Simply Moms Articles

by: Sara Jameson

Okay, don’t get so worried or happy when your monthly period stops! Your pregnancy depend on the test you going to take. You need to find pregnancy test kit to make sure that you’re pregnant or not. The easiest way to recognize your pregnancy is through checking your urine using simple pregnancy test kits. By doing so, instead of just guessing, this is probably one of the more reliable signs of pregnancy.

Why should you use urine? Urine is the easiest stuff than can be taken easily for the test which may contain hCG (hormone secreted during pregnancy). These tests measure the levels of hCG in your urine. The amount of urine each test can detect varies widely. The amount of hormone each woman secret may also vary, but not as widely.

If you are in your fourth or fifth weeks of pregnancy, the better tests on the market will measure your urine contain 25-50 mIUs of hCG, This is usually the amount found in urine in that age of pregnancy.

When is the best time to you took your urine test? You can have it anytime as you like, but first morning urine will always contain the highest concentration of hCG. That’s why the earlier the better. Even though, most tests do not require that you use first morning urine. You can help better your chances of having enough hCG in your urine by waiting four hours after you last urinated to take the test. This will allow hCG to build up in your urine.

The sooner you do your pregnancy test the quickest way to know you’re pregnant. This is important because the first trimester carries the highest risk of miscarriage, the natural death of an embryo or fetus, known medically as a spontaneous abortion. It is often the result of health problems of the fetus, the mother, or damage caused after conception.

Probably you know that pregnancy takes approximately 40 weeks between the time of the last menstrual cycle and birth (38 weeks from fertilization). It is divided into three trimesters, and the first trimester is the crucial term.

It’s rare to find false result after doing urine pregnancy test, although sometimes it happens. For example, when you take your urine pregnancy test too early, it may show a negative answer although later it revealed to be a pregnancy. And a positive answer appeared when later it turn out the woman is not pregnant. In this condition it is usually cause by a very early miscarriage.

By: Marianna Pawlowski

It is estimated that approximately 25% of all couples suffer from some degree of infertility. A common misconception is that the woman is the sole cause of the infertility. In actuality, male factor is the sole or contributing cause for approximately 40% of all infertile couples.
How is Male Factor Infertility Identified? One of the first steps in infertility treatment is a semen analysis. A sample of semen is analyzed for the: total sperm count
concentration of sperm
volume of semen
pH
percent of actively moving sperm (motility)
numbers of normal shaped sperm (morphology)
vitality
number of white blood cells
An abnormality of one or more of these tests suggests a problem with the sperm.
What are some causes of male factor infertility?
There are a number of factors that can lead to male infertility. Such factors include:

Chronic disorders: Genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension
Birth defects: Birth defects, such as undescended testicles
Insufficient testosterone production
Injury to the testicles
Infections: Childhood infections, such as the mumps; sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea
Varicocoles: Varicose veins in the testicle
Drug use: Such as excessive amounts of marijuana and alcohol, anabolic steroids, female hormones, and chemotherapy
Retrograde ejaculation: The entry of semen into the bladder as opposed to the urethra during ejaculation
Exposure to harmful toxins: Toxic chemicals, pesticides, cigarette smoke, and other environmental and work hazards
Lifestyle factors: Such as stress and exposure of the genitals to high temperatures for extended periods of time
Erectile dysfunction: The inability to maintain an erection
How can it be treated?
There are several treatment options available. Such options include:
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART): This includes Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

Drug Therapy: May include hormonal therapy or antibiotics

Surgery: Some surgeries have proven successful in overcoming barriers that impede sperm production or quality (such as varicocoles.)

by Dr. Mike Berkley

Endometriosis and Conception
Endometriosis is a common, yet poorly understood disease. It can strike women of any socioeconomic class, age, or race. It is estimated that between 10 and 20 percent of American women of childbearing age have endometriosis.

While some women with endometriosis may have severe pelvic pain, others who have the condition have no symptoms. Nothing about endometriosis is simple, and there are no absolute cures. The disease can affect a woman’s whole existence–her ability to work, her ability to reproduce, and her relationships with her mate, her child, and everyone around her.

