1- Ovulation Prediction Kits: Every
month a woman produces one egg (during a typical cycle
only one egg is released). This one egg only survives
for 12-24 hours so knowing when you ovulate is very
important. Follow the instructions on the ovulation
kit. OPKs work by detecting LH or Luteinizing
Hormone. Just before you ovulate you will have a surge
of LH which can be detected in your urine. Start using
the tests before you ovulate and keep using them until
you detect your LH surge. Once you have a positive ovulation
test, you can expect to ovulate within 36 hours.
2- Preseed: Preseed is a sperm friendly lubricant. As you
approach ovulation your body will respond with changes in your cervical mucous.
Cervical mucous is very important when it comes to getting pregnant. Fertile
cervical mucous is clear, eggwhite looking, slippery, and stretchy. Thick or
dry cervical mucous can actually block sperm or slow sperm down. What preseed
does for your fertility is it gives you extra cervical mucous. It is a sperm
friendly lubricant that may help aid sperm as it travels to fertilize the egg.
3- Vitex (Chaste berry): Vitex is an herb that women have
been using for years to help with premenstrual syndrome and to help regulate
your period. Vitex may be helpful for women who have irregular cycles, are not
ovulating regularly, or have premenstrual syndrome. Check with your doctor before
using Vitex. Vitex is not recommended for women who are taking Clomid or any
similar fertility medications as it can cancel out the effects of fertility
medications.
4- Evening Primrose Oil: Evening Primrose Oil or (EPO) is
produced from a wildflower called the Evening Primrose. This oil has been used
for years to help with lots of things such as lowering cholesterol, natural
labor induction, and fertility. EPO is thought to help with premenstrual syndrome
and it may also help to improve the quality of a woman’s cervical mucous.
5- Robitussin®: Robitussin® is helpful for the same
reason as preseed. Robitussin® is an expectorant. Expectorants help to thin
out mucous. It is mainly used for coughing because once the mucous in your lungs
is thinned out, you can cough things up easier and clear your airways. It is
helpful to use when trying to conceive because not only does it thin out the
mucous in your lungs it will also make your cervical mucous thinner and more
slippery. This can be very helpful for women that are not producing slippery
fertile cervical mucous.
6- Instead Softcups®: In 2006 Instead put in an application
with the FDA to market Instead Softcups® as a fertility aid. This application
came after women all over the internet started sharing their experiences with
using Instead Softcups as a fertility aid and sent letters to the company sharing
their success stories. The thought behind using Instead Softcups® is that
inserting a softcup after intercourse will help keep semen in place and close
to the cervix. The concept is simple; the longer semen stays close the cervix,
the more sperm will reach the egg.
7- The Conception Kit™: The
Conception Kit™, manufactured by
Conceivex, is a new product to help couples conceive.
The kit comes with ovulation tests, a sperm friendly
lubricant, pregnancy tests, a semen collector, and the
conception cap. The way couples use this kit is to have
intercourse with the semen collector which is similar
to a condom. Then take the semen from the collector
and put the semen into the conception cap. The cap is
then inserted into the woman’s vagina and positioned
at the cervix. This kit may be helpful for couples dealing
with male factor issues such as low sperm count or motility.
It can also help protect sperm from a hostile vaginal
environment and it may improve the chances of conception
for women that have a tilted uterus.