Ask your Grapevine ob about optimizing fertility.

Are you considering beginning your family? The Women’s Integrated Healthcare Grapevine OBs are here to help you navigate the process from fertility to delivery. We want to share this basic human biology refresher and some proactive steps you can take to put you on a path to conception. It’s never too early to call and schedule a fertility consultation with any of our Grapevine Obs to discuss personal concerns and learn more about ovulation, preconception health and fertility testing.

A Basic Biology Lesson

Ovulation and Fertilization

Ovulation involves the release of a mature egg from its developing follicle. The ovulation process occurs in women approximately 14 days after menstruation begins, but every woman is different. The mature egg travels into one of two fallopian tubes. To successfully conceive, a man’s sperm must fertilize the mature egg in the fallopian tube, migrate to the uterus and implant itself in the uterine lining. Within two weeks of fertilization, HCG levels become detectable on a pregnancy test, and the embryo begins to develop.
If the egg is not fertilized, the body’s natural process of menstruation (or shedding of the uterine lining) will occur. This monthly cycle repeats itself each month.

Timing Is Everything

When it comes to getting pregnant, knowing when you will ovulate and the best days to have intercourse are important factors in a successful conception. There are several ways to track your ovulation cycle:

• Create a Basal Body Temperature Chart (BBT)
• Calendar Method – Chart your Menstrual Cycle
• Cervical Mucus Method (also known as the Ovulation Method)
• Ovulation Predictor Test Kits

Timed Intercourse

A man’s sperm can live up to 3-5 days in a woman’s body and can fertilize an egg at any point in this timeframe. If you have unprotected sex just prior to or during ovulation, you can become pregnant. An ovulation predictor kit can help pinpoint your fertility window so that you can time intercourse for the best chances for getting pregnant.