A simple way of establishing on which days in a woman's menstrual cycle she is fertile has been identified by US and Italian fertility experts, according to research published in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction,* today.

Analyzing cervical secretion and time to pregnancy data obtained from a large multinational European database – the European Study of Daily Fecund-ability - they were able to demonstrate that intercourse is unlikely to result in a conception if vaginal dampness is not noticeable on that day or the day before.

All a woman has to do is to notice when she has any vaginal dampness, not associated with menstruation, intercourse or disease. Women wishing to avoid pregnancy should avoid unprotected intercourse unless they have not had vaginal dampness for 2 days.

This algorithm, which was developed by the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University, is called the TwoDay method. The research teams used their data to analyze the relationship between the presence of noticeable secretions and the daily probabilities of pregnancy in cycles when intercourse was on a given day relative to the identified ovulation day.

The TwoDay method differs from other symptom-based natural family planning methods in that it is not necessary to keep detailed records of cervical mucus characteristics and basal body temperature. This simple algorithm may outperform expensive urinary kits, which can miss the majority of the fertile interval that occurs one or more days prior to ovulation.

Dr David Dunson of the Biostatistics Branch of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina said: This method is effective, both in identifying the fertile days of the cycle and in predicting days within that fertile interval that have a high pregnancy rate. It's the first direct evidence that cervical secretions are associated with higher fecund-ability within the fertile window.

For couples of normal fertility having intercourse two days prior to ovulation on the most fertile day of the cycle, the probability of pregnancy is essentially doubled from 0.18 (18%) if secretions have not been noticed in the last two days to 0.33 (one third) if secretions have been noticed. A normal couple who abstains from intercourse during the days classified as fertile by our system would have around an 8% chance of becoming pregnant within a year of frequent intercourse – compared with a 97% chance for a couple not following our system.

*The relationship between cervical secretions and the daily probabilities of pregnancy: effectiveness of the TwoDay Algorithm. Human Reproduction Vol. 16. No. 11. pp 2278-2282. D.B. Dunson, I.Sinai, B Columbo. Biostatistics Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, North Carolina; Institute for Reproductive Health, Georgetown University, Washington DC, Department of Statistics, University of Padua.

This story has been adapted from a news release issued by European Society For Human Reproduction And Embryology.

Source: TwoDay Method | Institute of Reproductive Health

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Fact Sheet: TwoDay Method®

TwoDay Method: Top 15 Most Frequently Asked Questions

TwoDay Method Provider Screening Checklist: ENGLISH | SPANISH

TwoDay Method Client Brochure: ENGLISH | SPANISH

TwoDay Method Client Recording Card: ENGLISH | SPANISH

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

What Every Woman Should Know

What Every Woman Should Know About Fertility and Her Biological Clock
by Cara Birrittieri

-- Until now, there has been little practical advice on what women can do about ticking biological clocks.

What Every Woman Should Know About Her Biological Clock is the first book to explore a woman's reproductive lifespan completely, from beginning to end.

Based on Cara Birrittieri's own experience of running up against a slowing biological clock, she shows women for the first time how to tell what time it is with a simple blood test that gives them a peek at the state of their ovaries.

📚 Paperback: 224 pages
Click to order/for more info: What Every Woman Should Know About Fertility and Her Biological Clock

Garden Acupuncture in Park Slope, Brooklyn has been creating and producing informational videos over the past year explaining Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

The latest of the videos explains the importance of women keeping track of their Basal Body Temperature, BBT, throughout their menstrual cycle. This is paramount information for individuals trying to conceive because it shows their most fertile days of the month.

Information learned from a basal body temperature chart:
1. When ovulation occurs.
2. The most fertile days of the month.
3. Length of the two phases of the cycle.
4. Possible irregularities.
5. If acupuncture, herbal therapy or another form of intervention could be beneficial.



