Fertility Awareness Methods for Family Planning

Fertility awareness-based methods are different techniques that can be used to either avoid or attempt pregnancy. They differ from other methods of family planning because one does not have to take hormonal birth control or other types of medication. Although these methods can be used to achieve pregnancy, this article will focus on the avoidance…

Female Infertility

Disclaimer note: While both males and females can be infertile, this article focuses on female infertility, its most common causes, and treatments. For information relating to male infertility click here. Overview of Female Infertility Female infertility is defined as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after 12 months of unprotected intercourse, or…

How to Increase the Chances of Pregnancy

Some couples are able to get pregnant effortlessly, while others experience varying degrees of difficulty. Many couples who are trying to conceive are anxious to do so. Although having intercourse within the “fertile window” is one of the best known ways to increase the probability of fertilization, there are several other ways that couples can…

Birth Control Pill Overview

Birth control pills are one of the most effective contraceptive methods for preventing pregnancy. Commonly referred to as “The Pill,” this type of birth control comes in a variety of forms and can be taken in a variety of different ways depending on the method that works best for the individual. There are two main types of…

Mittelschmerz (Painful Ovulation)

Mittelschmerz, German for “middle pain”, is also known as painful ovulation. It is a medical condition characterized by lower abdominal pain during ovulation that occurs midway through the menstrual cycle, about two weeks prior to the menstrual period.¹ Ovulation is the process in which an ovary releases an egg, or ovum, to be fertilized by…

The Birth Control Implant

The birth control implant, available in over 100 countries, is a highly effective form of hormonal birth control that many people find to be a convenient method of preventing pregnancy. The implant is inserted into the arm and can be kept for up to five years.1 Using a synthetic version of the hormone progestin rather…

The Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is an automatic and self-regulating process during which the female body undergoes physiological and hormonal changes over the course of 24 to 42 days. This process plays an integral role in to the overall health and function of the female reproductive system and fosters the growth of fertilized ovum into developing fetuses….

Fertility Awareness

Basal Body Temperature What Is It? The Basal Body Temperature Method, also known as the “Sympto-Thermal Method” is a complicated (but natural) method of contraception that is based on both the cervical secretions and body temperature of the female. Like all other natural methods of contraception, besides withdrawal, it requires the user to abstain from…

Biological Steps to Becoming Pregnant

There are many steps that must occur for a female to become pregnant. Understanding the process of how pregnancy occurs can be beneficial both for those who are trying to become pregnant, and those who wish to avoid pregnancy. For those that wish to avoid pregnancy, we highly recommend using both a barrier method of…