Australian Study Finds Many Women Do Not Know When They are Fertile

 

Are you struggling with infertility? Have you tried for many frustrating months to become pregnant without success? If you are, it is really important for you to get familiar with your menstrual cycle. Timing intercourse around the most fertile time of your cycle can greatly increase your chances of conceiving. However, a recent Australian survey found that many women do now know when they are fertile. The study demonstrated a disconnect between what women believe they know about their cycle and what they actually do know.

The survey was published online on July 5th and will appear in a forthcoming print issue of The International Journal of Advanced Nursing. It was conducted by researchers at Monash University in Melbourn, Australia. Researchers polled 204 women who were seeking fertility assistance at two different Assisted Reproductive Fertility clinics. Sixty-eight percent of the women reported that they believed they had correctly timed sex during their attempts to conceive naturally, however, only 13% could accurately answer which days of their menstrual cycle they were fertile.  The lead researcher, Kerry Hamptom, stated that “Accurately timed intercourse on fertile days of the menstrual cycle may reduce the time it takes a couple to get pregnant, helping to avoid Assisted Reproductive Technology treatment.” She feels that poor fertility awareness may be a contributing cause of infertility.

The most fertile time in a woman’s cycle is the few days just before and including ovulation. This typically occurs 14 days before the start of a menstrual period.

If you would like help determining your most fertile times, please call the experts at our Marietta OBGYN practice. Our experienced OBGYN physicians can help you navigate your menstrual cycle and, if needed, determine the appropriate fertility treatment or treatments to increase your changes of becoming pregnant.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Carlos Alarcon, Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A.