by a positive OPK. Just having one...

High BBT

Q: What does it mean if my BBTs are higher than average? A: High BBT may sometimes be a sign of higher-than-normal thyroid hormone production (hyperthyroidism) which can cause some fertility and pregnancy problems. Read More:Low BBT TemperatureOvulationBiphasic Curve

What Does Low BBT Mean?

Q: What does it mean if my basal body temperatures (BBT) are lower than average? A: If your temperatures are lower than normal and you are not ovulating, that may be a sign of low thyroid hormone production (hypothyroid), which can cause some fertility and pregnancy problems. An abnormal thyroid function before and during...

What Is The Average BBT Basal Body Temperature?

The average range of basal body temperatures is between 97.7-98.2 Fahrenheit, but normal temperatures may be different from one woman to another. Q: What Is The Average BBT Basal Body Temperature? A: Ideally, a woman’s temperature will not change more than 0.5 degrees in the follicular phase, it will go up at least 0.2 degrees...

Can The BBT Temperature Curve Determine Pregnancy?

The only way to diagnose a pregnancy is with a positive pregnancy test. Everything else is pure speculation. However, the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) curve can be helpful. The BBT curve is used to look retrospectively at the day you ovulated. Typically, the temperature rises within 1-2 days after ovulation and stays elevated...

Getting Pregnant While On The Pill

Q: What are the chances of getting pregnant when taking the combined pill? A: If you take the combined pill correctly, your chances of getting pregnant are much less than 1%. However, if you miss the pill, there is a higher chance of getting pregnant. Read More:When Is Your Fertility Window?Ovulation Calendar Early Pregnancy...

Myths About Contraception and Birth Control

Preconceptions and myths about contraception are frequent. You can’t get pregnant while on the pill : False  You need to wait 3 months after stopping the pill before you can start trying to get pregnant: False  You should not get pregnant for 3 months after the IUD has been taken out: False Ovulation returns as soon as you...

HPV During Pregnancy

HPV during pregnancy has not been connected with pregnancy complications such as miscarriage or premature labor. Genital warts can proliferate and become friable during pregnancy; due to the altered immunity as well as increased blood supply HPV types 6 and 11 can, rarely, cause papillomatosis in infants and children. The route...

Obesity Guidelines

First federal obesity guidelines released on 6/17/1998 A: The first federal guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults were released in 1998 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and...

When to See the Doctor After the Pill

Q: I haven't had my period since I stopped the pill four months ago, should I see a doctor? A: If your menstrual period doesn't return, or if it continues to remain very irregular for several months, that may be a sign that you haven't started ovulating regularly yet. "Post-pill amenorrhea," the absence of a menstrual period...

After the Pill

Q: When can I get pregnant, and when should we have sex after the pill?  A: As soon as you stop the pill, it's safe getting pregnant. It could take between 2 weeks and several months after stopping the pill for ovulation and fertility to return. You might want to have sex regularly, once a day or every other day or so, around...

No Period After the Pill (Post-Pill Amenorrhea)

Q: I stopped the pill three months ago and my period hasn't come yet. What does this mean? Usually, your regular menstrual period comes because you have ovulated and menstrual bleeding results from a decrease in natural hormone levels about 14 days after the ovulation, if you're not pregnant. While you take the pill (oral...

Is an Orgasm Necessary to Get Pregnant?

Q: Do I need to have an orgasm to get pregnant? A: A woman does not have to have an orgasm to get pregnant as attested by many women who became pregnant without an orgasm. And even men do not have to have a full orgasm to get her pregnant because he can ejaculate sperms into her vagina even before he has an orgasm (pre-...

Sex During Menstrual Period

Q: Can I get pregnant if I have sex during my menstrual period? A: Ovulation and fertilization does not usually happen until after your bleeding and your menstrual period end. But you can get pregnant if you have unprotected sex during your menstrual period because sperm can survive for up to 5-6 days, and if you ovulate within...

Ovulation Timing

Q: Do I ovulate each month? A: If you have a regular cycle lasting between 21 and 35 days that does not change by more than 2-3 days from month to month, chances are that you ovulate regularly. If your menstrual cycles are irregular you are less likely to ovulate on a regular basis. Read More:Due Date CalculatorOvulation...

