Appropriately Timed Intercourse

When it comes to fertility, timing can be everything. Most people know that a woman is able to conceive for only a short time each month. The question is, when—and for how long?

The best time to have sex

Fertility experts generally recommend that you have sex at least every other day just before and after you ovulate. This is because during ovulation, the egg that has matured in your ovary is released and settles into one of your fallopian tubes. After ovulation, this egg will survive for only about 24 hours. Sperm, however, can live up to five days in a woman's reproductive tract. 1

Assuming a woman has a 28-day cycle and that ovulation occurs around the 14th day of her cycle, her most fertile times would occur during days 10 to 17 of her cycle. But before you apply this math, remember: Not all women have 28-day cycles. The key to timing your intercourse is knowing the length of your own cycle so you can more accurately estimate when ovulation occurs. It's also important to understand that this "fertility window" can be highly unpredictable, even if a woman's menstrual cycle is usually regular.2

Ovulation Tools

Pinpointing the precise day when ovulation should occur is a bit of a challenge. There are several methods.

1. Charting your menstrual cycle. This is the easiest but least precise way to predict ovulation. Remember, a woman's cycle begins on the first day of her period and typically lasts about 28 days. The first day begins not when a woman is spotting, but when she experiences regular flow. In a 28-day cycle women may ovulate between days 10 and 17.

2. Taking your basal body temperature (BBT). To measure BBT, simply take your temperature every morning when you wake up. Chart the temperatures on a calendar. When you are ovulating, your BBT should rise about a half degree. Physical release of the ovum (egg) probably occurs on the day prior to the first temperature elevation.

3. Ovulation predictor kits. These kits work by measuring increases in your luteinizing hormone level just before ovulation. These kits are available without a prescription at your local drug store. They're easy to use, and can usually predict ovulation 24 to 36 hours in advance.

Unfortunately, no method is perfect. For more information, talk to your healthcare provider.

  • 1. Wilcox AJ, Weinberg CR, Baird DD. Timing of sexual intercourse in relation to ovulation: effects on the probability of conception, survival of the pregnancy, and sex of the baby. NEJM. 1995;333;1517-1521.
  • 2. Wilcox AJ, Dunson D, Baird DD. The timing of the "fertile window" in the menstrual cycle: day specific estimates from a perspective study. Br Med J. 2000;321:1259-1262.

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Indication:
For women, Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection), Gonal-f® RFF (follitropin alfa injection) and Gonal-f® RFF Pen (follitropin alfa injection) are indicated for 1) the induction of ovulation and pregnancy in the anovulatory infertile patient in whom the cause of infertility is functional and not due to primary ovarian failure and 2) for the development of multiple follicles in the ovulatory patient participating in an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) program.
For men, Gonal-f® is also indicated for the induction of spermatogenesis in men with primary and secondary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in whom the main cause of infertility is not due to primary testicular failure.

Important Safety Information:
These products should only be prescribed by physicians specializing in fertility or reproductive health. Use of Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF by women can result in multiple births. Patients should let their doctor know of any allergic reactions to recombinant FSH preparations or other product ingredients. Patients should also inform their doctor of a history of cancer of the sex organs or brain and uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disease before starting or continuing treatment. Women with a history of abnormal bleeding from the uterus or vagina, swollen, enlarged, or painful ovaries should speak to their doctor before starting treatment. Gonal-f® and Gonal-f® RFF are potent gonadotropic substances capable severe adverse reactions, including Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) in women, which can result hospitalization. Women should inform their doctor if they experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, or weight gain while taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f RFF®. The most common side effects are headache, ovarian cysts, upset stomach, and sinus infections in women taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF. The most common side effects in men taking Gonal-f® are skin acne, breast pain and growth, and tiredness. Needle injections may cause some discomfort.

For more information, refer to the prescribing and patient information offered below and talk to your doctor.


© EMD Serono, Inc. CIM Last Update 2008-09-16
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