Fertility Charting

If you're trying to get pregnant and you haven't been able to conceive yet, or you haven't started trying, but you hope that it won't take long to conceive, then you'll want to know about charting your fertility. While this may sound like it takes the spontaneity out of your romance, and it sounds technical, it's a very important process for conceiving.

Certainly, keeping tabs on your fertility signs is not for everyone. Some people just want to let nature take its course and they don't want to know about all of the specifics involved in getting pregnant. For those, however, who need this extra help, or want to understand the ins and outs of what's going on as they try to conceive, these details are very helpful.

Learning How To Use Fertility Charting

Here are two main items to understand for charting your fertility levels.

1. Basal Body Temperature

Known as the BBT this is the temperature that you have when at rest. By charting your temperature everyday, at the same time every morning, you should be able to know when you are ovulating and, perhaps, even if you are pregnant. Usually, in a healthy woman with a normal cycle, the temperature is in the low range for the first 12-14 days of the cycle. Around ovulation, the temperature shoots up, indicating that the egg has been released. By keeping a daily chart of your resting temperature, you should be able to see a pattern and to know approximately when the time to try to conceive is each month.

2. Cervical Fluid

Cervical Fluid - Examining cervical fluid is another great way to keep track of your cycle and to know where you are in your cycle. When menstruation ends, the cervical fluid tends to dry up for a bit. Then, as ovulation is ready to begin, the fluid is often creamy and white, and becomes sticky. As you get closer to ovulating, the fluid is more wet, stretchy and clear. This indicates that you are the most fertile and this is the best time to try to get pregnant. Usually, a woman will experience this type of fluid for a few days and then ovulate. After ovulation, the fluid will dry up again or become less thick. While many women shy away from using this method for fertility charting, it can be a very effective way to know when you are ovulating.

Why Chart Your Fertility?

While charting your fertility, you should have a calendar available that is just dedicated to your fertility issues. This is your calendar where you'll mark down when you menstruated, when it ended, what your temperature was each day, and how your cervical fluid was each day. In addition, you should get graph paper where you can chart your daily temperature. Within a few months, you should easily see signs that indicate when you are about to ovulate based on the increase in your temperature.

These are very inexpensive and easy ways to chart your fertility and to move towards conception! While they may seem tedious to some, they are a great way to know what your body is doing and to get yourself ready to hit your target - and timing is everything with pregnancy!

Remember to enjoy the process as well and not to get too bogged down in these technical aspects. They are intended to help the process, not to infringe on it in any way.