Iris Gwynne Determining Your Fertility: Ovulation Method Fertility awareness is a great way a women can become fertile

simply by keeping track of her body and its changes throughout the menstrual cycle In doing so! women can determine the times they are ovulating "ome signs of ovulation include cervical mucus checks! vaginal discharge observations! and measurement of basal body temperature #$$%& #pg '((& %he observation of vaginal discharge alone! called the Ovulation Method! was shown in a study to be the )most precise and practical way determine time of fertility) #pg '((& %his method can be used by anyone trying to become fertile! and it also works well for people who have irregular periods! are breast*feeding! or are perimenopausal #pg '(+& In addition! the Ovulation Method often has no effects and often strengthens relationships because it is a shared responsibility "o! how do you determine your fertility using this method, %he first step is determining the time when you are fertile It is important to be aware that sperm can survive up to five days in the mucus*rich environment of a fertile female %he woman-s egg lives from si. to twenty*four hours after ovulation %herefore! it is possible a woman can become pregnant if sperm is deposited even five days before ovulation! and since the egg can survive up to two days! there is a seven*day window in which a woman can become pregnant /ervical mucus changes in consistency and amount throughout the menstrual cycle 0omen can monitor their cervical mucus by taking note of its color! consistency! and moistness For the ma1ority of the cycle! the mucus acts as a barrier to sperm #G*type mucus&! but during the fertile phase! the composition of the mucus changes and it actually aids the sperm in making its way up the cervi. %o determine when this fertile period occurs! women can check their cervical mucus for the presence of fertile 2*type mucus! which is secreted by the cervi. about si. days prior to ovulation %he most fertile mucus is said to be wet and feel very similar to uncooked egg*whites It is clear and may stretch several inches before breaking %he last day of this clear! stretchy discharge is called the peak mucus day! and this time is highly correlated with ovulation #which most often occurs two days prior or two days after this peak day& %herefore! to achieve pregnancy! intercourse should occur on the days when there is a feeling of slipperiness at the vaginal opening and the cervical mucus is stretchy and clear! like raw*egg It is important that women who wish to become pregnant record the changes in their cervical mucus fre3uently Observations can be made by using toilet paper or by feeling the mucus inside the vagina or outside the vagina at the opening by using two fingers Once you have some mucus on your fingers! press them together between your thumb and inde. finger! and stretch the mucus and take note of what the mucus does Infertile mucus is said to feel dry! thick! and does not stretch or move 4s levels of estrogen increase! the mucus may get more sticky and more moist 4s fertility approaches! the mucus will become more slippery and clear 4s mentioned previously! peak fertility and ovulation is associated with stretchy! clear! egg*white mucus

"ources: http:55www bellybelly com au5conception5cervical*mucus*can*indicate*ovulation*fertile 0omen-s $odies! 0omen-s 0idsom! /hristian 6orthrup