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The Right Timing

Learn to Track Your Body's Fertile
Signs to Help You Conceive

Part 2

By Jessica Williams

Commonly called the "Sympto-thermal" method, using both the basal body temperature tracking method and the ovulation tracking method together can increase the awareness of fertility. Also, there are other symptoms some women have noticed during their cycle that help them understand which days are the most fertile days. For example, a mid-cycle abdominal discomfort (called mittelschmerz) localized on one side of the lower pelvic region can alert a woman that an egg is being released or will be released very soon.

Charting both temperature changes and mucous changes may seem daunting, but it can greatly improve your chances of conception. It can help both you and your partner become more aware of fertility changes that might affect your mood or sexual appetite. Many couples will use these methods to avoid pregnancy once they have had a child. In the end, working together to understand fertility on such an intimate level may be the best way to strengthen the relationship and prepare for parenthood.

Talk to your gynecologist about your interest in learning fertility tracking methods like those mentioned in this article. Some doctors have sample charts and basal thermometers and will explain the method in more detail. Using these methods based on information in this article alone is not recommended.

Back to Part One

Want to see more?

• Fertile Signs: Scientific and Subtle Ways to Know You're Ready to Conceive
• Truth Be Told: Common Infertility Myths
• Fertility Boosters: 6 Things You Might Have Overlooked
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!

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