In the video, Alexander Goldberg LAc, Dipl OM, a fertility specialist, gives an easy description of how to take your temperature to get accurate results. This resting body temperature is an indication of hormone levels and processes that are occurring in the body. So, keeping track of this will give provide a clear picture of your fertility health.

Dr. Goldberg has studied directly under Dr. Randine Lews, Ph.D. author of The Infertility Cure, and The Way of the Fertile Soul. Dr. Lewis is a well-recognized authority in the field of fertility medicine and Alex is the only practitioner in Brooklyn, NY who has the esteemed privilege to study with her.

Garden Acupuncture is a family-run, small business in the heart of Park Slope. They pride themselves on individualized, affordable treatments and are committed to offering the best holistic care to the local community.

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Way of the Fertile Soul:
Ten Ancient Chinese Secrets to Tap into a Woman's Creative Potential
by Randine Lewis

Being fertile and fruitful can mean giving birth to a child -- but to have a fertile soul means to give birth to the true self a woman wants to be: to live a life filled with passion, strength, joy, and adventure.

In The Way of the Fertile Soul, Dr. Randine Lewis outlines ten ancient Chinese medical and Taoist secrets that hold the little-known key to successfully conceiving babies, new dreams, and fulfilling life for women at any phase in their lives.

The Way of the Fertile Soul encourages women to strive toward health, abundance, and a fruitful, joyous approach to life.

By using diagnostic questionnaires, qigong exercises, and guided meditations to help the reader understand how the elements of nature express themselves in her body, mind, and spirit, The Way of the Fertile Soul provides the tools to greatly increase a woman's chance of conceiving, identify imbalances, reduce stress, increase energy, and uncover her intrinsic creativity and express it fully.

Paperback: 240 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Way of the Fertile Soul

Start reading The Way of the Fertile Soul on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Let's take a look at your menstrual cycle as you move through the month.

The following ovulation calendar is based on a 28 day cycle, so if your cycle is a bit longer or shorter, please adjust accordingly (for some help here, visit our online ovulation calendar).

We take you through your cycle day-by-day and interject a few points and tips (like when to start ovulation testing or how to interpret changes in cervical mucus - a natural fertility symptom).


Get Pregnant Tip #2 Start Fertility Chart: A fertility chart will be the cornerstone of your trying to conceive efforts - a daily ovulation calendar where you record your fertility signs, your daily basal temperature (more on that below), the results of ovulation tests or fertility monitors, and when you made love.

A fertility chart will help you predict when you ovulate - your most fertile time to get pregnant.


Read more: Read the full article

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Ordinary Miracles: A Journey through Primary and Secondary Infertility
by Krissi Marie McVicker

-- We had trouble conceiving and it was shocking news.

When we found out in-vitro fertilization would most likely be our only chance for success, our anxiety grew.

But, with the help of my husband's amazing insurance, after three cycles, we were able to have our daughter, Ella.

And after three more cycles, our twins Logan and Mia graced us with their presence and we were truly blessed.

I know that we were one of the lucky couples. Many people can't afford one IVF cycle, let alone six.

And, I've never taken that for granted.

After my daughter was born, I started writing Ordinary Miracles. I wanted to share my story with others because I remember hearing success stories when I was in the midst of my struggle, and it inspired me to believe if it could happen to them, maybe, it would happen for me too.

After my twins were born, I started my blog: Stress-Free Infertility. I wanted a place on the Internet where couples could go to and read about others, get solicited advice, and be inspired by other success stories; a place to ease the stress of infertility, at least a little bit.

Paperback: 216 pages
Click to order/for more info: Ordinary Miracles

Start reading Ordinary Miracles on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

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Attain Fertility® has announced the launch of the mobile phone version of their popular Attain Fertility Planner. The free iPhone-based fertility tracking app is designed to make it even easier for couples to reduce the time it takes to get pregnant on their own.

Attain Fertility® has announced the launch of the mobile phone version of their popular Attain Fertility Planner. The free iPhone-based fertility tracking app is designed to make it even easier for couples to reduce the time it takes to get pregnant on their own. The Attain Fertility Planner, originally released in 2011 as a software program, is the only FDA-approved interactive fertility diagnostic device available to consumers.