What are the Odds of Conceiving and Having a Baby?

Your chances of getting pregnant each month depend on many factors such as your age, your weight, and how long you have been trying to get pregnant. From a statistical perspective, it takes, on the average, four months to get pregnant. Take our interactive Pregnancy Chance calculator to determine your chances getting pregnant...

When Is The First Day of The Menstrual Cycle?

The first day of the menstrual cycle is also the first day of your menstrual period and that is the very first day you observe bright red blood. Brown spotting is not considered a menstrual period. [bmed_ad]Your menstrual cycle (the time between the the first day of your menstrual period and the first day of your next menstrual...

Can Changes in Your Cervix Diagnose Pregnancy?

How is my cervix related to my fertility? Checking your cervix is part of testing your fertility. Typical cervical changes such as softening and opening are associated with impending ovulation but there are no early changes of the cervix in pregnancy. [mc3-2] Can checking my cervix tell me if I am pregnant? You cannot determine...

28-Day Cycle And Ovulation

Q: My cycle is 28 days, when do I ovulate? A: If your average cycle lasts 28 days, then you likely ovulate around cycle day 14 plus/minus 2 days (14 days from the first day of your menses -- 28 minus 14). If you don't know the exact date of ovulation, then use our ovulation calculator to the approximate first day of your last...

Fertility during Menstrual Cycle

Q: For how many days in my menstrual cycle can I get pregnant? A: Previously, people believed that you had three to four days before and three to four days after ovulation to get pregnant. That is now considered incorrect. [bmed_ad_r]Recent studies have shown that you can only get prenant when making love on your fertile days,...

Length of Bleeding

Q: Does the length of my menses (bleeding) have an effect on my menstrual cycle? A: You should always keep track of the length of your menses (monthly bleeding). To calculate the day of ovulation, the length of your menses is not as important as the regularity and length of your cycle. Read More:Why Is My Period Late?Can Stress...

Could I Be Pregnant Even With A Period?

The general rule is that if you had a regular period then you are not pregnant. Being pregnant even though you just had your period is a rare exception, not the rule. You could be pregnant, but it's not likely that you are pregnant, especially if you have a negative pregnancy test. A normal menstrual period comes on time, is...

Can I Eat Too Many Carrots During Pregnancy?

Q: I like to eat a lot of carrots and pumpkins and I have heard that too much vitamin A can be harmful to my baby. Is that true? A: In large doses, Vitamin A in supplement form has been shown to have a potentially negative effect on fetal development. Carrots and vegetables, on the other hand, do not contain vitamin A itself...

Vitamin A During Pregnancy

Q: I have read that too much vitamin A in your diet can be potentially hazardous. If I receive the recommended amount of vitamin A in my daily diet, will the prenatal vitamin be harmful to me or my baby? A: It's not the vitamin A in your diet, but vitamin A as a supplement that may be a problem. Regular food contains provitamin...

Breastfeeding as Contraceptive

Q: Does breastfeeding prevent me from getting pregnant?   A: At most, breastfeeding will delay ovulation by only 1-2 months, and many women who breastfeed can ovulate within months after delivery. If you completely breastfeed your baby, ovulation is delayed somewhat longer than if you breastfeed only a couple of times a day. If...

The Gestational Sac In Pregnancy

What is the gestational sac? The gestational sac is the structure surrounding the fetus early in pregnancy and its shape early in pregnancy (usually before 8-10 weeks) is important. Ideally, the gestational sac should be round. But other shapes can also be normal, and there is no sure way of predicting what it means. When it's...

Ultrasound Ahead of Schedule

Some women are concerned when the fetus measures size-wize different on ultrasound when compared to their expected due date.It is normal to be within a certain range of an expected measurement at any part of the pregnancy. Not all of us are the same height (!), and the same applies for the fetus. Normal measurements follow a so...

Household Cleaning Products and Pregnancy

There are so many cleaning products out there, it is difficult to make a specific statement about them. However, they have been around for so long now and no study has proved that they have a negative effect on pregnancy.   If you have already been exposed to any during pregnancy, there is no reason to be concerned. Trying to...

