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I find the human fertility cycle fascinating. This fascination has led me down a path of research on the subject, as I've drank in all I can about fertility and pregnancy. In my years of writing on this I've spoken with many women. I forget that I know all the terminology associated with it and others may not. Here are the terms and definitions of the reproductive or human fertility cycle:

Basal Body Temperature is the temperature the body is at rest. A true reading can be had after at least 4 consecutive hours of sleep.

Cervix is the opening to the uterus - from the vagina.

Cervical Fluid is produced at the cervix. This fluid is essential for conception to occur in that it carries the sperm to the egg to be fertilized. There are 4 types of cervical fluid:

• Sticky - which is not fertile and you see this after menstrual bleeding has stopped and after ovulation.
• Creamy - which can be fertile. You see this as ovulation approaches and right after ovulation. You may also see this prior to the menstrual cycle beginning.
• Watery - this is fertile fluid and feels very much like water. You see this around ovulation.
• Egg-while Like - this is the most fertile fluid. This fluid stretches like egg-whites and is the best to carry the sperm to the egg. You generally see this a day or so before ovulation and the day of ovulation.

Cervical Position is the position of the cervix. The cervix is categorized by the way it feels - where it's located and whether or not it's open. It can feel firm like the tip of your nose or soft like your lips. It can be open or closed. It can be low or high in the vagina. One that is low and firm and closed is normally after ovulation. It opens slightly for menstruation - but remains low and firm. It begins to rise up and become soft the closer to ovulation. At ovulation it's high and soft and open.

Conception is when an egg is fertilized - from an act of sexual intercourse, the sperm and egg meet. Thus a pregnancy starts!  This is human fertility cycle at its best!

Corpus Luteum is the cyst that forms when the egg bursts forth from the ovary. It's purpose is to release progesterone until either the fertilized egg prompts it to continue to stay alive or it dies and brings on menstrual bleeding.

Egg is the one cell from the female that is produced by the ovaries at ovulation each month. This is what joins with the sperm to produced a fertilized egg that will eventually become a baby.

Estrogen is a hormone produced prior to ovulation. It's responsibility for the fertile quality cervical fluid.

Fallopian Tubes are what connects the ovaries to the uterus. The egg is fertilized in the fallopian tubes and it serves as a vehicle in which the egg travels from the ovaries into the uterus.

FSH or follicle stimulating hormone is responsible for the maturation of the eggs.

HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin is the hormone produced when conception has occurred. hCG is what home pregnancy test pick up to give a positive result.

Hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and prompts the body to do certain things.  They completely run the human fertility cycle.

Implantation is when the fertilized egg burrows into the uterine lining at around 5 to 12 days past ovulation.

LH or luteinizing hormone is responsible for prompting the ovary to release a mature egg. LH is the hormone that prompts a positive on a urine ovulation predictor test.

Luteal Phase is the time from ovulation to the day before menstruation.

Luteal Phase Defect is when this timeframe is under ten days. Ideally the luteal phase needs to be over 10 days - normal is 12-16 days.

Menstruation is when the female human fertility cycle begins. It's the shedding of the uterine lining when a pregnancy did not happen. Also known as "bleeding".

Mid-cycle Spotting happens when a bit of blood comes forth from ovulation. It's either caused from the ovary - where the egg burst out or from high estrogen which causes the uterine lining to bleed.

Orgasm in males is what causes the semen which carries the sperm to spew forth into the vagina in order to fertilize the egg. Orgasm in females helps the uterus to contract and to encourage the sperm to reach the egg. (In the human fertility cycle the male must have an orgasm for conception to occur - the female does not.)

Ovulation is when the ovaries release a mature egg into the fallopian tube. This often happens in the middle of the cycle.

Penis is the male sex organ. It's the way the sperm is placed into the vagina for fertilization.

Progesterone is the hormone produced after ovulation. It's responsible for thickening the uterine lining for the fertilized egg and helps to maintain the pregnancy.

Semen is the fluid that carries the sperm out of the penis and into the vagina.

Sperm are the one-celled organisms from the male that will penetrate the egg to produce a fertilized egg - which grows into a baby.

Testicles are the part on a male that stores the semen and sperm.

Thermal Shift is the upward shift in the basal body temperature the day after ovulation has occurred. You will see this if you chart your fertility signs.