It takes most fertile couples, on average, about 6 months to get pregnant. That time can potentially be reduced by 50% when couples use the Attain Fertility Planner and time intercourse to coincide with their fertile phase. The Attain Fertility Planner not only helps to determine optimal days for conception, but it can also help to pinpoint possible fertility issues early on.

As women age, their chances of conceiving naturally diminish, especially for women as they enter their 30s, explained Maureen Gill-Higgins, Director of Clinical Operations at Attain Fertility. The Planner will help couples more quickly identify if there’s a potential problem and get checked out. Early intervention is key.

The Attain Fertility Planner measures fertility based on:

♥ The woman’s menstrual cycle
♥ Cervical fluid and body temperature
♥ Results of ovulation tests, fertility monitors, and pregnancy tests
♥ Medications and supplements
♥ Common early pregnancy symptoms (i.e. bloating, fatigue, frequent urination)
♥ Exercise and physical activity (i.e. aerobics, swimming, walking)

Additionally, the Attain Fertility Planner:

♥ Provides fertility and ovulation projections
♥ Suggests when it’s time to see a fertility specialist based on user data
♥ Provides printer-friendly calendars and charts that can be shared with an ♥ Attain Fertility clinic or healthcare provider

The Attain Fertility Planner App is available for free at the iTunes store and can be used on iPhones and iPads. Once users are registered, they can access their calendars through the downloadable app or online at AttainFertilityPlanner.com.

We understand how busy life is with hectic work and travel schedules. Our iPhone version of the Attain Fertility Planner will make it even more convenient to stay the course with fertility tracking, said Doug Weiss, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Attain Fertility. In the first half of the year, there were over 10,000 visits to our online version of the planner and we anticipate that this smart phone app will reach an even larger audience.

Attain Fertility recommends that both women and men consult with their doctor when they begin family planning to make sure that they are at optimal health as they begin trying to conceive.

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Pregnancy Over 40:
An In-depth Guide for a Safe and Healthy Pregnancy Over 40
by Kelley D Smith

-- There are a lot of reasons why women put off having children. In most cases, they prioritized their careers over their own personal life.

Others were just simply not ready for the commitment that motherhood demands. Becoming a mother is one of the most fulfilling jobs that everyone would be lucky enough to go through during their entire lifetime.

The problem is that despite the fact that this is seen by some as a gift, there are also others that see it as a tiring job – fulfilling but at some point, it can take a lot out of you.

The fact is that getting pregnant in your 40s is no easy task. The probability of conceiving alone is quite low in comparison to women who are in their 20’s or early 30’s.

But this does not mean that a woman in her 40s cannot bear a child. If you are in your 40s and have found out that you are pregnant, there are a lot of things that you should prepare for.

Although there are a lot of articles and other written works that say that getting pregnant in your 40s can lead to a lot of problems for both you and your child, there are still a couple of upsides to this situation.

We have an entire chapter dedicated to what you can look forward to when you are having a baby during this delicate age.

Paperback: 54 pages (Large Print)
Click to order/for more info: Pregnancy Over 40

Start reading Pregnancy Over 40 on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

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Cycle Technologies is proud to announce that it has expanded on CycleBeads®, the original way to use the Standard Days Method© - a natural family planning method, and is now offering a range of tools to plan or prevent pregnancy.

CycleBeads is a hands-on visual tool that can be used by women worldwide as the most effective natural family planning method. iCycleBeads™ smartphone apps and the iCycleBeads Online web version, are interactive tools that can help women use this natural family planning method through their phones or online.

CycleBeads is unique among family planning methods in that it is natural, highly effective, and easy to use. The CycleBeads tools use a color-coded representation of a woman’s menstrual cycle to help identify whether she is on a non-fertile day or a fertile day.

