Sponsored By: The Stork® OTC
“You’re pregnant.” I remember seeing those words appear on the pregnancy tests for all four of my pregnancies and feeling overwhelmed with a sense of awe. A baby was actually growing inside me and I was going to be a mom. While I did not have troubles with becoming pregnant, getting to that point of pregnancy confirmation is not as easy as it seems for many couples.
Understanding the process of getting pregnant from the stages of ovulation through conception plays an important role in increasing the chances of a successful pregnancy. One thing I never fully understood was ovulation. I didn’t realize that ovulation is the process that really makes everything else - conception, pregnancy, and then the birth of a baby - all possible. Especially if you are having difficulty getting pregnant as a couple, fully understanding how ovulation works, why it’s important, and how to track it can make all the difference in seeing that plus sign versus a minus sign on your pregnancy test.
What Is Ovulation?
Let me take you back to your 9th grade health class for a minute. Ovulation is the act of a woman’s body releasing a mature egg from her ovary. The egg then travels through the fallopian tube into her uterus and is available to be fertilized. For most women, one egg matures within one of their two ovaries each month.
During ovulation, the lining of the uterus thickens to prepare for a possible fertilized egg. If the egg does not get fertilized, no conception occurs, and the thick uterine lining and blood is shed through menstruation. The cycle then repeats itself the next month until a woman is pregnant, enters menopause, or takes birth control that interrupts the typical ovulation cycle.
Experts say that stress, illness or a change in routine can also affect the ovulation cycle and perhaps cause infertility issues. For me, breastfeeding kept ovulation at bay for at least 9 months after the births of my children.
How Does Ovulation Impact Pregnancy?
Without ovulation, pregnancy is not possible. Ovulation is the main factor in determining whether or not a woman will get pregnant. A woman needs a mature egg that is viable and ready for fertilization by sperm to get pregnant.
You should know that ovulation can occur without menstruation. For anyone experiencing infertility problems, having a thorough medical evaluation can help determine if you are ovulating and identify any other potential issues that could create setbacks for conception. While a variety of factors can cause fertility issues for couples, information can be power when it comes to getting pregnant.
Tips For Calculating Your Ovulation
The easiest way for you to calculate when ovulation will occur is to count back to the first day of your last menstrual period. Ovulation usually occurs 11 to 21 days later. You can also calculate ovulation by counting 12 to 16 days from your next expected period. The start date of your last menstrual cycle as well as the typical length of your cycle can also help pinpoint the days that are best for getting pregnant. Personally, I don’t have regular cycles so it is hard for me to use calculations like these to determine when I’m ovulating.
Luckily, there are other ways to determine ovulation, including changes in cervical fluid and basal temperature. There are also a number of tools that can help women track their ovulation cycles and better pinpoint the best time for conception. Ovulation kits and fertility monitors are generally affordable and widely available. They can give women more knowledge about their cycle so they know when they can and cannot get pregnant. Ovulation kits won’t help you get pregnant, but they can help to maximize the odds of pregnancy. There are also at-home conception aids to give women a greater chance for a successful pregnancy with a limited amount of intervention.
There are also several over-the-counter options couples facing fertility issues can try. One option that may help with conception is The Stork® OTC. The Stork OTC is a product that can be used in the privacy of your home to help optimize the possibility of conceiving.
The device uses a condom-like cap to collect sperm and tampon-like delivery to help transfer sperm to the cervix. The Stork OTC is FDA-cleared for home-use without a prescription. To learn more, visit: http://www.storkotc.com/.
The Stork OTC can be purchased at several store locations. Enter code 10STORKOTC at check-out to save $10 on the product.
With greater knowledge and perhaps some advanced science and technology, holding a baby in your arms is becoming a greater reality for so many women. As a mom of four, I know that feeling of unabashed joy so well. I wish everyone could feel it at least once in their lives.
Sources:
Americanpregnancy.org. Web. 17 May 2015. “Understanding ovulation.” http://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/understanding-ovulation/
Storkotc.com. Web. 17 May 2015. “Why use the Stork OTC?” http://www.storkotc.com/why-use-the-stork-otc/
Parenting.blogs.NYTimes.com. 8 October 2014. “An over the counter at home conception aid.” http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/08/an-over-the-counter-at-home-conception-aid/?_r=0