What is Endometriosis?
The name endometriosis comes from the word “endometrium,” the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. If a woman is not pregnant, this tissue builds up and is shed each month. It is discharged as menstrual flow at the end of each cycle. In endometriosis, tissue that looks and acts like endometrial tissue is found outside the uterus, usually inside the abdominal cavity. Endometrial tissue residing outside the uterus responds to the menstrual cycle in a way that is similar to the way endometrium usually responds in the uterus.

At the end of every cycle, when hormones cause the uterus to shed its endometrial lining, endometrial tissue growing outside the uterus will break apart and bleed. However, unlike menstrual fluid from the uterus, which is discharged from the body during menstruation, blood from the misplaced uterus has no place to go. Tissues surrounding the area of endometriosis may become inflamed or swollen. The inflammation may produce scar tissue around the area of endometriosis. These endometrial tissue sites may develop into what are called “lesions,” “implants,” “nodules,” or “growths.”

Endometriosis is most often found in the ovaries, on the fallopian tubes, and the ligaments supporting the uterus, in the internal area between the vagina and rectum, on the outer surface of the uterus, and on the lining of the pelvic cavity. Infrequently, endometrial growths are found on the intestines or in the rectum, on the bladder, vagina cervix, and vulva (external genitals), or in abdominal surgery scars, Very rarely, endometrial growths have been found outside the abdomen, in the thigh, arm, or lung.

Physicians may use stages to describe the severity of endometriosis. Endometrial implants that are small and not widespread are considered minimal or mild endometriosis. Moderate endometriosis means that larger implants or more extensive scar tissue is present. Severe endometriosis is used to describe large implants and extensive scar tissue.

What are the Symptoms?
Most commonly, the symptoms of endometriosis start years after menstrual periods begin. Over the years, the symptoms tend to gradually increase as the endometriosis areas increase in size. After menopause, the abnormal implants shrink away and the symptoms subside. The most common symptom is pain, specially excessive menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) which may be felt in the abdomen or lower back or pain during or after sexual activity (dyspareunia). Infertility occurs in about 30-40 percent of women with endometriosis.

Rarely, the irritation caused by endometrial implants may progress into infection or abscesses causing pain independent of the menstrual cycle. Endometrial patches may also be tender to touch or pressure, the intestinal pain may also result from endometrial patches on the walls of the colon or intestine. The amount of pain is not always related to the severity of the disease. Some women with severe endometriosis have no pain; while others with just a few small growths have incapacitating pain.

Endometrial cancer is very rarely associated with endometriosis, occurring in less than 1 percent of women who have the disease. When it does occur, it is usually found in more advanced patches of endometriosis in older women and the long-term outlook in these unusual cases is reasonably good.

How is Endometriosis Related to Fertility Problems?
Severe endometriosis with extensive scarring and organ damage may affect fertility. It is considered one of the three major causes of female infertility. However, unsuspected or mild endometriosis is a common finding among infertile women. How this type of endometriosis affects fertility is still not clear.

While the pregnancy rates for patients with endometriosis remain lower than those of the general population, most patients with endometriosis do not experience fertility problems. We do not have a clear understanding of the cause-effect relationship of endometriosis and infertility

What is the Cause of Endometriosis?
The cause of endometriosis is still unknown. One theory is that during menstruation some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes into the abdomen, where it implants and grows. Another theory suggests that endometriosis may be a genetic process or that certain families may have predisposing factors to endometriosis. In the latter view, endometriosis is seen as the tissue development process gone awry.

According to the theory of traditional chinese medicine, endometriosis is a disease which is caused by the stagnation of blood. Blood stagnation may occur due to one or more abortions or lower abdominal or pelvic surgeries.

Additionally, engaging in sexual intercourse during menstruation may very likely over time cause blood stagnation. Emotional trauma, severe stress, physical or emotional abuse can all lead to the stagnation of blood.

Additionally, diet may be a precipitating factor. The constant, long term ingestion of cold foods can congeal blood and thus contribute to the stagnation thereof. Cold foods include raw vegetable, ices, ice cream, ice in drinks, frozen yogurt, etc. Remember, cold congeals. Think about what happens to a normal glass of water when put in the freezer. It turns to ice.

