What is Ovulation?

Ovulation is the release of a mature egg cell from the ovaries, marking the onset of the most fertile period in a woman’s cycle. The egg (also referred to as an oocyte or ovum) travels down the fallopian tube where it may be fertilized by a sperm. Identifying the most fertile period is important when planning conception.

Ovulation is controlled by two female hormones, known as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) which may be monitored in cases of infertility or difficulty in conceiving. A regular menstrual cycle lasts between 28 to 32 days although a cycle as short as 26 days or as long as 35 days is considered within the norm. Ovulation usually occurs approximately 14 to 16 days before the next period but this may vary depending on the length of the individual menstrual cycle. The most fertile period is considered to last approximately 3 to 4 days within the cycle starting a day or two before ovulation. If the egg cell is not fertilized within this time period, it is ‘discarded’.

continue reading Ovulation Schedule – Test, Calendar & Due Date Calculator

Researchers from Edinburgh University say that use of perfumes or scented creams in pregnancy may increase the risk of developing infertility in unborn boys during their later life.

According to the researchers, eight to twelve weeks of pregnancy is quite crucial to determine reproductive problems in later life. The researchers believe that exposure to those chemicals (during pregnancy) that are found in cosmetics may affect sperm production in later life.

The researchers also told that it wasn’t a conclusive proof and further studies were needed to fully determine that risk.

Professor Richard Sharpe, who is director of the Medical Research Council’s Human Reproductive Sciences Unit in Edinburgh, led the study.

continue reading Pregnant Women must avoid perfumes and scented creams, Edinburgh University researchers suggest

Levels of the ‘Glycemic Control‘ in the blood differ significantly among the pregnant women with ‘Type1 diabetes‘ and the pregnant women who are suffering from ‘Type 2 diabetes‘.

Researchers revealed these results on the completion of the fist study that involved a continuous monitoring throughout the pregnancy to examine changes in glucose levels.

Apparently, there was no observable difference between the two groups of diabetes types. Critical stage of diabetes however brings up these differences. The women suffering from diabetes had normal glucose levels for an average of only half of the time in a day of 12 hours during the critical stage of early pregnancy. This is an alarming situation according to the researchers.

Dr. Helen R. Murphy at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust in the UK and colleagues collected and analyzed data from continuous glucose monitoring for 7 days during each trimester of pregnancy in 40 women with ‘Type 1 diabetes’ and 17 women with ‘Type 2 diabetes’ during the study period.

The researchers discovered that as the pregnancies advanced, more time was spent with blood glucose in a normal range of 70 mg/dL to140 mg/dL. Women with ‘Type 2 diabetes’ spent nearly one third more time within a normal glucose range in comparison to the women with ‘Type 1 diabetes’.

continue reading Blood Glucose Levels Differ in Pregnancy with Diabetes Type