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.

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!

Acupuncture

In acupuncture, based on the problem you’re experiencing, different ‘points’ are stimulated using long, thin acupuncture needles. These long, thin needles vary in length according to which point it is to be inserted into. The idea is that by stimulating these points, energy flow is rebalanced and the body can then begin to heal itself. While Western practitioners admit that they are unsure of the connection between acupuncture and fertility, many recommend it as a way of regulating ovulation and menstruation for women trying to conceive, as well as decreasing stress levels, opening blocked sperm ducts in men, and increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs. Acupuncture has been recommended by fertility specialists and naturopaths and homeopathic specialists for both diagnosed and non-diagnosed couples with fertility problems. It has also become widely recommended to women undergoing In vitro Fertilization (IVF) and other fertility treatments. In fact, A German study in 2002 found that performing acupuncture about 25 minutes before and 25 minutes after an embryo transfer increases pregnancy rates to 42.5 percent, compared to about 26 percent without acupuncture! *

Yoga

While gaining popularity by many Westerners as great exercise and an alternative to the gym, like Acupuncture, yoga has also become a recommended alternative to infertility treatments such as In vitro Fertilization and Clomid. Yoga and specific yoga poses recommended for fertility, help to balance hormones while others increase the amount of blood flow to your organs, thereby stimulating and strengthening them. Meditation can also be a part of yoga, which can be a great stress management technique. Check out PhD, RYT, scientist and yoga instructor Anna Davis’s Bend, Breathe & Conceive for a respected fertility yoga DVD that receives incredibly good feedback and reviews!

* http://www.alpineacupuncture.com/Infertility.htm

Elizabeth Austen is the Founder of Fill Their Arms, a non-profit organization created to provide financial support for those struggling with infertility. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University of Northridge as well as a certification in crisis counseling from The Women’s Coalition of Ventura, California. Elizabeth is married and has experienced the pain of infertility and miscarriage. We feel very fortunate to have been able to interview her about Fill Their Arms and hope you find this information helpful.

Fill Their Arms Mission Statement: We intend to eliminate the financial hardship that infertile couples experience by empowering family and friends to contribute and provide support. We strive to increase infertility awareness by educating the public and spreading truth.

Fairhaven Health: What prompted you to start a business like Fill Their Arms?

Elizabeth: There is a huge need! During my and Zach’s four year struggle with infertility, we found that our options were extremely limited. Fertility care and treatment was a struggle because of the expense; Adoption was completely out of our reach. Meanwhile, I observed how other foundations served people who had illnesses. I thought to myself, “What about infertility? Why isn’t there something for that?” I thought about how much easier things would be if everyone in our family and circle of support donated towards our efforts to become parents. As I began to connect with other couples in the same boat, I saw that there was a real need.

Fairhaven Health: And then you started Fill Their Arms?

Elizabeth: Well, not quite yet! For a long time, my goal was only to become a parent. Honestly, infertility has had a very negative impact on my life. Then when I finally did become pregnant, and ended up miscarrying the baby… it was catastrophic. Not too long after the miscarriage, we decided to stop trying to conceive altogether.

Fairhaven Health: A drastic decision, but understandable.

Elizabeth: I know. Infertility was really taking a toll. I can’t tell you how relieved I am since we stopped. I feel like I’ve been carrying a very heavy load for four years, and finally just dropped it. So much has been restored since we stopped trying to conceive. My faith in God has been restored, my marriage, my spirit… I have gotten me back, if that makes sense.

Fairhaven Health: It certainly does. We’ve heard this same sentiment from many couples who have decided to take a break, or quit trying altogether.

Elizabeth: When I finally came to this place, I said to myself, “Ok. I can’t have a baby. But as infertility has had such a huge impact on my life – I’m going to have a huge impact on infertility!” I didn’t quite know how at that point, but I knew that I was going to do something big. Then my good friend Rebecca suggested I start a non-profit business to help infertile couples. And that is how Fill Their Arms came about!

Fairhaven Health: So you mentioned donations. Why does there need to be a non-profit entity in place to track donations? Why can’t couples just ask their family and friends for donations themselves?

Elizabeth: It is very hard to ask people for money on your own behalf. There is no way I would get on the phone and call up every friend and every person in my family and ask for money. It is too awkward. This is where the sponsor comes in. If you and your husband had infertility issues, and you registered with Fill Their Arms, your first step would be to recruit a sponsor. A sponsor can be anyone in your support system that you are close to, whether it be a sibling, best friend, cousin, anyone. The sponsor is the person who asks for donations on your behalf.

Fairhaven Health: It sounds like it would certainly eliminate the awkwardness of asking for help, as well as the financial strain of couples having to do it themselves.

Elizabeth: Exactly! Another reason that Fill Their Arms is important is because there is so much misinformation out there regarding what infertility is really all about. Many people – even well educated people – unfortunately fall into believing those popular myths about infertility.

Fairhaven Health: Can you give an example of a popular myth about infertility?

Elizabeth: Sure. Many people believe that infertility is a psycho-somatic illness – meaning it is all in your head. This is why we often hear people say, “Don’t worry. Just relax and you will get pregnant,” in response to being told that a couple is infertile.

Fairhaven Health: And in your opinion, what is the truth behind this myth?

Elizabeth: Infertility is a medical problem. Relaxation is nice but it will not cure infertility. If a couple has infertility issues, they must be aggressive in obtaining medical intervention. If they “just relax,” rather than seek medical help – not only will pregnancy be unlikely, but a lack of medical care could lead to further health consequences.

