Clomid (Clomiphene citrate) is a fertility drug commonly prescribed to women that are trying-to-conceive to induce ovulation. Clomid is often prescribed to women with irregular cycles that either experience irregular ovulation or don’t ovulate at all. If you aren’t sure whether you are ovulating, you can determine this by tracking your menstrual cycles with ovulation predictor kits, fertility monitors, or even monitoring your body’s natural signs – the consistency of your cervical mucus and tracking your basal body temperature.

In order to understand how Clomid works, it is important to understand what is happening in your body as you approach ovulation. In the beginning of your cycle, estrogen levels are low which signal your body to produce FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). Estrogen levels begin to increase which triggers LH (Luteinizing Hormone). This surge is what releases the mature egg from the follicle. For ovulation to occur, enough LH and FSH must be produced to release the egg. Clomid is used to help your body produce enough LH and FSH. It tricks the body into thinking that there is not enough estrogen – which increases the production of LH and FSH, causing your body to ovulate. Generally, it is not recommend to take Clomid for more than six cycles, so if pregnancy is not achieved, a different treatment plan should be discussed.

While taking Clomid, it is common to experience a decrease in fertile-quality cervical mucus. It is extremely important to have a healthy environment to transport and protect the sperm when trying-to-conceive. Supplements, such as FertileCM can help increase the quantity and quality of fertile-quality cervical mucus and is safe to take along with Clomid.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone, commonly referred to as FSH, is a hormone that can directly influence your chances of conceiving and/or sustaining pregnancy. The level of FSH your body produces correlates to the quality and quantity of your remaining eggs. Typically, women that are trying-to-conceive want to see their FSH levels below 10mIU/ml. When FSH levels are too high or too low, becoming pregnant can become much more difficult as it affects your menstrual cycle and whether or not you ovulate.

Knowing your FSH levels is important in predicting how fertile you are. As your egg quality and quantity dwindle – your body tries to compensate and produces more FSH in order to stimulate ovarian function. This is commonly seen in women experiencing premature menopause or who are at the age when menopause is approaching. Low FSH levels can impact fertility and result in irregular cycles, which is commonly seen in women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). If your body is not producing enough FSH, it cannot sustain a healthy ovarian reserve.

You can easily test your FSH levels either at home or at the doctor’s office. Both tests are to be performed beginning on cycle day 3 (the 3^rd day of your menstrual cycle) and continue through cycle day 5. If you receive a positive at home FSH test, you should visit your doctor for further testing with a blood test.

Fortunately, if you discover that you have an imbalance of FSH – there are some supplements that can help to balance those increasing FSH levels. FertilAid for Women is a supplement that contains Vitex, which has been shown to not only keep FSH levels from increasing but to decrease FSH levels to an appropriate level in some women.   Dependent upon your FSH levels and your age, your doctor may want to proceed forward with more aggressive fertility treatments.

When trying-to-conceive, many women track their cycles to determine their most fertile days by using ovulation tests or fertility monitors.  Charting your cervical mucus consistency and basal body temperature can also indicate when your most fertile days are and help confirm when ovulation has occurred. Some women, more commonly women with PCOS or irregular cycles, may be unaware that they are experiencing multiple follicular stimulation in a single cycle.

If you have ever received two peak readings or a second lh surge in one cycle just a couple days apart– you may have unknowingly experienced multiple follicular stimulation. In order to achieve pregnancy, the follicle is released from your ovary and it must rupture for the egg to be released from the follicle. In cases of multiple follicular stimulation, your body releases the follicle, but it doesn’t rupture – therefore the egg is not released and you are unable to achieve pregnancy at that time. Your body realizes that this has happened and subsequently releases a second follicle 3-5 days later.

Typically, after ovulation, fertility monitors will register ‘low’ fertility, cervical mucus egg-white consistency will be gone, and there will be shift in basal body temperature. Women that experience multiple follicular stimulation will receive a second peak reading with their monitor and may continue to see any other natural fertile signs. If you receive a second peak reading, it is extremely important that you continue intercourse as you can only conceive after ovulation has taken place (i.e. conception will not result from the first follicle that was released).

It is important to track your cycle diligently so you are able to catch cycles where there may be a delay in the time when you are able to conceive that month. Using the OvaCue Fertility Monitor can help to identify the release of a second follicle so you don’t miss this opportunity to conceive. The combination of the oral sensor and optional vaginal sensor indicates ovulation with a dark pink/purple color on the OvaCue fertility calendar – if this color is seen a second time that cycle, you can conclude that secondary fertility has taken place. When this second set of peak days are identified, intercourse should be continued as ovulation didn’t occur as it should have with the first peak reading. This is one of the main reasons that women experience a cycle that is a couple days longer than usual. Women who experience irregular cycles or who have been diagnosed with PCOS should be especially cognizant of this.

