Tracking Your Period Cycle Before Conception

Aparna Raj | Jul 21, 2023, 11:39 IST
Tracking Your Period Cycle Before Conception

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The journey towards parenthood is an exciting chapter filled with expectations and pure joy. As you step into this life-changing phase, understanding your body's nature becomes naturally empowering to increase your chances of conception. In this article, we invite you to explore more about tracking your menstrual cycle, where each cycle becomes a means to understand your fertility better. Since every body is different, your period cycle says a lot about your body's unique journey.
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Tracking your period cycle offers invaluable information about your hormones and ovulation, which further has a deeper connection with your fertility. We will learn more about the art of charting your cycle, identifying your fertile windows, and understanding the signs that will point towards the perfect time for conception. Join us on this journey of tracking your period cycle before conception, wherein understanding your body's natural changes becomes a guiding light on your path to parenthood.
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1. The Significance of Menstrual Cycle Tracking


a. The menstrual cycle is an interplay of hormones that prepares your body every month for a potential pregnancy. It involves various stages, with your fertility peaking during your ovulation days (the days when ovary releases a mature egg). By tracking your menstrual cycle, you can correctly identify this ovulation phase and hence know the best time for conception.

b. Also, regular observation can also reveal patterns or abnormalities in the cycle that might impact your fertility. These abnormalities can include conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or irregular menstrual cycles, which can affect ovulation and, hence, the chances of conception. Early detection of these issues allows for timely consultation with a doctor, which can lead to early treatment and an increased chance of successful conception.

2. Doctor's Role in Menstrual Cycle Tracking


DOCTOR DISCUSSING WITH PATIENT


a. The menstrual cycle is not just about a monthly period. It comes with a complex change in hormones that prepares a woman's body for potential pregnancy every month. Doctors can simplify this complex process for you by explaining the different stages of the menstrual cycle in detail i.e., the menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase.

b. During these discussions, doctors can also explain how each phase has a role in changing your hormone levels and how these hormones can influence fertility. For example, they can give you details on how hormones like estrogen and progesterone keep increasing and decreasing throughout your cycle and their role in preparing the uterus for a potential pregnancy.

c. In addition to hormones, doctors can also tell you about the physical changes or symptoms that you might experience during these phases, such as menstrual cramps during the menstrual phase or a rise in basal body temperature during ovulation.

3.The Importance of Monitoring Menstrual Patterns


DOCTOR EXPLAINING PERIOD CYCLE


a. An important part of tracking the menstrual cycle involves noting down every period's start and end dates. This will help you identify the average cycle length, which is an important factor in predicting your ovulation. A doctor will usually ask you to maintain a menstrual diary or use a tracking app for this purpose.

b. Doctors can also help understand these patterns. For example, they will explain to you that a regular cycle that lasts between 24 to 38 days is considered normal. Whereas, changes beyond this range might indicate issues like irregular ovulation or conditions such as PCOS.

4. The Value of Observing Physiological Changes


WOMAN WITH PAIN IN STOMACH


a. Minor physiological changes come with each menstrual cycle, particularly around your ovulation days. Doctors can teach women on how to identify these changes and provide them with tools to identify their fertile window.

b. These changes mostly include a slight increase in basal body temperature following ovulation, the transformation in cervical mucus, which becomes clear and stretchy like egg whites when a woman is most fertile, and a sensation of slight pelvic pain or discomfort, also known as mittelschmerz.

5. Guidance on Using Ovulation Predictor Kits


Ovulation predictor kits are practical tools that detect the rise of luteinizing hormone (LH) which triggers ovulation. Doctors can guide women on how and when to use these kits to improve their tracking accuracy. This guidance is mostly valuable because the LH rise generally occurs 24 to 48 hours before ovulation, giving a clear window for conception.

7. When to Seek Further Medical Help


DOCTOR DISCUSSING WITH PATIENT


Despite correctly tracking the menstrual cycle, some women may notice irregularities in their cycle or experience difficulty in conceiving. In such cases, a doctor can be an important source of help. They can recommend further evaluations such as hormonal tests, ultrasound scans, or other diagnostic procedures to identify potential issues like hormonal imbalances and any other abnormalities or conditions like endometriosis. Based on these evaluations, doctors can also suggest appropriate treatment methods, ranging from lifestyle changes and even medicines to other assisted reproductive technologies like IVF or IUI.

The process of tracking one's menstrual cycle is a very important self-awareness tool in the journey towards conception. Doctors, with their detailed knowledge and expertise, serve as invaluable guides in this journey. Their role ranges from giving an understanding of the period cycle and its hormonal changes to advising on tracking techniques and identifying patterns. Their guidance can also recommend further medical evaluations and treatments when necessary. With the help of this doctor-patient collaboration, the path towards successful conception can be traveled with greater confidence and understanding.
This article is approved by Dr. Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Gynecologist, Obstetrician and IVF Expert, Director - Nurture Clinic.

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