Getting to know your fertility cycle is a priority for couples who want to have children, so that they can move more serenely towards the goal of conceiving. Having a baby is a project that should normally be carried out as a couple, so asking a woman to manage her cycle alone would not be a very good idea.

Admittedly, the terms ovulation, premenstrual syndrome or menstruation and moons (dixit, menstruation) aren't necessarily in men's everyday vocabulary, as most of us have been brought up to compartmentalize pink and blue, unfortunately.

Know your cycle

Nevertheless, investing in the journey towards a larger family also means taking part in the cycle that women go through every month, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously. Indeed, many women are unaware of the workings of their bodies, and sometimes even of their anatomy.

Depending on the appearance of the endometrium (the mucous membrane lining the uterus, which undergoes transformations and changes throughout the cycle menstruel), the menstrual cycle will evolve over the course of the month. Different phases will be physically observed:

• The menstrual phase begins with the first day of the cycle: it's the period! It's the endometrial mucosa that breaks down and is evacuated from the woman's body. In the end, menstruation isn't really blood.
• The proliferation phase is the period following menstruation, until ovulation. This endometrium will rebuild, regenerate and thicken as the days go by.
• The secretion phase begins just after ovulation. This is the period when the endometrium will have reached its maximum development, as it will be ready to receive an embryo if fertilization has taken place. If this is not the case, the cycle of mucosal destruction begins again, with the onset of menstruation.

We already understand thatin the secretion phase, fertility is no longer possible. In fact, the proliferative phase will be the most fertile of the month, the one during which intercourse may be decisive if the couple has a desire to become pregnant.

To go further in the discovery of her body, we can also understand the so-called ovarian cycle, which is divided into two phases:

• The follicular phase (from the first day of menstruation to ovulation): During this phase, estrogen is created, stored in fatty tissue and released into the bloodstream. So the body creates and stores estrogen in our "fat" and releases another part into the blood.
• The progestational phase is the period following ovulation and preceding menstruation. This progestational phase, or luteal phase, exists thanks to a hormone called progesterone. This progesterone hormone dominates at the end of the cycle.

Without conception, the ovum remains empty in the ovary and secretes progesterone to enable various things to happen in the body: the cervix closes, the uterine mucosa fills with nutrients, the uterine wall thickens, etc.

During this phase, body temperature is only a few tenths higher than during the follicular phase. During this phase, progesterone levels rise at the same time as body temperature.

It's the premenstrual period, which many women have a hard time coping with because of the numerous inconveniences it can bring.

Understanding how your body works is an invaluable aid to advancing on this path of self-discovery and couple union.

Symptothermia is a contraceptive method that's gaining ground in the back-to-nature community, but it's especially well-suited to couples who want to conceive and get to know how they work.

Having a baby is a conscious project for both of you.