Hot flashes, mood swings, irregular cycles: all are tell-tale signs of perimenopause. Perimenopause, often referred to as the “menopausal transition,” is a natural biological process that happens before menopause. During these years before the end of your period, your body goes through significant hormonal changes—which can bring horrible perimenopause symptoms, frustration, and even confusion as to exactly what’s going on inside your body.  Even though it can be challenging, perimenopause is an entirely natural transition period in a woman's life. Understanding what it is and what to exp ..read more

If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you’re probably monitoring your menstrual cycle, your ovulation, and maybe even your hormone levels pretty closely. You may have already heard the acronym “DPO,” or “days past ovulation,” and the phrase “two-week wait” in and around your conversations about fertility. And while you might know that DPO has something to do with ovulation, and the two-week wait presumably means you have to wait for something for—you guessed it—two weeks, it may be less clear what the two actually mean. So how do ovulation, DPO, and the two-week wait fit into your cycle and your ..read more

The hormones in your body have a lot of responsibility. Estrogen, the primary female sex hormone, plays a role in regulating your reproductive health, menstrual cycle, bone density, mood, cognitive function, and even cardiovascular health. If this hormone is so important, isn’t having a lot of estrogen—like in estrogen dominance—a good thing? Good things come in moderation, and estrogen dominance—when you have high levels of estrogen compared to other hormones—isn’t always the best for your overall health and well-being. In this guide, we’ll uncover signs, causes, and symptoms of estrogen domi ..read more

IVF, or in-vitro fertilization, is the process most people think of first when they consider getting medical assistance to conceive. You might also know it as the “test tube method.” IVF involves extracting eggs from a person’s ovaries, fertilizing them with sperm outside of the body, and then reinserting any viable, fertilized embryos back into the uterus, where they can begin to develop into a baby. While IVF certainly enjoys the biggest reputation of all the fertility treatments, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to infertility. One of the big reasons for this is its price tag: Since IV ..read more

Estrogen is a crucial hormone in not only our reproductive health, but our overall well-being. What happens when our estrogen levels dip lower than usual? Low estrogen symptoms—like irregular cycles, mood swings, and bone health issues—come into play. While low levels of estrogen are a natural part of aging, they can also be a sign of certain medical conditions. If you’re feeling unusual symptoms and unsure what’s causing them, here’s how to know if low estrogen is to blame—and what to do to alleviate these symptoms. What causes low estrogen? If you’re worried about low estrogen symptoms ..read more

When trying to conceive, you'll likely come across countless words, acronyms, and definitions you've never heard before. Getting a grasp of fertility terms  can feel overwhelming. However, understanding what these terms mean can help you feel prepared for what lies ahead.  From the basic fertility terms surrounding ovulation and conception to complex procedures like IVF (In vitro fertilization), it's a lot to take in. We're here to help you navigate your fertility journey. We've put together this simple glossary of fertility terms to help guide the way. Learn the definitions for: Th ..read more

Estrogen is a key player in much of our body — our urinary tract, heart and blood vessels, bones, breasts, skin, hair, brain — especially our reproductive tract. This sex hormone is responsible for regulating our menstrual cycle, which means it’s crucial to our fertility. Having the right level of estrogen in our body is key to maintaining our reproductive and overall health. If you’re worried you might have low levels of estrogen, don’t worry — here’s your comprehensive guide for how to increase estrogen.  How do I know if I have low estrogen? Because estrogen plays a role in different p ..read more

It is a position almost universally agreed upon that period cramps suck. This habitual clenching of the uterine walls is a pain that most people who menstruate deal with far more often than they’d like.  >>RELATED: 8 Symptoms That Could Be Related to Your Period - And How to Get Relief During early pregnancy, your body also goes through cramping — we really can’t catch a break, can we? If you’re trying to conceive (TTC) or in the early stages of pregnancy and you develop cramps, these cramps might throw you into a panic thinking that you’re losing your pregnancy; if you’re not TTC ..read more

Trying to conceive unfortunately isn’t always easy — and sometimes, we worry what this might mean about our fertility. That’s where fertility tests come in. Fertility tests are a great way to get insights into your (and your partner’s) reproductive health, so you can make informed decisions about your family planning. You might be wondering: what’s exactly involved in a fertility test? What kind of fertility test should you take? Which tests are better than others? Here’s how to pick the best fertility test for you. What is a fertility test? A fertility test is a diagnostic procedure that asse ..read more

Does PCOS affect your fertility? Short answer: yes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant if you have PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that refers to your ovaries being filled with many cysts, or small sacs filled with fluid. This endocrine condition, which can be genetically inherited, affects at least 7% of adult women. Not everyone with PCOS develops cysts, but everyone with PCOS does struggle with menstruation. PCOS causes hormonal imbalances that throw off regular ovulation.  Because PCOS messes with ovulation, it also has an impact on fertility. If you ha ..read more