TTC After IUD Removal

Q: Can I get pregnant after IUD removal? A: Some women spend many years on birth control because they want to wait until the perfect time to get pregnant. Once they have decided that time has arrived they can often be impatient for the pregnancy to begin. While it is impossible to predict exactly when you will get...

Male Infertility Evaluation

The first test in the evaluation of the infertile male is the semen analysis which is also known as sperm count. The sperm count is inexpensive, easy to perform and gives valuable information. A perfectly normal semen analysis report generally precludes a significant male factor component and investigation and treatment should...

Clomiphene - When Ovulation and Sex

Q: When do I ovulate after Clomiphene and when should I have sex?   A: Because you can't exactly predict when you will ovulate and because having sex after ovulation will not get you pregnant, it's best to have sex regularly. As long as he has a normal sperm count, the best way to ensure you don't miss ovulation would be having...

Breast Tenderness and Pregnancy

Q: Is it normal to have breast tenderness 10 days after ovulation or could I be pregnant? A: It is normal to have breast tenderness after ovulation. Most women feel some breast changes shortly after ovulation, with or without being pregnant. These breast changes are usually due to progesterone, a hormone normally produced by...

First Pregnancy Symptoms

Q: What are the very first pregnancy symptoms I can expect? A: Nausea and tiredness are among the first typical pregnancy symptoms, though for most women, missing a menstrual period is usually the very first sign that they are pregnant. Typical pregnancy symptoms are related to the pregnancy hormone hCG. They usually...

Is Breast Tenderness a Pregnancy Sign?

Most women experience breast tenderness at some point in their lives. Breasts may feel achy, have shooting pains, or simply feel full and heavy. By the time we get pregnant, most of us have already experienced the discomfort that breast tenderness brings. Sore breasts typically occur due to hormonal fluctuations. Pregnancy,...

Vaginal Spotting

Q: What does vaginal bleeding shortly before menses mean?   A: The first day of your cycle is the day you see bright red blood, not just brown or a little spotting. When trying to get pregnant, it's best to have sex regularly, two to three times per week, every week, not just during your fertile days. Even though it's OK to...

When Does Implantation Bleeding and Spotting Happen?

Implantation happens when the fertilized egg, the blastocyst, has completed its travel through the fallopian tube and attaches to the lining of the uterus. The blastocyst is a cluster of tiny cells, smaller than the head of a pin. Implantation and implantation bleeding occur on average about 9 days after ovulation (range...

Does Implantation Bleeding Always Happen?

Implantation bleeding is small spotting, rarely more than 1-2 days that can happen at the time of implantation, the attachement of the fertilized egg to the uterine wall. This usually happens 6-12 days after ovulation. [bmed_ad]Some women report spotting around the time the egg implants into the uterus. There are few data...

Bath and TTC

Q: When I take a bath, some of the bath water comes out of my vagina. Could that be a problem when I am trying to get pregnant?   A: When you are trying to get pregnant, it's suggested that you stay on your back for about 15-20 minutes. After that time, it doesn't make a difference what you do and whether water enters your...

Hot Tubs and TTC

Q: My partner goes two to three times a week into our hot tub. Can he do that while we TTC?  A: Heating up the testicles may decrease the sperm count and studies have shown that men whose testes were exposed to heat had decreased sperm counts. Going into a Jacuzzi or hot tub can heat up the testes and have a negative effect on...

The Steps of Getting Pregnant with Infertility

Steps of having a baby Having a baby happens naturally for most couples. Most couples have sex under the right circumstances and then have a baby. But about 1 in 7 couples are sub/infertile, they have tried for some time getting pregnant without success.  1 in 7 couples are sub or infertile and often go through the following...

Cervical Stenosis and TTC

Q: Can cervical stenosis prevent me from getting pregnant?   A: Cervical stenosis could be a problem when trying to get pregnant. Though the sperm need only a very tiny space, cervical stenosis can rarely be a reason for problems conceiving. Before you assume it to be a problem, you should make sure that evey other issue is OK...

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