The Science of Making Babies

Track Your Fertility

Forget counting days, buying expensive ovulation predictor kits and taking your temperature every five minutes - there's a much easier way to discover the most fertile time of your cycle. Dont be serious about day 14 of your menstrual cycle. Some women ovulate straight after their period and some even ovulate twice a month.

Changes in your cervical secretions tell you exactly when you're most fertile and when you're most likely to conceive.
Look out for

• DRY DAYS occur during the first few days of your cycle, just after your period. Your oestrogen levels are low, as are your chances of conceiving.
• MILKY & STICKY SECRETION marks the begenning of the fertile time of your cycle. As your egg follicles get bigger they're producing increasing amounts of oestrogen, which makes the secretions at your cervix more sperm fiendly.
• CLEAR & SLIPPERY SECRETION indicates the most fertile time of your cycle. Your secretions have chenged to an egg-white consistency to allow sperm to move through your cervix and into your uterus more easily.
• CLOUDY & THICK SECRETIONS generally signifies the ovlation has taken place. You'll still be fertile during the first two or three days of this stage but your chances of pregnency are low. After this time you'll be back to the infertile time of your cycle.

If you're trying to conceive, you'll be fertile from the start of the sticky secretions untill three days afterthe wetter, slippery secretions have turned back to thick and cloudy or to the dryness again. It's also really important to have lota of sex.

You can also avail of a simple salive test to identify the four or five days of your cycle when you're most fertile and most likely to get pregnent. Saliva is a recognised measure of hormonal activity that takes place during ovulation. Simply place a drop of saliva on a microscope that comes with the test, then peer through the lens. A fern like pattern indicates, you're ovulating.

ARE CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS SAFE ?

With the advent of contraceptive pills more than 40 years ago, it has been looked down upon with suspicion and blamed for weight gain. The woryy seems to be unfouded as established by several studies. Reports appearing in Obstetrics and Gynecology reveal that there is no correlation between oral contraception and weight gain.

ABORTION PILLS NO RISKIER THAN SURGICAL TERMINATION ?

Conflicting signals have surfaced - pills will sap your sex life and drive you fat. Next we are made to believe that its a safe and easy option. A new study appearing in New England Journal of Medicine shows that using abortion pills to terminate pregnencies during the first trimester is no more hazardous to future pregnencies than surgical terminations.

WHAT OUR EXPERTS SAY...

'Abortion pills should be considered according to the patient needs and body condition. The usual contraindication being recent attack of jaundice, epilepsy, allergic diasthesis, migrane, cancer and deep vain thrombosis (DVT). Pills can be used upto 42-45 days of pregnancy for termination. However careful history taking, ultrasound examination and counselling regarding its action and the heavy bleeding that might ensue should be carefully explained to the patient.

These are better for those who are well informed and compliant. As opposed to these, surgical termination is often quick to perform and rarely is there a need to follow up. It carries with it the risks associated with anesthesia and when done in competent hands, it is extremely safe.

Whatever the mode of termination of a pregnency or an advice regarding contraception should be according to the patient needs, doctor's comfort and competence and very much clicically co-related."