Real life Fertility questions about women

[John]

I'm sure I could find the answer on the net somewhere, but with 44% of our playerbase being female I figure I can just be lazy

So here are my questions:
* In a month, roughly how much of it will you be fertile for? The majority of it? Only a small portion?
* In a month how much of it are you unable to have sex for?
* Is there a portion of the month that you're more fertile then normal? If so, how long does it typically go for?
* What cycle does it go in (e.g. Fertile -> Extremely Fertile -> Can't have sex at all -> not fertile)

Thanks in advance. For anyone who feels uncomfortable answering these rather personal questions, there's absolutely no pressure for you to If no-one answers, I'll just go look up a website

[Cegar]

I would explain, but wikipedia would do a much better job.

[Agent_137]

there's a certain technique advocated by die hard catholics that has everything laid out for having sex with no contraceptives and no pregnancy.

it has all to do with figuring out the woman's ovulation date, and avoiding the period around there in which she could become pregnant.

i forget the name of it, though.

[Angela Christine]

1)  1-3 days, depending on how you calculate it and stuff.  Some sources say up to 15 days.

2)  Uh, none?  You always can have sex, but sometimes it may be less comfortable (if you have cramps and stuff), more messy, or have a greater risk of pregnancy.

3) Durring ovulation and a day or two before ovulation, because sperm can live for up to a couple days.  The trick is that you can't tell exactly when you are going to ovulate, ahead of time, even if you have a very regular cycle.  If you have an irregular cycle then it is a total crapshoot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle

[Angela Christine]

there's a certain technique advocated by die hard catholics that has everything laid out for having sex with no contraceptives and no pregnancy.

it has all to do with figuring out the woman's ovulation date, and avoiding the period around there in which she could become pregnant.

i forget the name of it, though.

The Rhythm Method.  Sometimes call Natural Birth Control.  It can be effective for people that have a regular cycle, are very organized, and have plenty of self-control, but in general practice it isn't so great.  It is actually more useful if you are trying to get pregnant than if you are trying to avoid pregnancy.


AC

[Gimfalisette]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle

But there's a lot of reading there and it's kinda dense.

Human females are only technically fertile for about three days out of each menstrual cycle. (Fertile meaning there is an egg in play.)

The length of a normal menstrual cycle ranges from about 25 to 35 days. 28 days is always quoted, but it varies from woman to woman.

Technically speaking, if you absolutely do not want to get pregnant, then the female should not have sex from Day 1 (when her period starts) until 4 to 5 days post-ovulation. So that's approximately Day 1 until Day 18 to 20.

However, advanced users of rhythm methods (ovulation prediction methods, actually) who know their own bodies well will be able to get more precise about knowing when ovulation will happen and so they can orchestrate sex during the pre-fertile period from about Day 1 to Day 10.

You'd probably be interested to know that ovulation can highly affect a woman's sex drive, too, in an "I've got to have it NOW" kind of way. That (for me) starts a couple of days prior to ovulation and goes until maybe two to three days after. Also women may be much more sensitive and responsive during ovulation, more likely to orgasm, and more likely to have multiple orgasms. Women may also get ovulatory cramps on one side or the other (whichever side the egg is being released from).

I seriously doubt any of this information would be known on Zalanthas, though.

[spawnloser]

Also note that some contraceptives (those that prevent pregnancy by fucking with the female hormonal/chemical makeup) can also affect the female sex-drive and ability to orgasm.

[Akaramu]

I have no idea. I never tried to become pregnant, otherwise I might know.  :oops:

[spawnloser]

I have no idea. I never tried to become pregnant, otherwise I might know.  :oops:

Heheheh.  You don't have to try to become pregnant to know this stuff.  This is stuff you can learn through means other than trial and error.

I mean, come on.  I know a lot of this stuff and if I was trying to get pregnant...I mean, wow, that'd be creepy.

[Nao]

The really fertile days are only a week or so - ovulation plus how long sperm can stick around alive and waiting for ovulation.  Usually that's three days, but this can also be five or sometimes eight days - for simplicity in game, I'd tzake the normal three days and add the ovulation time, which would be 5 to 7 fertile days in total.
That would ass up to an infertile first wekk of the cycle, a fertile second week with ovulation (and thus the highest chance of pregnancy) around the end of that week or the beginngin of the third week, then another time of infertility (between one or twoo weeks, too lazy to figure out the exact time now). Then you start to menstruate, 5 days give or take a couple. The cycle should add up to 28 days on average, but can be between 21 or 35.

The thing about not being alliowed to have sex for two weeks when you're counting days is that counting is pretty insecure - you never know exactly when you're gonna ovulate unless things are extremely regu,ar - but how are you gonne know if it's regular if you never figure out when exactly it is? And even if you stick to those rules, the chance to get pregnant within a year is still 9%.

