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The Brampton Guardian
Starting a family doesn't have to take the sizzle out of sex
The Brampton Guardian
Monday October 27 2008
 
BRAMPTON - (NC)-When couples decide to start trying to conceive, things may start out hot and steamy but some of the early enthusiasm can start to wane if those initial baby-making efforts don't result in speedy success. The facts of reproductive life are a lot more confusing and complicated than simply losing the birth control.

Having sex often doesn't guarantee immediate success and can take an emotional toll on a couple if sex starts to feel like a chore. A recent survey conducted by the makers of First Response revealed that 50 per cent of women experience anxiety while waiting to test for pregnancy. With so many hopes and dreams on the line during each cycle of trying, it's no wonder so many women feel like their lives are on hold until it's time to test.

The statistics only fuel the frustration. On average, a healthy couple in their 20s trying to conceive (and who are having regular, unprotected sex) will conceive within about five months. By age 35, a woman's odds of becoming pregnant within a year are 52 per cent, and by age 40, the odds dip further to 35 per cent.

Fortunately, improved technologies available with over-the-counter home test kits have been designed to remove the guesswork out of planning for a baby. Ovulation predictor tests, like the First Response Easy-Read Ovulation tests, work by detecting the surge of the Luteinising Hormone (LH Surge) in a woman's urine. The LH Surge corresponds with a woman's most fertile time so having sex at this point of her cycle greatly increases the chances of conceiving. Once a woman thinks she may be pregnant, a home pregnancy test kit such as First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test kit can detect a pregnancy five days before an expected period.

Armed with the correct information about timing and tools that can help them to make timing work for-not against-them, couples can mix a little planning into their pleasure and increase their chance of a successful baby-making experience.

Ann Douglas is an award-winning author and creator of the internationally bestselling The Mother of All Pregnancy Books and co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Having a Baby.

- News Canada