In addition, they help monitor that her cycles are in range in order to achieve the most effective use of this family planning method. Any woman, whether she is seeking to have children or not, can benefit from using one of these family planning tools.

CycleBeads work the best for women with menstrual cycles that are generally between 26 and 32 days long. Using CycleBeads will aid a woman in determining if her cycles are in this range and whether they stay in this range.

Women with menstrual cycles who are outside the 26 and 32 day range should use a different method of family planning to prevent pregnancy.

Any woman seeking the best natural birth control can use CycleBeads or the iCycleBeads apps as a tool to plan or prevent pregnancy.

To hear more about CycleBeads visit cyclebeads.com.

Photo credit: cyclebeads.com
All rights reserved

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
CycleBeads
by CycleBeads
-- CycleBeads are an easy way to use a natural family planning method.

CycleBeads® help you plan or prevent pregnancy naturally - naturally. This visual tool helps you track your cycle and clearly IDENTIFY THE DAYS you could become pregnant and when pregnancy is most unlikely. Based on a method of family planning that is more than 95% EFFECTIVE in preventing pregnancies when used correctly. Instructions: Simply move the ring one bead each day in the direction of the arrow. 

The colors tell you whether you are likely to get pregnant on that day or not. The RED bead marks the first day of your period. the BROWN bead mark the days when pregnancy is very unlikely. The DARK BROWN beads tells you if your cycle is shorter than 26 days. The WHITE beads mark the days when pregnancy is most likely.

Click to order/for more info: CycleBeads

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• Follow us on Twitter, join the conversation on our Facebook page, circle us on Google+, follow our pins on Pinterest.

More "Pregnancy Over 40" blogs to visit:
• Life Begins... - Pregnancy stories of loss, hope and help
• Pregnancy Stories by Age - Daily blog of hope and inspiration!
• You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's - Sharing articles, discussing options and suggestions
• Stories of Pregnancy and Birth over 44 - sharing news stories I find online, for inspiration!

For most fertile couples, it takes on average about 6 cycles to get pregnant. When you use the Attain Fertility® Planner and time intercourse to coincide with your fertile period, the average time to conceive is reduced by half!*

Developed by renowned fertility expert Toni Weschler, MPH, author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility, this software application has been approved by the US FDA as a fertility diagnostic device.

The Attain Fertility Planner is FREE and can help you reduce the time to conceive.

Read the rest of the article

You might be interested to know that DuoFertility appeared at the Fertility Show at London, Olympia this weekend.

We were offering visitors to the show a *special discount of £100* off the price of the product. 

We have three products, two white and one blue, which were unsold at the show, and we would be happy to extend this offer so that it applies to these products.

If you would like to benefit from this unique offer, please click here to buy the product, and enter the following code: EL071109 in the field entitled "Coupon code". This offer is valid until Wednesday, 11th November.  

More info: duofertility.com/buy-now

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Fertility Code
by Dermot O'Connor
-- The Fertility Code program delivers a powerful and practical step-by-step approach for those who wish to give themselves the best chance of starting a family.

As many as 500,000 couples in the UK and Ireland actively seek help with fertility, such as IVF treatment each year. While some are legitimate candidates, many have been proven to just need proper lifestyle and fertility advice and assistance in order to conceive.

The Fertility Code is designed for these people, and for those who need more serious intervention, to optimize their fertility. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to preventing a couple from having a baby.

This is why it is important that a fertility plan should address as many of these potential issues as possible. Through many years' experience of helping thousands of couples to become parents, Dermot O'Connor knows that such a plan must be easy to understand, easy to implement and genuinely effective.

The Fertility Code combines the best of both Eastern and Western medicine to provide a comprehensive guide to conceiving successfully and carrying a baby to full term.
It details the optimum plan to enhance fertility, and delivers a proven strategy, incorporating the key elements consistently utilized by the couples Dermot has helped:

• Fertility Awareness Strategies
• The psychology of fertility
• Optimum nutrition for conception and pregnancy
• The importance of detoxification

Paperback: 224 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Fertility Code

Start reading The Fertility Code on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

---

DuoFertility : The intelligent fertility solution

An estimated 11 million couples in the U.S. are currently trying to conceive and millions more are starting to think about it.

