The Art and Science of Conception
Intercourse refers to the act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract. It is also referred to by numerous slang terms, the broadest of which is 'to have sex', which covers a wide range of different sexual and pseudo-sexual behaviors.
In modern culture, it is more common for two people to engage in sexual intercourse for pleasure and social-emotional bonding than for the purpose of conception. However, our bodies are biologically geared towards reacting to intercourse in an effort to conceive.
Intercourse for the Purpose of Reproduction
While many couples engage in regular intercourse while on birth control, the essential purpose and effect of sex is to reproduce. All biological responses during sex are as a result of this innate drive.
Intercourse is sometimes preceded by foreplay, which has the effect of enhancing sexual arousal. Arousal is necessary to successful intercourse as it results in the erection of the penis and lubrication of the vagina. The penis is then inserted into the vagina, and one or both partners move their hips to create friction between the penis and the interior walls of the vaginal opening. This continues until one or both partners have had an orgasm.
Male orgasm is usually accompanied by an ejaculation of semen, which contains millions of sperm cells. These sperm cells swim upward through the vagina, to the cervix, the uterus, and finally into the fallopian tubes. When a fertile egg is present, it will be in the fallopian tubes, and it can be fertilised by a single sperm cell. The egg then descends into the uterus and implants itself in the endometrial lining. This is the beginning of pregnancy.
Knowing When You're Fertile
For women who are trying to conceive, intercourse is an essential and frequently repeated act, in the hopes that it will result in pregnancy. These women must not be taking any birth control medication - in most cases, being off of birth control for more than six months is necessary for optimal success rates - and they should also refrain from smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming caffeine. In order to detect their menstrual cycles and determine when they are most fertile, many women use fertility awareness techniques such as charting of menstrual periods, tracking basal body temperature, and the use of ovulation tests.
Ovulation tests are by far the easiest and least time-consuming method. It takes a degree of self-discipline to properly use ovulation tests, as they are an ongoing procedure until positive results are achieved. There are numerous types of ovulation tests available, and it's most common to see them packaged as either seven-day daily ovulation tests or twenty-day daily ovulation tests.
Seven-day ovulation tests detect and predict fertility over a period of seven days, taken daily. These are useful and economical for women who are already aware of their menstrual cycle and would have a good idea when they might be ovulating.
Twenty-day ovulation tests give a broader overview of a woman's menstrual cycle, and are most useful to women with irregular periods, or those who are not practising other methods of fertility awareness.
Using Ovulation Tests to Achieve Pregnancy
When ovulation tests show a positive result, it indicates an egg has been released, and the woman is fertile for the next forty-eight hours. For women who are attempting to conceive, this is the time to call up their partner and share a romantic evening together.
Theoretically ovulation tests can be used as a form of birth control, but due to the imprecise nature of the female menstrual cycle, it is not recommended. If you attempt to take ovulation tests for longer than two months with no positive results, consult with your doctor, as this may be a sign of a possibly serious ovulatory problem.
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