There is a common misconception - no pun intended - that to become pregnant after using contraceptives, all a woman has to do is stop using her contraceptives. For some women, becoming pregnant can be a problem. Timing is often an issue among couples today with careers and busy social lives. Many couples are having to schedule time for each other when they are attempting to start a family. Conception does not always occur when planned turning conception into a less than simple and often stressful process.

In order for pregnancy to occur, a woman's body needs a specific sequence of events to take place, all in the right order with precise timing. Here are some easy guidelines to follow while under your Health Care Professional's care.

• A woman must ovulate to produce a healthy egg.
• The egg is produced approximately a day prior to it reaching the fallopian tubes.
• A healthy egg and a healthy sperm will meet traveling down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. Hopefully, the egg will be fertilized on the way. When the fertilized egg or embryo reaches the uterus, the endometrial lining of the uterus must be in a matur state for implantation to occur and an embryo to grow.
• Not only are the sequence of events and timing critical for pregnancy to occur but a woman's body requires progesterone to be present.

Progesterone is a naturally occurring hormone literally meaning ''for gestation.'' It is the hormone of pregnancy. Produced by the ovaries, progesterone prepares the lining of the uterus for the fertilized ovum and maintains pregnancy. Specifically, progesterone converts the womb lining into a soft spongy bed in order to enhance implantation of a fertilized egg. Normally, when a woman ovulates her body produces enough progesterone to maintain a pregnancy. Unfortunately, this is not always true.

It is not uncommon for women who have reached their mid to late 30's to not produce enough progesterone in their cycle. The decrease in progesterone levels could be enough to prevent the maintenance of the pregnancy. This is also known as luteal phase progesterone deficiency. The cause of this is unknown, though there are many theories available. No matter what the reason for the lack of progesterone, the effect is the same.

• The endometrial lining will shed.
• The woman will bleed.
• The pregnancy may have never started or miscarriage may occur.

Your Health Care Professional and Women's Health America, Inc. can work together to determine if progesterone therapy is appropriate for you. Women's Health America, Inc. offes saliva testing for assessment of hormone levels with interpretation and recommendations for replacement therapy through our Restore Program.