Women who have high blood pressure (hypertension) before they get pregnant may have an increased risk of miscarriage, even if they don’t have a diagnosis, according to new research published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension. The researchers studied more than 1,200 women who had already experienced pregnancy loss, …

The luteal phase is the second half of your menstrual cycle. It’s the part of the cycle that comes after ovulation, when the egg already has—or hasn’t—been fertilized, and you’ve nothing left to do but wait. But even though it comes after conception, the luteal phase plays a critical role …

If you’ve spent any time at all on a fertility forum, you’ve probably come across this frequently asked question: can ovulation tests (also known as ovulation predictor kits, or OPKs) be used to test for pregnancy? The short answer is yes, it’s possible. If you’re pregnant and you take an …

Conception occurs when a woman’s egg meets a man’s sperm, and the two melt together to form the first cell in a new human being. This is familiar knowledge to most of us. But what, exactly, happens next? A lot of interesting things, as we shall see. Most of what …

Did you know that common over-the-counter painkillers can reduce your ability to get pregnant, cause miscarriages, and lead to severe birth defects in your baby? Luckily, there are a few safe options, but it’s important to understand the differences between safe and unsafe drugs. Also, don’t forget that it takes …

Drinking one or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks per day could reduce fertility, both in women and men, according to a study led by researchers from Boston University School of Public Health. The study was published in the journal Epidemiology in January 2018. The researchers found that women who consumed at least one …

If your menstrual periods are irregular, it may be more difficult for you get pregnant – and it may not. Whether irregular periods will affect your ability to conceive, depends on why your cycle length varies so much. Other health and fertility factors may play a role as well. Irregular …

Many women in New Zealand actively monitor ovulation, but their fertility knowledge is still poor — particularly their ability to correctly identify their fertile window. That’s the conclusion of a study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology by a group of researchers from Otago University. Ovulation monitoring is common, but …

Ovulation is over. You’re in the dreaded “two week wait”, impatiently waiting for testing time, when you start to notice a dull sort of pain in your lower back. Could it be … an early pregnancy symptom? Or has your body just found another “interesting” way to let you know …

Understanding your menstrual cycle can help you get pregnant faster. What is the menstrual cycle exactly? When does the menstrual cycle start? How long does the menstrual cycle normally last, and when in the menstrual cycle are you most fertile? This article aims to answer all these questions and many …