A pregnancy and childbirth they are certainly one of the most impressive events of nature.
The preparation of the woman's organism for this whole process is the result of a symphony, very well orchestrated, of hormones and other molecules, whose concentration increases or decreases throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, providing all the necessary conditions for pregnancy and the fetus, as well as the birthing process.
Figure 1 - Hormone levels during a menstrual cycle and in case of pregnancy - adapted from SITN by Harvard University
In a very simple way, estrogen and progesterone - the female sex hormones - are responsible for the main changes during the menstrual cycle, which are controlled by LH and FSH. In case of fertilization of the egg by the sperm, progesterone and estrogen increase and provide all the necessary conditions for pregnancy, instead of drastically decreasing and causing the bleeding known as the menstrual period, which is basically the sloughing of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) , as can be seen in Graph 1.
In case of pregnancy (graph 2) there is also a spike in the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), widely used as a marker in pregnancy tests. Normally, hCG starts to be produced 6 to 12 days after fertilization.
How to know if you are pregnant, quickly and effectively:
Home pregnancy tests, which are increasingly used and are often more than 99% reliable, should only be taken after your period is late, as it is around this time that hCG levels are high enough to be reliably detected in urine.
In general, you should wait at least 14 days after sexual intercourse that could be responsible for a possible pregnancy, to take the test. If the test is done before the advised period, it may generate a false negative.
Clearblue Pregnancy Test with results in 1 minute - 1 unit - Ref: 6056754 , available at an unbeatable price in our online parapharmacy, it allows you to obtain fast and reliable results.
However, if you don't want to wait until the day your period is late, you can use the Clearblue Pregnancy Test with results up to 6 days early - 1 unit - Ref: 6056762 , which allows you to obtain fast and reliable results even 6 days before your missed period!
One of the most complete tests on the market is the Clearblue Pregnancy Test with Weeks Indicator - 1 pc - Ref: 6056994 , which in addition to allowing an easier visualization of the result, in text form, indicates how many weeks you are pregnant! And you can also test up to 5 days before the day you expect your period.
When is a woman most fertile?
The woman's fertile period are all those days, during the menstrual cycle, in which there is the ability to get pregnant if she has unprotected sex.
Ovulation (egg release) happens when there is an LH surge (analyzing the graphs, it corresponds to the period represented by the green bar), and this happens 12 to 16 days before menstruation. Although an egg only survives 24 hours after ovulation, sperm can remain active for up to 5 days, so the total "fertility window" is about 6 days, but it is during the day of ovulation and the day before that the chances are high. to get pregnant are greater.
Identifying this fertile period is very important to increase the chances of getting pregnant. This is usually done by measuring the concentration of lutein hormone (LH) in the urine. There are also many couples who use calendar or temperature methods (since it fluctuates during the menstrual cycle), but these are not as effective, as many factors can influence these parameters.
O Clearblue Ovulation Test - 10 pcs - Ref: 6423137 measures your LH levels and identifies the 2 most fertile days and where you can be more confident you are trying at the right time. O OvuQuick - Ovulation test (fertile period) - 5 tests , also allows you to quickly and safely carry out this detection, at a lower price!
Is it possible to increase the chances of getting pregnant?
By taking supplements and by acquiring some habits and care, it is possible to make the body healthier and increase the chances of getting pregnant.
- Alcohol: Do not drink alcohol if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Alcohol has the ability to cross the placenta and damage the developing fetus!
- Tobacco: If you are trying to conceive and smoke, quit the habit. Quitting smoking is essential to having a healthy body at any point in your life, but if you're planning to get pregnant, it's even more important. Smoking during pregnancy can bring several complications to the baby: both during pregnancy and childbirth, such as premature birth, and it can cause respiratory complications up to the first 6 months of the baby's life. Secondhand smoke can also cause harm, so avoid being in smoky environments. If you are having difficulty giving up smoking, you can do substitution therapy, but first you should consult your doctor, who will inform you about the best options.
- Food and Supplements: Maintaining a healthy weight and diet is essential to avoid having difficulties getting pregnant or complications during pregnancy.
Folic acid, or Vitamin B9, is very important for the neuronal development of the fetus. This can be easily found in foods such as chickpeas, artichokes and unrefined cereals.
You can also make a supplement like Natalben Preconceptive - 30 capsules - Ref: 7382036 , which also contains zinc, a mineral that contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. O Ovulider - 30 capsules - Ref: 7065813 , also contains Inositol, which helps to regulate ovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Try to have a varied and fearless diet! Most foods are harmless during pregnancy. However, avoid undercooked foods, especially eggs, meat, fish or unpasteurized dairy products. Avoid liver/liver products, and be sure to wash the fruits and vegetables you consume very well. These precautions allow you to distance yourself from toxoplasmosis, listeriosis or other infections that complicate the pregnancy.
O Gestacare Pregnancy - 30 capsules - Ref: 7755421 helps provide all the vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients needed during pregnancy, thus lowering the risk of a deficiency that could have maternal-fetal repercussions.
- Be careful with medication: Talk to your doctor about the medications you are taking and also before stopping any prescribed medication. Tell the pharmacist that you are pregnant when buying over-the-counter medicines. Even simple medications may contain ingredients that should not be used during pregnancy.
- Optimize vaginal health : Vaginal dryness is more common than you think, and it can get worse when trying to get pregnant, as there is a tendency to increase the number of sexual intercourses during this period. Some of the most common lubricants can be harmful to sperm. It should be a water-based lubricant that mimics vaginal mucus like the D'Aveia intimate lubricating gel - 30 ml - Ref: 6961268 . However, you should only use it if necessary.
- Take care of yourself ! Drink water, and hydrate your skin. Prevent the appearance of stretch marks during pregnancy using specific creams such as Barral MotherProtect fat cream with almond oil - 200 ml - Ref: 6326587 or the Bio-Oil body oil - 125 ml - Ref: 6966093 . Make sure you get enough sleep, 8 hours a day is ideal. Relax and enjoy the process.
If you have been trying to get pregnant for more than a year, and during that period you have had continuous sexual intercourse without contraceptive methods, without success, consult your doctor.