From the time a girl experiences her first period, menstruation is tied directly to fertility. During puberty, women begin their periods as ovulation begins. Every month, the ovaries release an egg, and if it isn't fertilized, the uterus sheds its...
Symptoms of implantation tend to be similar for all women, not just women who get pregnant using in vitro fertilization (IVF). Implantation symptoms can sometimes signal that pregnancy is beginning, although not all women notice symptoms. During...
The fallopian tubes serve as conduits from the female ovary to the uterus, transmitting eggs released during ovulation to a meeting point for sperm. Eggs and sperm generally fertilize in the fallopian tube; the newly fertilized egg then spends...
The Equate pregnancy test is a home pregnancy test that is available at Walmart. It is quite sensitive, measuring 25 mIU of hCG, which is the hormone that your body produces when pregnant. One window on the test stick ensures you did the test...
Pregnancy changes so many things about a woman's body, including the way it functions. Some of the changes are enjoyable, such as thicker nails, healthier hair and sometimes a larger bust. Other changes prove less than desirable, such as gas,...
Progress has been made in the field of stem cell research over the last several decades, and the future looks even brighter. Stem cell research began with embryonic stem cells, but adult stem cells are gaining ground as the future of stem cell...
Low progesterone levels can be problematic during any trimester, but the impact and treatment can differ depending on when you are diagnosed and your doctor's assessment of other pregnancy factors. In fact, many women with low progesterone levels...
Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an estimated 4,265,555 babies are born every year. Trying to determine the best time to conceive can prove frustrating. When trying to have a baby, it is often the two-week wait between...
In the first stages of pregnancy, bleeding can be very scary for an expectant mother. Many women worry that all bleeding signals a problem with the pregnancy or an impending miscarriage, and certainly, that is one possible reason for early...
When it comes to pregnancy, not all women experience the same symptoms at the same stage. The earliest symptom of pregnancy can vary, depending on the individual. The first symptoms often start showing up within just a few weeks of conception,...
Both urine and blood pregnancy tests work by detecting human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCGm, levels. Blood tests can detect hCG earlier in pregnancy than urine tests. Blood tests can typically do this around the time of implantation, seven to...
Modern technology allows women to take a pregnancy test and receive accurate results on the first late day of their menstrual cycle. Many women, however, may already have some hint that they are possibly pregnant. Recognizing the earliest signs of...
Spotting during pregnancy is a frightening event for most women, but it doesn't always mean there's something wrong with the pregnancy or that miscarriage is inevitable. Women spot during pregnancy for several reasons. Spotting is most common in...
When a woman suspects pregnancy, abdominal cramping can cause concern. However, there are several reasons during pregnancy that a woman may experience pains in the abdomen ranging from mild twinges to cramps similar to a menstrual cycle. A common...
Conception occurs when a sperm fertilizes an egg, and pregnancy results when the fertilized egg successfully implants itself in the uterine wall. Pregnancy symptoms vary from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy. The earliest symptoms of...
Testing for the hormone hCG is essential to ascertain if a woman is pregnant. Monitoring levels of hCG throughout pregnancy will indicate if the fetus is developing normally. If you are planning to have children, knowing when hCG develops in...
From the time sperm meets egg until the moment a fully formed baby human is delivered into the world, a fantastically complicated series of events unfolds. In addition to the first single cell of a new life--the fertilized egg--having to divide...
Pregnancy tests look for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which the female body releases shortly after the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterine wall. The Mayo Clinic recommends waiting one week after a missed period to...
Urine pregnancy tests vary in their ability to detect the presence of hCG or human chorionic gonadotropin, the hormone produced by a woman's body shortly after implantation of a fertilized egg. For the most accurate pregnancy test results, choose...
Women who have missed a period or are trying to get pregnant may take numerous home pregnancy tests. The home pregnancy test requires a sample of urine. The test will look for a certain hormone called the human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG,...
Human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as HCG, is a hormone usually associated with pregnancy. A urine test can detect the presence of HCG, and a blood test measures the amount of HCG in the blood. This hormone is generated by the same cells...
Waiting for your missed period before taking a pregnancy test can be hard. If you're especially intuitive, you can use some of the immediate signs that you're pregnant that appear before your missed period to give you some clues as to whether...
While many of the body’s hormones are shared by men and women, there are some that predominate in females. These are responsible for the unique characteristics and qualities of women, including menstruation, breast function and pregnancy....
After conception, the hCG hormone starts soon after a fertilized egg embeds itself in your uterine wall. The presence of hCG, also known as the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, is detected through a urine or blood test to confirm your...
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine on MedlinePlus.com, progesterone is a hormone naturally produced primarily in the ovaries of women. It plays an important role in pregnancy, as it helps prepare the uterus for implantation of a...
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can mimic the symptoms of a period. It is important for women to understand, however, that bleeding while pregnant is not an actual period. Menstruation occurs when a woman does not conceive; therefore, no...
Home pregnancy tests measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone, or HCG, in the mother’s urine. HCG is produced after an egg has been fertilized and implants into the lining of the uterus. Pregnancy tests are available in a...
Progesterone is a hormone essential to sexual health. Progesterone regulates menstruation and breast development, plays a role in female fertility and performs a range of functions in other tissues. Progesterone is produced in the adrenal glands...
Vitamins are essential substances that help to facilitate various chemical reactions in the body to maintain normal growth and functioning. They are present in large amounts in fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat, eggs and fish. For a...
