When is a woman’s most fertile time?
- A woman’s most fertile time is during ovulation. Ovulation typically occurs within day 11 through day 21 of a woman’s cycle.
- Counting from the first day of a woman’s last period, day 1 is the first day a woman starts bleeding, and the 11th day is most likely the earliest day a woman will ovulate. The 21st day is most likely the last. A woman’s period comes between the 28th and 32nd day of the cycle. This pattern may differ slightly with each woman depending on a variety of factors.
Is infertility a medical problem related to the woman only?
- Infertility is a medical condition that is found in both men and women, and men and women are affected almost equally.
- With men, declining sperm counts, testicular abnormalities, and decreased reach of climax are common causes of infertility. Shop Products to Help Increase Sperm Count
- Men can also do an at-home semen analysis to evaluate their fertility. SpermCheck is a corporate sponsor and you can learn more about at-home testing here.
- With women, the most common causes are a tubal blockage, endometriosis, PCOS, and advanced maternal age which affects egg quality/quantity. Shop Products to Help Female Reproductive Health
How common is infertility?
- Infertility is a growing issue for many couples. Infertility affects 6.1 million American couples (approximately 10% of American couples of childbearing age).
- 25% of infertile couples have more than one cause of infertility.
- The current increase in infertility might be the result of more women choosing to delay starting a family until later in life when their reproductive health can be affected.
- The increase of some STD’s such as Chlamydia can result in conditions such as blocked tubes, preventing pregnancy from occurring.
How long should a couple try to conceive before going to the doctor?
- The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends that a woman consults her health care provider if she is: 1) under 35 years old and has been trying to conceive for more than 12 months, or 2) over 35 years old and has been trying to conceive for over 6 months.
Can you find out earlier if you have fertility issues?
- You always have the option of asking your health care provider to conduct a complete examination to determine if either partner has possible fertility issues. You can also choose to do at-home fertility testing, available for both men and women.
Does the position chosen for intercourse affect fertility?
- After ejaculation, enough sperm will remain inside the woman to fertilize an egg. Therefore, there is no significant advantage of one intercourse position over another.
What about fertility treatments?
- Fertility treatments can increase the likelihood of getting pregnant.
- Treatments can include lifestyle changes, vitamins, and supplements, surgery, medication, or assisted reproduction. Shop Fertility Supplements Now
- There are several treatments under assisted reproduction such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT). All these procedures involve harvesting a number of eggs in the hope of fertilizing at least one egg and then insert the fertilized egg(s) into the uterus.
Last updated: October 8, 2018 at 10:21 am
Compiled using information from the following sources:
1. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
http://cdc.gov/reproductivehealth
1. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
