conception

Quantitative Pregnancy Test A quantitative blood pregnancy test is a pregnancy test that measures the amount of hCG, the pregnancy hormone, present in your blood. During the first trimester of your pregnancy your hCG levels should rise rapidly, doubling every 2-3 days. For this reason doctors often use quantitative blood pregnancy tests to monitor the […]

Blood pregnancy tests are pregnancy tests that can only be conducted at your doctor’s office and are used to not only to confirm your pregnancy, but to also monitor the first trimester of your pregnancy. A blood pregnancy test is even more accurate than a urine pregnancy test, which has an accuracy rate of 97%. […]

Urine pregnancy tests can be taken at home or carried out at your doctor’s office. They have an accuracy rate of approximately 97%, which means there is a very low chance that you will get a false positive or negative reading. However, if you take a home pregnancy test too soon your chances of getting […]

Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, is a glucocorticoid or adrenal hormone which has an integral role in your pregnancy. Cortisol, like ACTH, is a stress hormone your body produces in reaction to none other than stress. Cortisol is always present in your body and steadily increases throughout your pregnancy as it is a process that […]

Relaxin is a protein hormone, which you are going to love in the delivery room! It is produced in your ovaries, breasts and placenta. The placenta accounts for the increase in your relaxin levels during pregnancy. Normally, relaxin levels peak in your body on day 14 of your menstrual cycle and drop again if your […]

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) is a fertility hormone produced by your pituitary gland. FSH plays a very important role in conception as it sets up the whole process each month during your menstrual cycle, together with LH. FSH’s main responsibility is the growth and maturation of your ovarian follicles, without which you would not be […]

LH (luteinising hormone), also known as lutropin, is an important fertility hormone which affects your ability to ovulate. It is produced in the pituitary gland and is the hormone ovulation tests measure to determine when you will be ovulating. LH has an important role throughout your entire menstrual cycle. In the first two weeks of […]

Prolactin (PRL), also known as the luteotropic hormone (LTH), is the milk hormone which plays an important role in preparing your body for breastfeeding. Prolactin is mainly produced in your pituitary gland and in response to increased estrogen levels, its levels increase between 10 and 20 times during pregnancy. Prolactin’s first and foremost function during […]

Testosterone, like estrogen and progesterone, is an important fertility hormone and your testosterone levels can greatly influence your ability to conceive and maintain a pregnancy. Testosterone is produced in your ovaries and adrenal glands and increases in your body at low levels during your pregnancy, however it is important that these levels are neither too […]