Many women decide to go off of their birth control pill once they have decided it is time to begin trying for a baby. Unfortunately, many women picture this to be a much smoother process then it ends up being.  To better understand why this can often be a difficult transition we must first understand exactly what it is that birth control does to your hormones.

There are many different types of birth control; some that stop your period completely or give you very few a year, and others that regulate your period into a 28-day cycle. As they all work a bit different – they have a very similar effect. Birth control works to change the levels of your hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone. By altering and controlling these hormones, they can help to prevent pregnancy in multiple ways – by stopping your ovaries from producing eggs, altering the thickness of the wall of your cervix (which prevents the entry of sperm into the uterus), or by changing the lining of your uterus so the egg can’t attach and implant.

Once birth control is discontinued, many women report having irregular cycles or having no menstruation for many months. It can take a while for your body to return to the cycle you had before beginning birth control pills. This can be especially frustrating for women that were hoping to conceive shortly after going off of the pill. Dealing with irregular cycles (or no cycle at all) can make predicting ovulation nearly impossible. Herbal fertility enhancing supplements, such as FertilAid for Women, contains vitex and other herbs to help regulate your cycle and correct any hormonal imbalances that might be present – this in turn should help to normalize your cycle. Many women begin taking this supplement post-pill to help see a regular cycle sooner and increase their chances of conceiving.

Knowing what you should and shouldn’t be doing when trying-to-conceive can greatly improve your odds of getting pregnant. First things first, it is important that you are having sex at the right time of the month. Timing intercourse during your “fertile window”, the days leading up to ovulation, will dramatically increase your odd of conceiving. See Am I Ovulating, to learn when you ovulate.

If you are having a hard time predicting your ovulation due to an irregular cycle, natural fertility enhancing supplements can help to regulate your cycle and boost your fertility. FertilAid for Women, promotes hormonal balance, which helps to regulate ovulation and improve overall reproductive wellness. FertilAid for Men is designed to increase sperm count and motility by supporting the healthy formation of sperm. When you are trying-to-conceive, make sure you are taking your prenatal vitamins – including folic acid,  as it can help to reduce the chances of neural tube defects.

Now for a couple things to steer away from…no smoking or drinking when trying-to-conceive. It is a good idea to decrease your caffeine intake as well. Also, something you may not have thought of – if you are taking any prescription medications, talk with your doctor to make sure you are not negatively impacting your chances of conceiving.

First things first, what exactly is ovulation? Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the ovarian follicle into the fallopian tube. Inside the fallopian tube is where the egg will be fertilized. If the egg is fertilized, it must implant successfully on your uterine lining, which typically takes place 6-12 days after ovulation. If fertilization doesn’t take place within the 12-24 hours, the egg disintegrates and is absorbed into the uterine lining, which is then shed at the time of menstruation.

There are many ways to help you determine not only if you are ovulating but also when you are ovulating; increased levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrogen, and changes in your basal body temperature and cervical mucus.

Just prior to ovulation, your body experiences a rise in estrogen, which in turn stimulates a surge in LH. You can detect your estrogen surge with saliva fertility monitors and your Lh surge can be detected in your urine using ovulation predictor kits. Electronic monitors, such as the OvaCue, are very easy to use and can help predict your fertile window with even more accuracy – using your saliva to detect ovulation as well as an optional vaginal sensor to confirm ovulation.

After ovulation, progesterone levels rise (could be a little as four tenths of a degree). You can detect this rise if you are charting your basal body temperature. Another sign to look for is the consistency of your cervical mucus. As you approach ovulation your cervical mucus should become clear and slippery, also known as ‘fertile-quality’ cervical mucus. Keeping track of all of these ovulation signs can help determine if and when you are ovulating and are most fertile.

It is true that FertilAid may help to normalize an irregular cycle, and as such, it is often used by women with cycle irregularity issues such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), however most of the women who take FertilAid already have regular cycles. This is because cycle regularity represents just one small facet of what FertilAid is designed to provide. FertilAid is designed to improve a woman’s overall reproductive health. Not only does it provide all of your preconception vitamin and mineral needs, but it also contains key herbal ingredients that have been found to benefit reproductive rates. If you have a regular cycle, you may experience a bit of irregularity initially as your body adjusts, but typically regularity is re-established fairly quickly. For more information about FertilAid, visit www.fairhavenhealth.com.

Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from one of your ovaries and travels through the fallopian tubes to await fertilization. On average, the egg will live approximately 12-24 hours awaiting fertilization from sperm. If conception doesn’t occur, the unfertilized egg, uterine lining, and additional blood will be shed during menstruation. If conception does occur, the egg will implant in the uterine wall within about 6-12 days.

Understanding ovulation is very important if you are trying to conceive. Here are a few common myths and misconceptions.

A Woman Can Get Pregnant Only One Day During Her Cycle. It is true that ovulation (meaning the dropping of one or more eggs) generally only occurs on one day of the cycle, but a woman can actually get pregnant from having had intercourse 4-5 days before ovulation occurs. The reason for this is that sperm can live for up to 5 days in a healthy reproductive tract.

A Normal Menstrual Cycle is 28 Days, and Ovulation Occurs on Day 14 of the Cycle. The reality is that every woman’s cycle is different, and generally ranges from 24-36 days. Ovulation days can also depend on the woman and can occur many days before or after the 14th day of her cycle. You will not necessarily be fertile on the 14th day of your cycle. Fertility Charting, and the use of ovulation microscopes and other predictor devices are recommended to test for your window of fertility.

Women Can Ovulate More Than once During Her Cycle. This is not true. Ovulation only occurs once during the cycle of a healthy woman. It is true that more than one egg may be released during ovulation, but this almost always occurs within 24 hours of each other.

Women Ovulate on the Same Day Each Month. While most women ovulate towards the middle of their cycle, the actual day can change month to month, even in women with regular cycles. This is one reason that tracking for ovulation is so important!

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, also known as PCOS, is a hormonal imbalance that can adversely affect fertility due to an inconsistent menstruation cycle. PCOS is actually quite common, as it affects as many as 1 in 5 women. Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries, which is why it is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful, but lead to hormone imbalances and cycle irregularity. When a menstruation cycle is not regular, ovulation is difficult to predict (if it happens at all), making it difficult to pin-point optimal fertile days.

There is debate surrounding what causes PCOS. Many specialists believe that PCOS is genetic, others believe it is a result of weight gain. Other possible causes include: Insulin resistance (which can be connected to obesity), environmental chemical pollution, and abnormality of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (organ/hormonal disorder).

Symptoms often emerge in the sufferer’s teen years around the time of puberty, and include weight gain, acne, abnormal hair growth on the face, back, and fingers and toes. These are only a few symptoms of PCOS, and are the most recognizable.

Treatment of PCOS is largely dependent on the symptoms experienced by an individual woman. One of the most commonly recommended treatments is weight loss (this is only recommended for obese women). After successful weight loss efforts, many women with PCOS begin to experience cycle regularity. They may also see a decrease of other physical symptoms, or even a complete cessation of them. Specialists and doctors may also recommend attaining cycle regulation with progestins and proper supplementation such as FertilAid, which has been reported by many PCOS sufferers to have played a key role in regulating their cycles.

Polycyctic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), is a rather complicated syndrome that, to some degree or another, affects about one in ten childbearing age women, some of whom are experiencing infertility as a result.

PCOS symptoms tend to be experienced gradually, usually in the early teens, after the first menstrual period. The first symptom is generally weight gain. Hormonal changes that lead to this weight gain include the release of androgens which are hormones that cause the typical male physical characteristics. These changes in hormones spur on symptoms such as:

• Few or no menstrual periods
• Hair loss
• Hirsutism: Increased hair growth in strange places such as back, chest, face, fingers and toes
• Anovulation: The inability to ovulate or release a mature egg from the ovary each month
• Obesity
• Acne
• Skin Tags: Excess flaps of skin generally found around the armpit or groin
• Acanthosis Nigricans: Areas of thick, darker skin found behind the neck, thighs or vulva
• Sleep Apnea or snoring
• Depression
• Male-pattern baldness or hair thinning/loss
• Lower abdomen pain

PCOS Sufferers have many other symptoms and health problems that are not noticeable without doctor consultation. These symptoms can be detected by a doctor during diagnosis. They include, but are not limited to: Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, ovarian cycts, high blood pressure, and infertility.

For trying-to-conceive women, treatments of PCOS include fertility medications: Clomiphene (pills) and Gonadotropins (shots) can be used to stimulate the ovary to ovulate. Natural fertility supplements, such as FertilAid for Women, are popular with PCOS sufferers as well. If you would like more information about PCOS and ways to cope, see a fertility specialist or doctor. You may also wish to start a diet and exercise program to help lessen or cease your symptoms and inability to conceive.