FACT OR FICTION? The longer it takes you to get pregnant, the more likely you are to conceive a boy.
FACT OR FICTION? A woman in her early 20s not using birth control has a 50 percent chance of getting pregnant each month.
FACT OR FICTION? Saliva is the most fertility friendly lubricant to use when you're TTC (trying to conceive)
FACT OR FICTION? Boxers are a better bet than briefs when you're TTC.
FACT OR FICTION? Laptops can impair sperm production.
FACT OR FICTION? It's best to take a home pregnancy test first thing in the morning.
FACT OR FICTION? The average couple conceives within three months of trying.
FACT OR FICTION? The more sex you have during your fertile days, the more likely you are to conceive.

Heidi Murkoff's brand-new book, WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE YOU'RE EXPECTING is the must-have, step-by-step preconception plan every couple needs before they're expecting.

Read more: http://www.abc15.com/content/living/familylife/story/Conception-know-how-tips-to-help-you-fast-track/SsN6Y_FmWEOS74LaqOROmQ.cspx



Recent Keyword Searches: getting pregnant in your 40s high fsh, is 47 too old to get pregnant?, pregnant or menopause, having children after 40, can my wife get pregnant at 43

Photo by www.cscout.com
Ran’s Night is designed to keep track of a woman’s monthly cycles by monitoring subtle changes in body temperature (between 0.3 ℃ ~ 0.5 ℃), and displays the previous night’s temperature on-screen, while also saving the data from the previous week. However, the full longterm picture comes with integration online.

While some stats can be read on the device itself, the long-term summary is found by mobile or PC on Ran’s Story. Each morning the user scans the daily QR code on the screen, which then inputs that night’s data into her personal profile and creates graphs and charts along with other information (such as weight) input manually. Thus, over time, it’s possible to visualize monthly cycles and better predict future period strength, PMS, ovulation, and other events.
Though currently sold out, Ran’s Night will be available again soon for about $125.

Full Story: http://www.cscout.com/blog/2008/06/15/trend-qr-code-fertility-monitor.html

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
The Fertility Code
by Dermot O'Connor
-- The Fertility Code program delivers a powerful and practical step-by-step approach for those who wish to give themselves the best chance of starting a family.

As many as 500,000 couples in the UK and Ireland actively seek help with fertility, such as IVF treatment each year. While some are legitimate candidates, many have been proven to just need proper lifestyle and fertility advice and assistance in order to conceive.

The Fertility Code is designed for these people, and for those who need more serious intervention, to optimize their fertility. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to preventing a couple from having a baby.

This is why it is important that a fertility plan should address as many of these potential issues as possible. Through many years' experience of helping thousands of couples to become parents, Dermot O'Connor knows that such a plan must be easy to understand, easy to implement and genuinely effective.

The Fertility Code combines the best of both Eastern and Western medicine to provide a comprehensive guide to conceiving successfully and carrying a baby to full term.
It details the optimum plan to enhance fertility, and delivers a proven strategy, incorporating the key elements consistently utilized by the couples Dermot has helped:

• Fertility Awareness Strategies
• The psychology of fertility
• Optimum nutrition for conception and pregnancy
• The importance of detoxification

Paperback: 224 pages
Click to order/for more info: The Fertility Code

Start reading The Fertility Code on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

---

July 2, 2001 -- Yes, it is possible for a woman to get pregnant during her menstrual period. Though the chances of pregnancy are usually lower at the onset of a woman's period, there is no predictable time during the month when the risk of pregnancy is absent.

Here is a brief overview of how it could happen.