The blood is affected similarly. That is to say, it congeals, doesn’t flow smoothly and can form endometrial adhesions, chocolate cysts, uterine fibroids. Whatever the cause of endometriosis, its progression is influenced by various stimulating factors such as hormones or growth factors. In this regard, investigators are studying the role of the immune system in activating cells that may secrete factors which, in turn, stimulate endometriosis.

In addition to these new hypotheses, investigators are continuing to look into previous theories that endometriosis is a disease influenced by delaying childbearing. Since the hormones made by the placenta during pregnancy prevent ovulation, the progress of endometriosis is slowed or stopped during pregnancy and the total number of lifetime cycles is reduced for a woman who had multiple pregnancies.

How is Endometriosis Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of endometriosis begins with a gynecologist evaluating the patient’s medical history. A complete physical exam, including a pelvic examination, is also necessary. However, diagnosis of endometriosis is only complete when proven by a laparoscopy, a minor surgical procedure in which a laparoscope (a tube with a light in it) is inserted into a small incision in the abdomen.

The laparoscope is moved around the abdomen, which has been distended with carbon dioxide gas to make the organs easier to see. The surgeon can then check the condition of the abdominal organs and see the endometrial implants. The laparoscopy will show the locations, extent, and size of the growths and will help the patient and her doctor make better-informed decisions about treatment. Endometriosis is a long-standing disease that often develops slowly.

What is the Treatment?
While the treatment for endometriosis has varied over the years, doctors now agree that if the symptoms are mild, no further treatment other than medication for pain may be needed. Endometriosis is a progressive disorder.

It is my opinion that by not treating endometriosis it will get worse. Treatment should immediately after a positive diagnosis is made. The pain associated with endometriosis can be diminished by using acupuncture and herbal medicine. I have treated many women with endometriosis and have successfully alleviated pain and slowed down growth and recurrence of endometriosis.

For those patients with mild or minimal endometriosis who wish to become pregnant, doctors are advising that, depending on the age of the patient and the amount of pain associated with the disease, the best course of action is to have a trial period of unprotected intercourse for 6 months to 1 year. If pregnancy does not occur within that time, then further treatment may be needed. Again, these patients should consider herbal medicine to aid in the process of conception.

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Dr. Mike Berkley is the founder and director of The Berkley Center for Reproductive Wellness, in New York. He works exclusively in the area of reproductive medicine and enjoys working in conjunction with some of New York’s most prestigious reproductive endocrinologists. Sign up for his free newsletter at www.BerkleyCenter.com

This article is reprinted with permission from www.WritingCareer.com

Written exclusively for Simplymoms.com by: Kristi (pirnq)

So you’re trying to conceive! Congratulations. Many women have tried many things over the years to achieve pregnancy as quickly as possible. One very common way to enhance your chances is to know when to conceive. By monitoring fertility signs, and putting them in a graph or chart form, a woman can know the time when she has the optimal chance to make that baby.

Your body’s natural cycle

Your cycle begins each month with the first day of your period. That’s right, your cycle begins with aunt flo’s visit. This is what is referred to as calendar day 1 (CD1) of your monthly cycle. Around CD7, The pituitary gland releases Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and a little bit of Leutinizing Hormone (LH) that begin to ripen an egg in your follicle. As the eggs ripen over approximately 7 days, they secrete more and more estrogen into the bloodstream. Estrogen causes the lining of the uterus to thicken. It causes the cervical mucous to change. When the estrogen level reaches a certain point, the pituitary will release a large amount of LH. This surge of LH triggers the one most mature follicle to burst open and release an egg at approximately CD14, (remember, all women are different, if we were the same, we wouldn’t have to measure these things). The release of the egg is called ovulation, and the time between ovulation and your next menstrual period is called your luteal phase. The luteal phase lasts for about 14 days. After the egg is released, the LH levels sharply drop off and progesterone levels in the body rise in case your body will need to support a pregnancy. Progesterone causes a rise in body temperature, so if you’re watching your temperatures, you can tell if the egg has been released by an increase in body temperature. If implantation and pregnancy occur, the body temperature will remain high because progesterone continues to be secreted. If implantation and pregnancy do not occur, the progesterone production decreases and the uterus of the lining will shed itself in your monthly menstruation.

