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Fertility & The Biological Clock
Dr. Lisa Lawless, CEO of Holistic Wisdom
Clinical Psychotherapist: Relationship & Sexual Health Expert
What Is A Biological Clock?
Biological clocks are composed of specific molecules (proteins) that interact with cells throughout the body. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a blood test can detect what time it is in a person's body because nearly every tissue and organ contains biological clocks. We can also measure fertility as well.
Women's Fertility
Women's biological clocks are often referred to regarding fertility. Women are born with approximately 2 million eggs, with hundreds of eggs being lost each month during her period. When a woman enters her thirties, most of her eggs are gone.
Testing Women's Fertility
Fertility in women is tested through a pelvic exam, ultrasound, or blood test to check hormones. Tracking your ovulation patterns by testing cervical mucus, taking temperature, or using home ovulation tests are ways to determine how fertile a woman is.
Testing Men's Fertility
Measuring a male's fertility is covered in our helpful guide: Fertility Testing for Men.
Measuring Fertility Time
Researchers in the UK have developed a formula for calculating how many egg follicles a human ovary contains based on its size, an insight they hope eventually will help predict how many years of fertility a woman has left.
A test using an ultrasound scan may someday accurately predict how many childbearing years are left for women whose fertility has been damaged by cancer treatments, although more research is needed. This test can help healthy women trying to decide when to have children.
The researchers said that fertility information would be beneficial to women who have had chemotherapy as children or young adults and do not know how much the treatment will shorten their childbearing years. Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have and lose some every year.
Doctors have long been aware that the ovary size is a good indicator of how many eggs are left, and infertility clinics often use ultrasound scanners to measure patients' ovaries and determine whether they are likely to conceive with treatment. This test may aid in that process.
In Closing
If you are looking to become pregnant, make sure to explore our sperm-friendly lubricants and sex pillows that aid in more pregnancy-friendly sexual positions. We also provide a helpful guide on using sex toys: Sex Toys & Vibrators While Pregnant.