During each menstrual cycle, a woman's ovaries release an egg, or ovum. This process is called ovulation. This typically takes place an average of about 14 days before the start of a woman's monthly period, but the timing varies from month to month even in the same woman (and sometimes does not occur at all). After ovulation the egg moves toward the uterus through the fallopian tubes, where fertilization may take place. An unfertilized egg may live for about 24 hours. If it isn't fertilized, the egg will be shed during the next menstrual period, along with the lining of the uterus.

A woman is most likely to become pregnant if sexual intercourse occurs just before or just after ovulation. Sperm can survive for several days -- typically two or three -- inside a woman's body. Under ideal circumstances, however, they may remain viable for up to five days. So if sperm are deposited early -- such as during a woman's period -- they can hang around a few days, waiting until conditions are right for conception.

In addition to the survival skills of sperm, a recent study in the British Medical Journal highlights another reason why couples sometimes conceive during the woman's period. Research results indicate that the "fertile window," or time during the month when pregnancy can occur, is highly unpredictable for most women.

During the three-month study, researchers collected data about the hormone and ovulation patterns of 221 healthy women who were trying to get pregnant. They found that, overall, an estimated 2% of women were in their fertile window by the fourth day of their cycle, and 17% by the seventh day. (Day one of the menstrual cycle is the day a woman starts her period.) On every day between days 6 and 21, there was at least a 10% probability, on average, that a woman could become pregnant. In addition, women who reported regular periods had up to a 6% probability of being fertile on the day that menstruation was expected to start. Ovulation was even harder to predict in women with irregular periods, according to the study. The researchers concluded that timing intercourse to avoid (or achieve) pregnancy is quite difficult and cannot be done with precision.

Until you or your girlfriend decide you want to have kids, the best insurance that you can take to prevent pregnancy is to always use an effective means of birth control -- period or no period.

Elizabeth Smoots is a board-certified family physician based in Seattle. A fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, she specializes in prevention and primary care medicine.

© 2001 WebMD Corporation. All rights reserved.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/41/1689_51580

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
It Starts with the Egg:
How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF
by Rebecca Fett

-- Whether you are trying to conceive naturally or through IVF, the quality of your eggs will have a powerful impact on how long it takes you to get pregnant and whether you face an increased risk of miscarriage.

Poor egg quality is emerging as the single most important cause of age-related infertility, recurrent miscarriage, and failed IVF cycles. It is also a major contributor to infertility in PCOS.

Based on a comprehensive investigation of a vast array of scientific research, It Starts with the Egg reveals a groundbreaking new approach for improving egg quality and fertility.

With a concrete strategy that includes minimizing exposure to toxins such as BPA and phthalates, choosing the right vitamins and supplements to safeguard developing eggs, and harnessing nutritional advice shown to boost IVF success rates, this book offers practical solutions that will help you get pregnant faster and deliver a healthy baby.

Paperback: 304 pages
Click to order/for more info: It Starts with the Egg - US | CDN | UK

Start reading It Starts with the Egg on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

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Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF) was first described as a pregnancy-associated substance and its discovery created considerable interest as it enabled the detection of a potential pregnancy within 6 to 24 hours of fertilization in all pecies tested (e.g., mice, humans, pigs, sheep). Up to this time, it was considered that the embryo was a silent passenger during the preimplantation period and maternal recognition of pregnancy did not occur until implantation. With the discovery of EPF, it became apparent that the maternal system was preparing for implantation and successful pregnancy from the moment of fertilization. EPF is an immunosuppressant by virtue of its ability to release factors, which suppress a possible maternal immune response against the alien fetus.

Early pregnancy factor in serum has been shown to be a marker of the presence of a viable embryo. In women the appearance of EPF has been reported within I - 2 days of coitus that resulted in pregnancy. In contrast, the earlest detectable concentration of beta-hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) appears in maternal serum on day 8 following LH peak with most women producing detectable quantities on days 9 and 10 post LH peak. EPF remains in maternal circulation until about the last week of gestation but always disappears from serum before parturition.

