Fertility surrounds us; it has affected us all in one way or another, and yet, in many circumstances, it's still almost a taboo subject.
It's estimated that 1 in 6 couples worldwide face problems when it comes to conceiving. Think for a moment about your circle of friends and family; some of those couples may be touched by infertility. Perhaps this is your journey right now. Let's go even broader. Whether they realize it or not, almost all women suffer from menstrual cycle or hormone health issues at some point. The continued effects of this can be further reaching than you may have ever considered.
Supporting World Fertility Day is just one way to add our voice to raising awareness of this global issue. This initiative was founded by IVFbabble and Babblegiving who state that "World Fertility Day is about communication, education, and understanding." Let's look at why education surrounding fertility awareness can make a difference.
"Tracking your cycle will allow you to know your body and be more in control of your fertility journey..."
When Trying to Conceive
Tracking your cycle by following a Fertility Awareness Based Method (FABM) will open up a world of insights to better help couples in their journey to conceive. As many find out when seeking infertility treatments, finding answers about the underlying causes is the most difficult part. The first consideration is usually the timing of intercourse. Have the couple been able to identify the fertile window (FW) accurately? Is Ovulation occurring each cycle, and if so, when?
Using ultrasound and blood testing is the clinical way to find the answers to these questions, but those options are often expensive, and it usually takes many months to get to that point. There is another way. One published article makes the point that "FABMs show the same reliable results [as ultrasound and blood testing] for determining the FW and predicting the time of Ovulation. The methods are based on a detection of the FW and use symptoms the women are able to observe themselves, such as bleeding rhythm, cervical mucus, measurement of the basal body temperature, auto-palpation of the cervix, etc."
Tracking your cycle will allow you to know your body and be more in control of your fertility journey even if you need practitioner help eventually.
"FABMs show the same reliable results for determining the FW and predicting the time of Ovulation."
Imagine being able to tell your health care provider right away that you are or are not ovulating regularly. That your Cervical Mucus is or isn't adequate and that your Luteal phase length is x days. No guesswork means less confusion and faster results. Once you know your fertile window, you will also immediately take away the agony of inadvertently taking that pregnancy test too early or guessing when you are genuinely "late" for your period.
Beyond conception
While World Fertility day speaks to the journey of infertility, fertility awareness is something that benefits all women no matter their stage in life. Hormone imbalance means adverse health effects that reach far beyond the uterus and conceiving. From autoimmune function to depression to painful periods and beyond, your cycle health is your body health, and you can master it. Cycle charting is a practical, easy way to dig deeper to get in touch with your inner self.
Let's break the taboos, keep the conversation going, and help more women find the empowerment that comes with body literacy.