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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 19/01/2010 19:06:34

Title: When, during their monthly cycle, are women most fertile?
Post by: thedoc on 19/01/2010 19:06:34
How many days in a month can a woman become pregnant?
Asked by Setep, on Twitter

               
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Title: When, during their monthly cycle, are women most fertile?
Post by: thedoc on 19/01/2010 19:06:34
Well, the fertile window is around the time of ovulation, which is day 14.  So you're really looking at 2 or 3 days either side of that because sperm can persist or survive inside a woman for 2, maybe 3 days.  And so that’s why it’s really important to use safe sex practices ahead of ovulation. Also, the time of ovulation can vary by a couple of days in some women, so it’s really important to avoid, if you don't want to get pregnant, unsafe sex in that week in particular.
Title: When, during their monthly cycle, are women most fertile?
Post by: yor_on on 24/02/2010 21:24:39
When they spend time together I've heard that womens ovulation more or less synchronizes with each other, is that correct, and why?
Title: When, during their monthly cycle, are women most fertile?
Post by: Variola on 27/02/2010 17:57:28
When they spend time together I've heard that womens ovulation more or less synchronizes with each other, is that correct, and why?

Yep, from my experience it is true that womens menstrual cycles synchronise if they a significant amount of time together, i.e work, friends etc.
Why? I have no idea, possibly in terms of evolution is was useful to coincide ovulation as a male could impregnate several females at the same time. If women have their babies at the same time, they can share reciprocal childcare duties, meer cats and lions have a similar technique.
Title: When, during their monthly cycle, are women most fertile?
Post by: yor_on on 28/02/2010 09:59:26
Interesting :)

From a male perspective I will now study my female companions with a much more interested look, they all working together encouraging my, ah, procreational urges.

We're weird :)
Title: Re: When, during their monthly cycle, are women most fertile?
Post by: RobertGrey1961 on 15/03/2020 14:28:09
Skip the moment of nausea and learn how your cervical mucus can help you to determine when you are most fertile!

There are many tests for predicting ovulation on the market, but the best test is inside every woman.

Cyclic changes in the mucus that is formed in the cervix, allows simple and easy way for monitoring women’s cycle and their most fertile days. Opposite to the changes in basal temperature that changes after ovulation, changing the cervical mucus occurs several days before ovulation, giving the woman time to prepare for conception.

What is actually cervical mucus?
The cervix is the neck that connects the vagina and the uterus. That neck is not smooth and flat as a pipe, but it is full of bumps. The mucus is formed in these holes and bumps and it is released. Hormonal changes during women’s menstrual cycle have an effect on mucus quantity and its density. The cervical mucus acts as a “gatekeeper” of the reproductive system. Semen that is ejected into the vagina, should swim through the cervix, and passes through the mucus to reach the uterus and fertilize the egg as it moves down thefallopian tubes.

Cervical mucus acts as a barrier to sperm. It protects the cervix chemically – the white blood cells fight against foreign bodies – and mechanical –it acts as stopper that seals the cervical canal.

During the fertile phase, consistency and content of the mucus changes, so now instead of being a barrier, mucus helps thetransferring and scaling of the sperm through the cervix. Also, during this phase the mucus increases the duration of sperm, allowing it to be alive in the female body up to five days. Mucus acts as a device for quality control, scanning the sperm and eliminating substandard “swimmers”.

How can you predict the fertile days by the mucus?
The mucus is different through different phases of women’s cycle. It changes how it is felt in the vagina, the color and consistency. Before or after ovulation, usually the mucus is missing or there is not much. During fertile days the mucus is felt in the vagina like moist or sticky and it has white or cream color and it is tick. And during the highly fertile days the feel is slippery, wet or lubricated. The quantity is increased. It is as well thin, watery, and transparent, like egg white.

In order to test the mucus, you can examine a sample by using a toilet paper or when it moistens on your underwear. As well a sample can be taken with a finger that must be first washed.