Evening
Primrose Oil
Dealing with Hostile Cervical Mucus and Related
Infertility
For TTC women, evening primrose oil is used to enhance the volume
and quality of cervical fluids (cervical mucus, or CM). Cervical
fluids, around the time of ovulation, must be abundant and fertile
in quality (like "egg white") to help support sperm movement
and sperm integrity. Fertile cervical mucus (as opposed to hostile
cervical mucus) is stretchy, semi-transparent, and often compared
to egg-white in consistency.
Evening primrose
oil (or EPO) yields a high volume of essential fatty acids like
linolenic acid and gamma linolenic acid. Gamma linolenic acid (GLA)
is synthesized and used by the body to create prostaglandins which
are central to several important body functions.
Evening
Primrose Oil and Fertile Cervical Mucus
For women who
are trying-to-conceive, a primary benefit of evening
primrose oil is that it may increase the quality of cervical
mucus, making it a more fertile medium for sperm. One of the purposes
of cervical mucus is to sustain sperm in a healthy medium, and to
allow sperm to move freely through the cervix. When a woman ovulates,
there should be an increase in cervical mucus, as well as a change
in mucus texture - the mucus becoming more pliable, "stretchable",
and slippery. This is "fertile" cervical mucus.
In some women,
there may not be sufficient cervical mucus - or the cervical mucus
that is present has infertile qualities. This latter type of cervical
fluid is called "hostile cervical mucus".
Evening Primrose
Oil helps women produce fertile quality cervical fluid, or "egg
white" cervical mucus. This variety of cervical fluid is fertile,
thinner, watery, more clear than cloudy, and stretchy or stretchable.
It easily aids sperm in transport through the uterus and into the
fallopian tube and to the egg.
Fertile cervical
fluid helps sperm remain alive and mobile for several five days
inside the uterus and fallopian tube, enabling conception to take
place, even if ovulation occurs days after intercourse.
Hostile
Cervical Fluid and Evening Primrose Oil
If cervical
mucus is dry, or a cloudy color, or brownish, it can block or resist
the movement of sperm and inhibit fertilization. This kind of CM
will fail to provide the protective sheathing that supports sperm
integrity and motility.
Many, many women
experience dryness issues, and may have problems creating their
own fertile quality cervical mucus. Evening Primrose Oil, or products
like FertileCM, have been shown to help in the creation of fertile
cervical mucus in such circumstances.
NOTE:
Evening Primrose Oil should only be taken from menstruation (cycle
day 1) to ovulation (around CD 14 or when you confirm ovulation
has taken place by bbt charting / thermal shift), as EPO may cause
uterine contractions. Since essential fatty acids are important,
you can also use fish oils rich in Omega-3s or flax seed oil in
place of Evening Primrose Oil after ovulation (during the luteal
phase).
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Evening Primrose Oil for Cervical Mucus>>
See also
> Infertility
> Fertility
Acupuncture |