How to Conceive with Irregular Menstrual Cycles

Trying to concieve, when you have irregular menstrual cycles can add to the difficulty of getting pregnant. Unfortunately, irregular menstrual cycles can account for approximately 30% to 40% of all infertility cases. However, there are things you can do to make your chances better.

One of the most important things you can do is chart your menstrual cycle and the associated physilogical changes that occur. The average woman has a menstrual cycle that lasts 28 days. Ovulation occurs approximately 14 days before you begin to bleed. However, even if cycle is longer or shorter than this, there are usually symptoms which indicate you are beginning to ovulate. Thus, even if you aren't regular, these symptoms can help you with your timing.

Some of the symptoms that indicate ovulation are:

• Abdominal pain. Often when your egg is releasing from the ovary, you will get a sharp abdominal pain.
• Breast tenderness. At the time of ovulation, your breasts and especially your nipples will become sensitive and sore.
• Body temperature. Your body temperature increases during ovulation.
• Cervical mucous changes. This is probably the most important change. When you are ovulating, your vaginal secretions change. During ovulation, your mucous becomes clear, thin, and stretchy. Forgive the analogy, but during this time, your mucous will resemble clear snot. If you put your mucous in your fingers, it will stretch.

Considering this, you will want to take your bodily temperature and check your mucous on a daily basis. Get a notebook and track all of these changes along with the starting and ending dates of menstruation. When your signs indicate you are ovulating, you can go to the drugstore and buy an ovulation predictor kit. Sometimes, you can find these inexpensive at discount stores like the Dollar Tree if price is a consideration. If the kit indicates you ovulating, there is also another thing you can do to increase your chances of conception. You are only fertile for a few days, so don't waste any time in having sexual intercourse. After you have sexual intercourse, do not get up and wash right away. Lay on your back for at least 20 minutes with a pillow propped under your knees. This increases your chances of conception by containi,ng the sperm rather than it escaping.

For a normal woman, it can often take six months to a year to become pregnant. However, if you haven't become after a year, make sure you see your gynecologist. There could be other problems like endometriosis or polycystic ovaries among other things preventing you from concieving. One more additional piece of advice --- try not to put off becoming pregnant for too long. Once a woman hits thirty, her ability to become pregnant starts decreasing with age. The older you become, the more rapidly your ability declines.

If you've already visited your physician and you're still having problems conceiving, it's not only frustrating but heartbreaking. Fertility rates decline signficantly after the twenties. By the time a women turns thirty, her fertility rate per month has decreased from 25% to 15% and the risk of miscarriage is 20%. After 35, it becomes even more dismal. Fertility decreases to 10% a month; the miscarriage rate is 25%; and the risk of Down's Syndrome is 1/350. If you want to experience the joys and satisfaction of motherhood, don't wait too long. If you end up having to try in vitro fertilization, it is very expensive, and most insurance companies don't pay for it.