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According to a survey by the World Congress on Fertility and Sterility,
couples often resort prematurely to reproductive
technologies such as in vitro fertilization
to become pregnant, without first understanding their cycles and
when they are most likely to get pregnant.
Twenty percent "of all couples unnecessarily seek treatment
for infertility when, in fact, they are simply not getting pregnant
because they do not time intercourse correctly," according
to the study.
Infertility currently affects 6.1 million
Americans.
In response to this problem, The
American Infertility Association (AIA), a nonprofit patient
advocacy organization, has published a new set of guidelines to
teach women how to recognize their body's fertile time each month.
"Our motive is to increase awareness (about infertility),"
AIA Executive Director Pamela Madsen told Reuters Health. "We've
done a great job preventing pregnancy, but a horrendous job teaching
about infertility."
Typically, a woman's most fertile period is several days long,
ending on the day after ovulation. Understanding this timing
is critical, because even though sperm can live up to several days
inside the woman's reproductive tract, providing that conditions
are conducive, the egg only survives up to 24 hours after ovulation.
The average chances of becoming pregnant in
any one month decrease from 20% in women over 30 years of age to
5% in women over age 40.
Although recent advancements have made pregnancy possible for more
than half the couples seeking treatments, the AIA suggests simply
learning about the body's cycles may help a woman become pregnant,
at a lower cost, and in a less invasive way.
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The most basic thing to do is to chart the menstrual cycle
on a calendar to determine the days a woman is most likely
to ovulate.
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A more precise method involves using a
thermometer to measure the basal body temperature,
which jumps slightly each month, just prior to ovulation.
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Monitoring the mucus produced by the cervix, which tends
to change in consistency around the time of ovulation, adds
even more accuracy to the method.
- Another option is an in-home fertility monitor,
a device that measures the levels of estrogen and luteinizing
hormone (LH) in the urine, and indicates if ovulation has occurred;
or an ovulation predictor kit, which also measures the
level of LH. Both devices can be purchased over-the-counter at
most pharmacies.
However, according to the AIA, if women are using such methods
and timing sex to coincide with ovulation, and still no pregnancy
results, then it is time to see a doctor.
They recommend that a woman under age
35 who is trying to get pregnant should use these timing methods
for no more than a year, and a woman over 35 for 6 months before
seeking medical attention from a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist.
For more information about determining a fertile time period, visit
the AIA Web site, www.americaninfertility.org.
World Congress on Fertility and
Sterility Survey and American Infertility Association (AIA) Guidelines
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