Family Planning

Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovary. This is the only time a woman can get pregnant, as it is the only time an egg is able to be fertilized by male sperm.

Bleeding that occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle can have several causes. Hormone fluctuations in progesterone and estrogen levels can cause bleeding before a period is due. Spotting may...

An egg donor is someone who voluntarily gives up some of their eggs to help women who otherwise can't conceive a child. The process is done through a surgical procedure and the cost of the...

Plan B is a birth control option that is intended for use in emergency situations. When taken soon after intercourse, it can delay ovulation and prevent implantation of a fertilized egg in the...

Finding an egg donation clinic is one thing. Actually choosing the woman who may donate her egg is another. Making a selection can be an emotional process with many options to consider along the way.

Women use fertility drugs to improve their chances of achieving a pregnancy. The majority of women take fertility drugs to encourage ovulation, the time of a woman's cycle when she is able to get...

A woman is considered fertile during ovulation, the time when the ovary releases an egg to become fertilized. To determine when you're fertile, track your menstrual cycle for a few months to...

Taking advantage of all pregnancy opportunities is the key to becoming pregnant as fast as possible. To succeed in your venture, you will need to understand when your pregnancy opportunities are...

The day after pill or morning after pill, commonly sold under the brand names Plan B and Next Choice, is an emergency contraception used to prevent unwanted pregnancy. It must be taken with 72...

The $2,500 fee recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine for women donating eggs to couples with fertility issues can be a tempting fee for women near the Society's recommended...

Low sperm motility refers to the inability of a male's sperm to reach the egg after ejaculation. If the sperm cannot move quickly enough or cannot move at all, it becomes difficult for a woman to...

More than 25 years ago, Dr. Landrum Shettles devised a method that was meant to help couples conceive the gender of their choice; it is still being practiced today. He claims that couples who take...

When you hear talk of newborn babies and unplanned pregnancies, it might seem like getting pregnant is one of the easiest things to do. But when it comes to planning a baby, many women discover...

Conceiving a baby isn't always as easy as it appears to be. As with many things in life, it happens easier for some than it does for others. While there are medical treatments available for those...

Sperm production begins at puberty and continues until death, unless an illness is preventing it. Sperm take up to 72 days to mature. Millions of sperm leave the penis during ejaculation. Sperm...

Most people know it's unsafe to smoke while pregnant, but smoking while trying to conceive also reduces the chances of success. Doctors agree that women who smoke will take up to two months longer...

Ovulation is an essential part of becoming pregnant. To conceive, a sperm must meet and fertilize a mature egg that has been released by an ovary into the fallopian tube. If the ovary has not...

An IUD, or intrauterine device, is a small birth control device that is inserted through the cervix into the uterus. This T-shaped object, which can remain in the uterus for years, must be...

Detecting the LH surge is an invaluable tool in family planning, fertility and trying to conceive. Part of the natural menstrual process, it marks a fairly specific time in which conception is...

Getting pregnant can seem like a great mystery. Some women seem to get pregnant with ease, while others try for a long time before they're able to conceive---if they conceive at all. You'll...

Although it often happens by accident, conceiving a baby is actually a somewhat complicated process. It requires several biological processes to align at just the right time. Even for couples...

While getting pregnant seems like it should be the easiest and most natural thing in the world, it isn't always. Many small but important steps have to occur to make conception happen: The sperm...

To determine when is the best time to get pregnant, you must establish when your period of ovulation will occur.

With 4 kids under my belt I have learned a few tricks that might just help you get the gender you are looking for!

Doctors who work with patients grappling with infertility are called reproductive endocrinologists (REs). One of the services offered by REs is egg donation. An egg donor is used when a woman who...

Infertile couples using donated eggs to conceive must take many steps to choose an appropriate egg donor. Whether you receive eggs from a known donor or an anonymous egg donor, keep in mind...

For the conception of a human being to take place the first necessary qualification is the sexual union of two people, one male and one female. Both must have reached the age of sexual maturity...