Why is My Pregnancy Test Negative if My Period is Late?
When you are trying to get pregnant, not having your period show up is super exciting. You take a pregnancy test and eagerly wait for the test results to show up. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. "Wait?!! Why is it negative??? My period is late!!" The negative pregnancy test result is both heartbreaking and frustrating. It just doesn't seem to make any sense. Either the test isn't right, or your body is not cooperating this cycle. Reasons Why You Might Miss Your Period or Have a Late Period and Not Be Pregnant Weight Loss - If you have lost a considerable amount of weight in a month or have had your BMI drop too low, your body may not ovulate as...
Chicken Pox and Getting Pregnant - Make Sure You Are Immune!
Trying to Conceive and Chickenpox The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada recently released guidelines advising women who are trying to conceive to make sure that they're immune to chickenpox first. Chickenpox, which causes itchiness, rash, and pockmarks, is seldom serious for children. For adults, on the other hand, especially those who are pregnant, it can be quite serious. Most North American women are immune to chickenpox. If you’ve ever had chickenpox, or if you’ve recently received the vaccine against it, you are immune. If you know that you haven't had chicken pox and that you haven't gotten the vaccine, see your doctor. If you received the vaccine as a kid, ask your doctor if getting a booster shot...
The Mystery of the Fading Pregnancy Test
We rely on pregnancy tests for a lot when you think about it. If you spent more than one or two months trying to conceive, or have had fertility difficulties, that positive pregnancy test can be a truly historic event. Likewise, a negative pregnancy test can generate a ton of negative emotional energy. You might not realize it after taking (and tossing) handfuls of failed pregnancy tests, but a pregnancy test doesn’t always keep its result over time. You might take the pregnancy test and, in as little as 24 hours later, the positive result line (and probably the control line) can be gone. What does a fading pregnancy test mean? A positive pregnancy means precisely one thing: there...
Stress and Fertility - Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant
Being Stressed Can Lower Your Chances of Getting Pregnant The stress you feel in your day to day life causes your body to produce a variety of different hormones, many of which are not helpful if you are trying to get pregnant. Adrenaline, one of the stress hormones, signals your body to be ready to run. This reaction is known as "fight, flight, or freeze" response. It is an evolutionary response that was extremely valuable and kept your prehistoric relatives safe and alive but not so valuable now. The chance of you being chased down by a bear is very slim, but our body doesn't know the difference between the fight or flight response due to an actual bear or something...
Low Sperm Count - Causes and Natural Treatment Options
What is Low Sperm Count? Low sperm count means that, when tested, the total amount of sperm in your semen is below a certain amount. The World Health Organization guidelines define low sperm count as having less than 15 million sperm in a milliliter of semen (15 million/ml). Having low sperm count means you have lower odds of fertilizing your partner's egg. It's true that you only need one sperm to fertilize the egg. Though to make it through the female reproductive system, you need a lot more than a single sperm. Getting Pregnant With Low Sperm Count If you don't get pregnant in the first couple of months of trying to conceive, don't worry. The statistics show that, for...
Tips to Improve Sperm Count, Motility and Morphology
When you are trying to get pregnant, women bring their eggs to the party and the men, the sperm. Having healthy sperm will increase the chances for you actually getting pregnant. What is "Healthy" Sperm? There are many different components that add up to "healthy sperm". Good sperm count, healthy forward movement, and well-formed sperm are three of the main ones. With the exception of a home sperm count test, there is very little you can do to figure out the baby making potential of your sperm without the help of a doctor. A semen analysis done by your doctor will provide the scientific details about these important sperm issues. Sperm Count, Sperm Motility & Sperm Morphology Sperm Count A...
Conceiving a Baby Boy - Tips to Increase Your Odds
Whether this is your first baby or your third, you may have your heart set on having a baby boy. Most of the time, you will have a 50 / 50 chance of that happening. If you follow some of the suggestions below, you may be able to boost the possibility of having a boy beyond the 50% mark. How Your Baby's Gender is Determined The chromosomes determine the sex of your baby from his mother (her egg) and father (his sperm). The mother's genetic contribution is a 2 X chromosomes (XX). The father supplies an X chromosome and a Y chromosome. For you to have a baby boy, the mother provides an X chromosome, and the father donates...
Why Do I Have Menstrual Cramps Between Periods?
Having cramps between your periods is unusual, but not unheard of. Regular period cramps happen when your uterus contracts to shed the uterine lining. The actual contraction is what you feel when you experience menstrual cramps. But what does it mean when you have cramps between periods? Common Reasons for Cramping Between Periods Mittelschmerz - Ovulation Cramping When your ovaries release an egg, you may experience a cramping feeling, Mittelschmerz. This feeling lasts for only a few hours, but there are cases where it lasts as long as two days. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can relieve yourself from this type of cramping: Get lots of rest Drink eight or more glasses of water every day Use...
Best Sexual Positions for Getting Pregnant Faster
Trying to conceive a child can be a very exciting time. It is also a wonderful excuse to spend some more intimate moments with your partner. However, even though we all love any excuse to cuddle under the covers, when you are trying to conceive, every moment matters. Best Positions for Getting Pregnant Faster Ask any women (mother or not) on what the best position for getting pregnant is, and you will receive a different answer every time. This is because everyone has a different opinion. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence proving which sexual position is the best to get pregnant. However, there are a few crucial components to keep in mind: a position that encourages deep penetration is...