Before implantation, maternal serum EPF does not appear to be a product of the zygote (incorrectly referred to as a "fertilized egg") itself but of the maternal ovary in respose to a signal from the zygote, called ovum factor. Little is known about ovum factor as of now except that it has a relatively small molecular mass and is secreted by the ovum upon sperm penetration. Its production continues until the blastocyst stage of development.

EPF can be bioassayed using the rosette inhibition test. EPF is expressed as rosette inhibition titer with values greater than 16 indicating a positive pregnancy. It must be understood that the rosette inhibition test embodies a complex cscade of events, which make it expensive to conduct, and the results somewhat difficult to interpret at times.

Anti-EPF vaccines have been used experimentally. After fertile mating, mice were immunized with anti-EPF and when examined at autopsy at day 10, significant embryonic loss was noted.5 In a study done on a small group of IUD wearers, EPF became positive in half of the group and then disappeared, indicating the abortifacient activity of the IUD during the course of the implantation event.

EPF is required very early in gestation for embryonic development. It is the earliest serum benchmark to date of positive fertilization and thus conception. Although the rosette inhibition test is costly and still in need of refinement, a study done on women using hormonal contraception would lay to rest once and for all the question of how often ovulation and conception occur and subsequently how often the demise of these pregnancies occur.

As one would imagine, the pharmaceutical manufacturers who could afford such a study, are not interested in the information. Now that there is a clear marker available to be assayed, PFLI, Intl. (Pharmacists for Life International) is taking the initiative and insisting that such a study be undertaken in order that a clear and concise resolution to one of the most important questions of all time be resolved - how many abortions are caused by birth control pills.

From: http://lifeissues.net/writers/dup/dup_01earlypregfacts.html

Summary

Ovarian follicle development is a complex process that begins with the establishment of what is thought to be finite pool of primordial follicles and culminates in either the atretic degradation of the follicle or the release of a mature oocyte for fertilization. The use of transgenic mouse models has provided a great deal of information with regard to the mechanisms underlying ovarian development and follicle growth. The data obtained from these models may provide clues about the reasons for abnormal reproductive conditions in humans, as multiple genes shown to regulate folliculogenesis and fertility in mice have been shown to play a role in human reproduction.

Introduction

During the past several years, studies using transgenic mouse models have revealed novel information about the genes that control the processes of ovarian differentiation, formation of the primordial germ cell pool, primordial follicle formation, growth of follicles from the primordial to antral stage, and ovulation. Recently, many of these studies have been described in detail by Barnett et al., 2006, and are summarized below. In addition, studies have focused on the steroid hormones and growth factors that control ovarian development and follicle growth.

Rest of article: http://ovary.stanford.edu/Litt/transgenicmousemodels

From: American Journal Of Obstetrics And Gynecology [Am J Obstet Gynecol] 2005 Jul; Vol. 193 (1), pp. 71-5.

Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in cervicovaginal fluid characteristics to identify ovulation.

STUDY DESIGN: Several ovulation indicators were studied in a university-based natural family planning center. Fifteen parous women during 29 ovulatory cycles detected cervicovaginal fluid at the vulva. They self-aspirated their upper vaginal fluid, described it, and kept it for later checking. They also took basal body temperature, collected timed first morning urine samples for estrone and pregnanediol glucuronide enzyme immunoassays, and submitted to serial ovarian transvaginal ultrasound scans.

RESULTS: Considering a +/-1-day period since ultrasound ovulation detection or allowing an extra day (-1 to +2), women perceived ovulation from cervicovaginal fluid at the vulva in 76% or 97% of cycles, on the basis of their visual description of vaginally extracted fluid in 76% or 90%, which rose to 90% or 97% for the instructor's description, and in 76% or 86% with a rapid drop in glucuronide ratio. Basal body temperature was less precise (71% or 79%).

CONCLUSION: Evaluation of cervicovaginal fluid changes is an accurate ovulation indicator.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16021061&dopt=Abstract