1 out of 6 couples in Australia have difficulty in getting pregnant.
A healthy young woman can conceive on only a few days in each cycle. Even if a couple makes love at their fertile time, the chance of pregnancy is only 1 in 5. In other words, it takes a healthy young couple about 6 months to conceive.
Obviously, should a couple’s health be compromised, particularly their reproductive health through contraception, then it will take longer not only to get pregnant but also to sustain a pregnancy. Fertility awareness can help a couple become pregnant by enabling them to recognise their signs of fertility and to make love when they are at their most fertile.
The Sympto-Thermal Method
The menstrual cycle is influenced by the female sex hormones: oestrogen and progesterone. These cause physiological changes in a woman’s body, which can be monitored using these clinical indicators:
- Basal body temperature
- Cervical mucus
- Cervical changes
- Mid cycle pain (Mittleschmerz)
- Breast changes
Couples take charge of their own personal fertility by observing, recording and interpreting the cyclical changes based on the above. Conception is more likely if they make love when the indicators reveal that they are at their most fertile.
A Diagnostic Tool
If a couple do not achieve a pregnancy and wish to pursue medical investigations, their charts reveal valuable and time-saving information:
- effective and non-invasive ovulation detection
- definition of cervical secretion quality
- determination of luteal length
- verification of irregular bleeding
This information enables doctors to prescribe an appropriate treatment more quickly than if the couple had not used the Sympto-Thermal Method. With their personal fertility knowledge, a couple also has a clearer understanding about what a proposed treatment could mean, and so they can truly make informed decisions.
To find out more about treatment options please contact a doctor who is affiliated with the Australasian Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine (AIRRM).
(c) Video created by AIRRM. Permission to use this video has been granted by AIRRM.