There are ways to find out - check this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertility_awareness. According to some German university that did a prolonged study on a system using all three signs, this is as safe as BC pills. Only problem I see is that you can't have sex during the most fertile days, but that's also when you want it the most  :wink:

About the 'when can you ahve sex thing' - menstruation takes around five days, give or take a couple. I get bad cramps only on the first one or two days. It gets significant less messy after the first few days, too. So you can have sex anytime, as long as you and your partner can and want to deal with the mess  :wink:

[Lizzie]

I beg to differ. A fertile woman is almost always fertile. That's why some women have tubal pregnancies which are dangerous and potentially lethal. A fertile woman with regular cycles is most fertile somewhere around 10 days after the last day of her period. And least fertile during her period. The "most" fertile phase is at its peak for only a few hours which is why some TV shows turn the basal temperature thing into sit-com. (RIGHT NOW, BABY! STOP TALKING TO YOUR MOTHER ON THE PHONE WE HAVE TO HAVE SEX RIGHT THIS MINUTE!) A woman can have sex any time, even during her period, and some women are even more "needy" than during the rest of their cycle, and some men actually like that, and it's considered a fetish to some. If you mean to ask how long the bleeding occurs, typically it's between 1 and 3 days of heavy bleeding followed by a day or two of light bleeding or spotting. Some doctors even "prescribe" sex for women who cramp badly, as a natural method of relieving cramps. Post-menopausal women don't get periods and are infertile. Teenagers are more prone to drastic variances in their cycles. Pregnant women are infertile during their pregnancies.

L. Stanson

[Saphreal]

there's a certain technique advocated by die hard catholics that has everything laid out for having sex with no contraceptives and no pregnancy.

it has all to do with figuring out the woman's ovulation date, and avoiding the period around there in which she could become pregnant.

i forget the name of it, though.

The Rhythm Method.  Sometimes call Natural Birth Control.  It can be effective for people that have a regular cycle, are very organized, and have plenty of self-control, but in general practice it isn't so great.  It is actually more useful if you are trying to get pregnant than if you are trying to avoid pregnancy.


AC

Yeah, I've heard this too.

[Gimfalisette]

My youngest child is the result of a "safe" time*. Heheh. So yes, using the rhythm method / ovulation awareness is far from perfect as a method of birth control. I think that all women should get familiar with the method, though, because it is really helpful for getting pregnant, and it's also quite interesting what happens to the body, emotions, and desires due to ovulation.

OP, I'm curious as to what you're going to do with this info in game. Is it just for personal RP stuff? I don't bother with this stuff for my PC, because...well probably because I have plenty of it in RL. I just figure all that stuff is happening when I'm not logged in.

* And I'm incredibly thankful that she's here.

[Briarfox]

You can actually be fertile the first week (most common) to second month (rarest) of your pregnancy, it is not very common but it is not so rare it is unheard of. Basically, when this happens, your body is producing the right hormone just in more plenty and this can make an egg take a stroll down the tube from your ovary while you already have concieved. It is more likely that you just experience your period while pregnant then actually concieve again while already with child but it can happen and does happen.

[Cuusardo]

Been on the pill for almost nine years now.  I don't worry about that crap, because I *heart* my Ortho Tricyclene.  Yay contraceptives!!!  

[Nao]

Been on the pill for almost nine years now.  I don't worry about that crap, because I *heart* my Ortho Tricyclene.  Yay contraceptives!!!  

The pill is far from being perfect when it comes to preventing pregnancies, too..

[Vessol]

Yeah I know a crazy couple that are both 35 and have six kids, very contraceptive they have used has normally failed, so after the 6th kid the husband just got fixed to prevent anymore.

[Cuusardo]

The only problem I've ever had was when I had health insurance that didn't cover Ortho Tricyclene, and I tried a few other different kinds.  Had some unpleasant side effects (which was why I started going to Planned Parenthood to get my OT back), but never a pregnancy.  Of course, I keep an alarm set no matter where I am to take that pill at 8am every single morning without fail.  My mother was the same way -- never once got pregnant on the Pill.  The only time I've ever not trusted it to not fail was when I was on antibiotics, and I followed the advice of my adorable little Asian doctor:  "Use condom."

I also like other positive effects that it has, such as the fact that I no longer have incapacitating cramps for three days every month, plus I have clearer skin, and a more normal appetite.

[Intrepid]

I'd like to point out that stress and poor health can throw your entire cycle out of whack.  Also, women of varying cycles who spend far too much time around one another, particularly in stressful situations, can end up synchronizing.

[Dan]

A girl I know who went through basic training said that only one girl out of the sixty had her period during that six weeks.

[spawnloser]

Wow, Dan...that's...kinda creepy.

[LauraMars]

Regular physical activity can be a big help at the cramps counter in the period department store.

[Cuusardo]

Regular physical activity can be a big help at the cramps counter in the period department store.

That works fabulously for me now, but they used to be so bad when I was a teenager that I literally couldn't move or speak.  I won't even go into all the other grossities that it caused.  I tell you, those were the times in my life when I would actually wish I was dead than have to go through that pain.

[Vesperas]

On the other end of the spectrum, obesity or lack of activity will cause extreme irregularity.  (( And I do mean extreme... 1-2 month periods followed by 6-12 month nothingness ))

I took the pill for one month in my entire life, and it was by far one of my worst experiences.  A week in, I was hit with one of those "takes-20-hour-naps" depressions that I was still feeling the effects of 4 to 5 months AFTER stopping.  I hereby swear to never do that ever, ever, ever again.

[Angela Christine]

I have no idea. I never tried to become pregnant, otherwise I might know.  :oops:

Heheheh.  You don't have to try to become pregnant to know this stuff.  This is stuff you can learn through means other than trial and error.

I mean, come on.  I know a lot of this stuff and if I was trying to get pregnant...I mean, wow, that'd be creepy.

I'm amazed that anyone doesn't know this stuff, at least the basics.  When I was in school it was covered both in Sex Ed (which I think you could opt out of) and also in Human Reproduction unit in Biology, which wasn't optional.  The bit in Biology class didn't go into contraceptives or sexuality, but it did cover both the male reproductive system and the female reproductive system.  I've never needed to know what the vas deference is, but I still learned about it in school.


AC

[LauraMars]

Regular physical activity can be a big help at the cramps counter in the period department store.

That works fabulously for me now, but they used to be so bad when I was a teenager that I literally couldn't move or speak.  I won't even go into all the other grossities that it caused.  I tell you, those were the times in my life when I would actually wish I was dead than have to go through that pain.

I have experienced the same thing, truly nightmare pain.  However, I'm not saying...try to work out when you are dying of cramp, but rather, move around, walk, eat lots of vegatables and excersize throughout the month and you'll have an easier time of it when your friend from Red Storm visits (and I'm not addressing you, Cuusardo, but rather, anybody to whom this advice might apply).

[Cuusardo]

The Red Storm part made me giggle.  Looks like we've got new slang for the thing every woman hates.  (Show me a woman who doesn't, seriously.)

[Cegar]

Please, please don't ever say Red Storm in that context again.

[Cale_Knight]

"Going down to Red Storm" has suddenly taken on a whole new meaning.

[Delirium]

Now I'm NEVER going to be able to say that line with a straight face.

Damn you people and your dirty minds.

[spawnloser]

Hee

Heehee

Heeheehee

[MorganChaos]

* In a month, roughly how much of it will you be fertile for? The majority of it? Only a small portion?

About a week, usually.

* In a month how much of it are you unable to have sex for?

None. However, most women choose not to have sex on their period, which can last anywhere from 2 to 8 days, depending on the woman. One woman will generally have the same length period pretty consistently, with only a day or two of variation. Every woman is different but usually the first day is heaviest, the second equally heavy or slightly lighter, and the rest of the time is pretty light.

* Is there a portion of the month that you're more fertile then normal? If so, how long does it typically go for?

Not really. It's all within that one week, although there is some possibility of pregnancy outside the week.

* What cycle does it go in (e.g. Fertile -> Extremely Fertile -> Can't have sex at all -> not fertile)

It doesn't, really. However, anything from 21 to 45 days in a cycle is normal, and ovulation can occur ANY TIME before about a week before the period (for our purposes I'm talking about the standard length of a cycle, which is 28 days.) This includes during the period, so sex during your period is not necessarily sex totally safe from pregnancy.

Women living together or spending a lot of time in close quarters will have the same cycle, or close to it. Example: my mom's period always follows mine by a day or two, and my best friend's period went out of whack when her mom hit menopause, and didn't stabilize for a few months. (Interestingly, it synchronized with the female she spent the most amount of time with other than her mom -- me.) A woman is generally more attractive when she's ovulating (often described as a subtle glow), as well as being more sensitive, more likely to orgasm, and wanting more sex. A lot of women, it seems, also want a lot of sex on their periods (I speak from talking to other women and getting opinions).

Also, it's possible to not get pregnant during the fertile period. The zygote never implants, the sperm never penetrate the egg, the egg dies before it reaches the uterus, the body ejects the zygote along with the lining during menstruation (this wouldn't really be a lack of pregnancy so much as a very early miscarriage). Any number of situations in which detectable pregnancy never results.

Scar tissue, from acute injury or blunt force trauma can affect fertility. So can endometriosis, any kind of uterine, cervical, or ovarian cancer, and STDs other than genital warts, herpes, and HIV.

Interestingly, it's possible for fraternal twins to have different fathers, if a woman has sex with two men within a night or a few nights of each other.

I wrote that last night and then fell asleep, so it's a little incomplete but yeah.