Fairhaven Health: So the “Just relax and you will get pregnant” myth, in your opinion, may actually be having a negative impact.

Elizabeth: Yes, it is. Fill Their Arms seeks to educate the fertile population. In my observation, there are so many sites that exist in an effort to support infertile couples. And that is great. But the problem is that in supporting infertile couples, only infertile couples are being addressed. You need to address the fertile population as well, especially the family and friends of those suffering from infertility.

Fairhaven Health: Yes, understood. But why, specifically, is it important to address the fertile population if they don’t struggle with infertility?

Elizabeth: This is where public awareness comes in. Think of it this way: Approximately one in ten individuals have infertility problems. This means that nine out of ten people don’t. The fertile population is our support system. The first step to supporting a person who is infertile is to know a little bit about infertility. Fill Their Arms is a business that addresses the fertile population. We seek to educate them as much as possible. Our goal is to change their thinking, increase infertility awareness and demolish as many infertility myths as possible.

Fairhaven Health: So give us more detail about how this actually works. Do couples register with your site, and list email addresses to receive a message about the couple seeking donations?

Elizabeth: Fill Their Arms is not necessarily for “TTC couples.” It is for infertile married couples. The medical definition of “infertile” is any couple having had regular and unprotected sex for at least 12 months with no successful pregnancies occurring during that time.” So if a couple has been trying to conceive for less than 12 months, then medically, they do not (yet) classify as infertile. Also it is important to realize that the medical definition of a “successful pregnancy” is one which results in a live birth. So if any miscarriages occurred during those 12 months, the “infertile” diagnosis will still apply. If a married couple is infertile and they are needing some financial assistance in fertility treatment or adoption, they may apply through www.filltheirarms.com on the “register” page.

Fairhaven Health: Is the couple receiving donations from strangers, or just family and friends? How is this separated?

Elizabeth: The couples will receive their donations from their loved ones. The letter that their sponsor sends out has instructions in how their loved ones, family members, and friends may donate through www.filltheirarms.com. Everything is password protected in order to protect the privacy of the couples. No one will be able to access any information about the couple – or even know that the couple has registered with FTA – until they enter their password. The sponsor letters will contain the password.

Fairhaven Health: What if someone wants to donate in general, and not to a specific couple?

Elizabeth: Yes! People may donate in general. If someone wishes to do so, they may go to www.filltheirarms.com and click on the “donate” link. At the bottom of the page is an area which will prompt them on how to make a general donation. None of the money goes to me. 100% of their donations gets dispensed to the couples that are currently registered with FTA.

Fairhaven Health: Fill Their Arms sounds like a wonderful foundation. Besides education and public awareness, what else can be done in support of infertility?

Elizabeth: Donations are important. If you chose to donate to Fill Their Arms, 100% of your money will go toward helping infertile couples become parents. You can donate through the site at www.filltheirarms.com.

Fairhaven Health: Congratulations, Elizabeth! We wish you all the best and hope your organization will be a huge success!

Elizabeth: Thank you!

Infertility…

• is the time a future parent suffers the most for their child.

• can be scary, emotional, and very difficult to deal with. But it doesn’t have to be dealt with alone!

• is a struggle that can be overcome… we just have to believe and stay positive!

• is a struggle that no one can understand until it happens to them.

• is really difficult, but “Some of the BEST things in life are WORTH waiting for.”

• has been and still is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to go through.

• is the most frustrating & heart wrenching aspect of life one can go through. To not know “why” and “what” is the biggest problem.

• is something most don’t understand. Those suffering from it would give anything in the world to get pregnant. Along with infertility comes: tears, charting, OPK, BBT, frustration, neg pregnancy tests, and much more.

• is hard to deal with but worth it in the end when your blessed with an angel!

• changes the lives of many. Not only do we have to deal with all the problems of trying to get pregnant, but also the many losses that can also result from infertility issues, then we try and pick up the pieces and start all over again. It gets harder and harder as more time goes by.

• gets harder and harder as each HPT is negative.

• is rarely talked about and the person next to you could be experiencing the same thing and u never know it. It is one of those things u wanna hide in the closet and leave there. Quite depressing really when all u want is a child of your own!

• is very emotional, it makes you a whole different person. You feel like no one understands you and what you are feeling and struggling with. It is also very hard on couples to become so consumed with with having a baby

• is life altering. You never think you are going to be “that person” until you go through it first hand and the experience really changes you- as a person and as a couple.

__________________

• Waiting *patiently* for a baby isn’t easy, it’s quite a roller coaster ride! Between the hopefulness, anticipation, letdown and tears, not to mention the insensitive comments from others, it’s overwhelming sometimes.

• No matter how tiring and frustrating it may become…we will continue to push forward in hopes that one day soon we will be blessed w/ another child.

• I so want my little boy to have a sibling soon. I wish for it real soon, but know it will happen on God’s timetable.

• People tell me that since its me and not my wife and that we still have a chance of getting a pregnant. People tell me to get a sperm donor and that hurts me very much. Prayers are appreciated from a great man that wants to be a great father.

• After trying for 7 years, we finally became pregnant in 2005 with our now three year old son. We started trying again in 2007, so that there wouldn’t be a big age gap between our kiddos, well two years later and one chemical pregnancy, we still do not have another baby. I really want to give my son a sibling and want to feel the joys of being a mom all over again.

Please read Melissa Sanford’s blog post about Staying Positive in the Midst of Infertility for tips on how to keep your chin up!