So what should I measure to track my cycle?

Well, to get an accurate and useful chart, the following 5 things are key:

• When your menstrual bleeding occurs.
• Your waking basal body temperature, taken before you get out of bed in the morning.
• Record the time you take your temperature each morning
• Your data on when you have intercourse
• Your cervical fluid consistency

1. Recording Menstrual bleeding

To understand where in your cycle you are, you will need to reference the first day of your period. This will tell you how long your cycles are, as well as where you are in your cycle at any given time.

2. Basal Body Temperature (BBT)

Measuring basal (at rest) body temperature can be used to gain a better comprehension of your ovulation cycles. As mentioned above, not every woman is the same, so knowing when you ovulate, when you menstruate, and how long the time between these events is for you. When you’re between CD1 and ovulation, your temperature is at it’s lowest. Estrogen is a “cool” hormone and keeps your body at a slightly lower temperature. When the LH surge occurs you will normally get an even lower temperature than average, this is called an ovulation dip. Then when the egg is released from the follicle and your progesterone production begins, you’ll get a rise in temperature of about 0.4 degrees or more (again this varies by person). This rise in temperature tells you that you’ve ovulated and is called a thermal shift. The BBT will remain high until just before your next period.

You may see a one-day dip in your temperature after you have ovulated, this is called an implantation dip (when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall). Typically this dip will occur 7-10 days after ovulation (7-10dpo), but may occur from 5-12 days. You may not have a dip, some women’s temperatures do not shift from implantation, while other women get a very large dip. If implantation does not occur, 12-16 days after ovulation, your progesterone levels will decline, your temperature will begin to decline, and menstruation will occur.

Measuring your BBT starts with a trip to the drugstore. You can buy a special thermometer for measuring BBT. You can get a reliable but inexpensive one for around $10 most places. A BBT thermometer is more sensitive than your standard thermometer. It will often be far more accurate and measure to two decimal places instead of just one on many other thermometers. It is definitely worth the $10.

So to use all this information to your benefit. Chart for a few cycles to understand your cycle. You’ll begin to know if you usually ovulate on CD12 or CD14 or CD17. You’ll also begin to see your ovulation dips. It is best to time your intercourse 12-36 hours before ovulation, so you can time it based on this dip. And then you can see your thermal shift and know that your dreaded “2 week wait” has begun. This is an affectionate term for the time between ovulation and menstruation where you might be pregnant, but you just don’t know yet. It can be a grueling time for women trying to conceive, but well worth the wait in the end!

3. The time you recorded your temperature

This is an important bit of information. Your resting temperature cycles, much like your menstrual cycles. It is higher at points in the day, due to activity, heat and stress. The time it’s most consistent is just upon rising in the morning. This is when the least number of factors are affecting it. However, it will still change over the times of the morning. It is important to try to take your BBT at the same time each morning. Your temperature can shift 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit within 20 minutes to 1 hour, even when you’re sleeping. This may not seem like a lot, but if you think about your thermal shift being only 0.4 degrees, a 0.1 degree error can make your chart much harder to decipher. You can adjust your temperatures for waking time, but it is best to just set an alarm and take it at the same time every day.

4. Recording your intercourse data

This may seem a little silly or personal, but it’s important. You should know when you have intercourse in relation to when you ovulated. That way when you’re agonizing over whether or not to take that home pregnancy test or not, you can look back and determine if your intercourse was well timed with your ovulation or not. Intercourse should optimally take place 12-36 hours before ovulation. Sperm may last for up to 5 days in the uterus, but that’s not the optimal condition for conception. When trying to conceive, you should attempt to have intercourse every 24-48 for the 5-7 days before ovulation occurs. By the time you see a rise in temperature, you have probably already ovulated and it may be too late to time intercourse for conception purposes.

