KEY FERTILITY SIGNS

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO HAVE SEX?

If pregnancy has not occurred within a reasonable period of trying, many couples – and even many doctors – jump to the conclusion that there are infertility problems. But in many cases, there is no medical issue at all, but rather a lack of understanding exactly when conception is likely to occur during a woman’s cycle. And this can lead to months of poorly timed intercourse, in which the egg and sperm are simply missing each other due to incorrect timing.

The good news is that Dr. Harper can teach women of reproductive age to easily learn to identify and chart the three main fertility signs in their bodies including: cervical fluid, waking temperature, and cervical position.

In addition to helping you chart the three key fertility signs, she can also help you identify other “secondary symptoms” that may occur as ovulation approaches in your cycle, including: breast tenderness; fluid retention; spotting; achiness near the ovaries (mittelschmerz); swollen vaginal lips & vulva; swollen lymph glands; increased energy and libido; and even, a heightened senses of smell, vision and taste.

Armed with decades of research, the latest scientific knowledge, and years of experience, Dr. Harper is here to help you understand and take control of your reproductive cycle, so you know when it’s “the right time” for sex, offering you the best chance of conception.

THE 3 KEY SIGNS OF FERTILITY

WAKING TEMPERATURE

Out of the three key fertility signs, this is the easiest to observe. You should take your temperature orally first thing in the morning before doing anything else, at the same time every day. Body temperature rises due to progesterone which is heat inducing. This usually happens within a day or so after ovulation, indicating that ovulation has already occurred – making it an unlikely time to get pregnant.

While waking temperature helps to determine when ovulation has already occurred, it is actually a less valuable tool in helping to achieve pregnancy than checking your cervical fluid and cervical position. So it is best to become familiar with how all three of these signs can help you get pregnant. Dr. Harper can teach you to accurately chart your waking temperature, to watch for monthly patterns and estimate when ovulation may occur in the future.

CERVICAL POSITION

Each month, your cervix changes in consistency and location in hopes it will allow sperm to pass through it to allow fertilization. Before and after ovulation your cervix is firm like the tip of your nose or finger tip, low in position, and closed. At ovulation, your cervix is soft like your lips, high in position to support the uterus, and open to accept sperm.

Dr. Harper can help you learn to accurately assess the position of your cervix, to help you estimate when ovulation is occurring – giving you insight into the best time to have sex for successful conception.

CERVICAL FLUID

Once outside the male body, sperm requires an ideal medium in which to live for the highest chance of survival and for pregnancy to occur. A woman’s cervical fluid is this medium. Cervical fluid changes in consistency throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, becoming its most supportive to the survival of sperm right around ovulation. The type of cervical fluid which allows the greatest likelihood for movement and survival of male sperm while traveling to fertilize the egg has an egg-white consistency.

The more often you engage in intercourse during the period in which you are producing high quality cervical fluid, the greater the chances of getting pregnant. Dr. Harper can teach you to identify the days of high quality cervical fluid, to assist you in knowing when you have the best chance of getting pregnant.