Why am I Spotting?

If you’ve ever spotted before then you know it’s not like a regular menstrual flow. Spotting is very light vaginal bleeding, typically so light it doesn’t even require more than a pantyliner, if that. Sometimes it’s so light the only sign it’s even happening is a pink tinge when you wipe after peeing.

It can happen at the beginning or end of a regular period, or it may occur randomly during any other part of the cycle. For some it may even happen during pregnancy. Some spotting may be normal, while other types of spotting can be indicative of hormone imbalance or certain conditions. I’ll explain what’s going on and, if needed, how to manage your spotting.

Fertility Hormones: which to test + what they all mean

Blood work is a valuable tool to quantify hormone levels and fertility markers, which together give insight as to how our ovaries are functioning and the quality of the eggs they contain. If you are currently trying to conceive or thinking about getting pregnant in the next few years, testing your hormones can give you a lot of helpful information that will assist you in making informed decisions about your family planning.

If you’re new to learning about these hormones then all the abbreviations and numbers are enough to leave you feeling dizzy, but I’m going to explain what they mean for your health and fertility, and let you know exactly how you can test them yourself.

Fertility, Hormonal ImbalancesJacqueline GabardyFebruary 28, 2019AMH, FSH, hormones, blood work, fertility, infertility, ovarian reserve

Period Problems? How to Deal

Does your period suck? Well then we should talk, because I hated my period for a very long time, and now me and my period are friends. We can hang once a month when she comes to town and it doesn't destroy my whole damn life.

My journey of healing my cycle is what made me so passionate to learn all the ways Chinese medicine can help those who menstruate, and to share this knowledge with anyone who will listen. I believe it's our birthright to have a period that’s manageable, if not enjoyable. And honestly? It’s really not as complicated as it's all made out to be.

Depending on why your periods or cycles suck, whether they are painful, emotional, or totally irregular, I’ll walk you through exactly what you can do to feel better each month.

What is the Fertile Window?

I always joke with my patients about the myths of ovulation, one of the main ones being - “today is the day, we’ve got to have sex right NOW!” There’s an episode of Friends with Monica and Chandler that comes to mind.

In reality, that’s not really how it works. Many people are surprised to find out that sperm can survive for up to 5 days in the female body during the fertile window. And because fertilization happens within 24 hours of ovulation, the full fertile window is actually 7 days long.

Let’s talk about how to figure out when your fertile window starts and ends.

My Favorite Cycle Charting Apps

Most of my patients opt to chart their cycle with cycle charting apps, whether they are just keeping track of when their period starts and ends, or they’re going all out and charting basal body temperature and taking ovulation tests.

Apps can be a simple way to keep track of cycle data, carry it with you wherever you go, and in some cases these apps can even play a crucial role in helping to determine when ovulation happens, when the fertile window starts and ends, and other common patterns that may be effecting your period or fertility. I’m going to walk you through some of my favorite cycle charting apps and why each may be a good fit for you.

Cycle Health, FertilityJacqueline GabardySeptember 26, 2018cycle charting, BBT charting, ovulation, apps

Luteal Phase Deficiency

Luteal Phase Deficiency (LPD) is also called Luteal Phase Defect, but I don't particularly like to think of the human body as "defective" so I prefer deficiency. LPD is a hormonal condition that involves deficiency of progesterone, which makes the luteal phase (the portion of the cycle after ovulation and before menstruation) a bit too short. This may contribute to low basal body temperatures during this phase, which can make implantation and pregnancy difficult. In fact, infertility and miscarriage are common symptoms of LPD and progesterone deficiency.

If this is the first time you're hearing about LPD, then you probably have a lot of questions. What causes it? How can you tell if you have it? And what can you do to treat it? Not to worry, I'm going to break it all down for you right now.

What You Need to Know About PCOS

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It is the most common cause of infertility in America with an estimated 1 in 10 women experiencing it sometime in their lifetime. PCOS is a hormone imbalance that, because it’s a “syndrome,” can present many ways.

I treat patients with PCOS all the time and help many of them to cycle and ovulate regularly and subsequently get pregnant successfully. It is an incredibly common condition, which means there are lots of resources for treatment, which in most cases have an excellent chance at success. Allow me to break it down for you.

Cycle Health, FertilityJacqueline GabardyJune 28, 2018PCOS, ovulation, low glycemic, low carbohydrate

Let's Talk About Cervical Fluid

When tracking your cycle there are several different ways to determine the four different phases and when you're ovulating. Charting Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and using Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) are two popular methods, and observing changes to cervical fluid is another.

Your cervix produces fluid, sometimes called mucus, in response to the hormonal changes that happen throughout your cycle. That's why it's so effective at telling you what's going on with your hormones and why I often recommend my patients start paying attention to it. I'll explain how.

Crystals for Fertility, Cycle Health & Pregnancy

As an acupuncturist I work with crystals quite a bit and since my speciality is uterine health I tend to use mostly stones that have an effect on fertility, balancing hormones, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or postpartum. I'll tell you about some of my favorites and if any of them call to you, they're all available in my online store.

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