women's health

Pregnant? Delayed ovulation? Anovulatory cycle? You'd think that we'd know everything about something that has happened nearly every month of our lives since early adolescence...so familiar that it could be called your "Monthly Friend."  Yet when I read Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler, MPH, I learned so much about the female hormonal cycle that I was astounded by how little we truly understand about it! For example, we are told that typical menstrual cycles last 28 days, which is not actually the case for many women. I was amazed to think of how many women think that they have to take medications or resort to surgical procedures to either prevent or encourage pregnancy, when so much can be done just from understanding the logistics of a woman's body.

Explaining the "Fertility Awareness Method," this book helps a woman understand the "normal" signs of each stage in the fertility cycle as well as specific indications of potential problems. By charting some of these signs, a woman can take the information to a physician, allowing them to more easily get to the root of the problem. This could mean the avoidance of unnecessary tests and procedures. Thank you, Toni, for taking much of the stress out of guessing when your period will start, if you're pregnant, or if you have a condition that needs to be discussed with a physician! Hooray for one more way to be in control of your own health!

(note: for those of you that have heard of "The Rhythm Method" for natural contraception, this is different- it's better!)