5. Charting Cervical Mucous

The increase in estrogen as you get closer to ovulation causes the cervical mucous (CM, mucous released by the cervix) in your vaginal canal to change. The closer to ovulation you get, the more fertile your mucous is. Which is to say that it will support carrying sperm to your egg better. One word of caution, avoid checking your CM just before or after intercourse as arousal and seminal fluids may give you a false reading. You can check your mucous several ways:

Externally: after you use the restroom and wipe, wipe the outside of your vagina a second time and note what (if anything) you find on the tissue. You will get used to the idea easily and it will stop seeming so weird after awhile!

Internally: insert two fingers into your vaginal canal until you can feel your cervix. Place one finger on either side of your cervix and press gently. Collect the fluid by wiping the cervix in a gentle pinching motion and pulling your fingers out . When you pull them out, notice the consistency of the mucous you see.

Note how much fluid you see, the color, consistency, feel, and stretchiness of it. What do you see:

Dry: use this to record when you have no CM. This is most common just before and after your period and just after ovulation.

Sticky: use this if your CM is crumbly, stiff or gummy. It breaks easily when you try to stretch it. It will probably be yellow or white, but also may be cloudy or clear.

Creamy: use this if your CM is like hand lotion. May be white or yellow or cloudy or clear. It is like milk or mayonnaise. It may stretch a little, but not far and it breaks easily.

Watery: use this if your CM is clear and moist, like water. It may also be stretchy. This is considered fertile mucous. It is conducive to carrying sperm. It will stretch further when you pull your fingers apart than creamy will.

Eggwhite: the most fertile CM. It is just like it sounds, it will look, feel and stretch like eggwhites do. It resembles semen as well because it has similar properties to help the sperm get to your egg. You should be able to stretch this between your thumb and forefinger fairly easily.

Spotting: use this when you have any pink or red or brown spots that leave a small mark on you underwear or if you see them when you wipe. It does not require a pad or tampon. This is not yet menses. Do not start a new chart until you see red flow.

Menses: chart this when you see the first day of red, flowing blood that requires a pad or tampon. This will be the start of a new chart for you.

Believe it or not, this is the tip of the fertility iceberg. Charting is just one way to better understand your body so that you know how to optimize your chances for conception. Check out our TTC (Trying to Conceive)here on the site where we can give you the low down on all our most successful techniques and interpretation methods for your charts. Best of luck and may there be baby dust sprinkled upon you! buddies forum

Written for simplymoms.com by: Marianna Pawlowski

Ovulation occurs when a mature egg is released from the ovary, making its way down the fallopian tubes, awaiting fertilization. By this time, the uterine lining has now thickened in preparation for the fertilized egg. Generally, the egg will live approximately 12-24 hours. If no conception occurs, the unfertilized egg, uterine lining, and additional blood will be shed in the process of menstruation. If conception does occur, the egg will implant in the uterine wall within 6-12 days.

Understanding ovulation is key to achieving conception. There are many misconceptions about ovulation that may impede pregnancy.

Myth #1: All Women Ovulate on Day 14

This myth is based on the misconception that all women have 28-day cycles. This is not the case, as a woman’s cycle generally ranges anywhere from 24-35 days long (some even longer). A majority of women ovulate anywhere from day 11 to day 21 of their cycles. Many women rely on ovulation tracking methods to pinpoint the exact day of ovulation, i.e. ovulation predictor kits, fertility monitors, basal body temperature, and cervical mucous.

Myth #2: Women Can Ovulate More than Once Per Cycle

Ovulation occurs only once per cycle. It is virtually impossible for a second occurrence of ovulation to take place. In the event that more than one egg has matured, the eggs are released within 24 hours of each other.

Myth #3: Women Ovulate on the Same Day Each Month

Although most women do ovulate around the middle of their cycles, the actual day will change cycle to cycle. This is another reason why tracking ovulation is crucial when trying to conceive.

Myth #4: Menstrual Bleeding is a Sure Sign that a Woman has Ovulated

This is simply not the case. If a woman has not ovulated, she may still have breakthrough bleeding at the same time a regular menstruation would occur as a result of hormonal fluctuations.