The Importance of Fertility Awareness in the Assessment of a Woman's Health a Review

Fertility awareness constitutes fundamental knowledge for every woman and is an important tool for health professionals. The objective of this review is to show how fertility awareness can be useful in the assessment of a woman's health. The main techniques for detecting ovulation are explained, and then the events that characterize a normal menstrual cycle are discussed. The relevance of cervical mucus from the perspective of female fertility is highlighted. Finally, the usefulness of fertility awareness 1) to identify fertile and infertile periods, 2) to help to detect several pathologies, and 3) in regards to how it exerts an important role in the success of programs in education for affectivity and sexuality are discussed.

[1]  Pilar Vigil Portales,et al.  Educación en afectividad y sexualidad para adolescentes: resultados de la implementación del Programa Teen STAR , 2008 .

[2]  A. Toro,et al.  Physiological action of oestradiol on the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa , 2008, Andrologia.

[3]  F. Céric,et al.  Usefulness of monitoring fertility from menarche. , 2006, Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology.

[4]  ErikOdeblad.  The Discovery of Different Types of Cervical Mucus and the Billings Ovulation Method , 2006 .

[5]  M. Barron.  Proactive Management of Menstrual Cycle Abnormalities in Young Women , 2004, The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing.

[6]  A. I. Yudin,et al.  Diffusion of macromolecules and virus-like particles in human cervical mucus. , 2001, Biophysical journal.

[7]  D. Koutras.  Disturbances of Menstruation in Thyroid Disease , 1997, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

[8]  E. Cutié,et al.  Prolactin inhibits the steroidogenesis in midfollicular phase human granulosa cells cultured in a chemically defined medium. , 1988, Fertility and sterility.

[9]  C. Barros,et al.  Selection of morphologically abnormal sperm by human cervical mucus. , 1984, Archives of andrology.

[10]  M. Laakso,et al.  Reversal of an elevated plasma level of prolactin during prolonged psychological stress. , 1983, Acta physiologica Scandinavica.

[11]  E. Odeblad.  THE FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE OF HUMAN CERVICAL MUCUS , 1968, Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica.