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From: pc@hplabsb.UUCP (Patricia Collins)
Newsgroups: net.women.only
Subject: Re: menstrual question
Message-ID: <2012@hplabsb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 27-Dec-83 16:19:19 EST
Article-I.D.: hplabsb.2012
Posted: Tue Dec 27 16:19:19 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 29-Dec-83 01:16:14 EST
References: <3362@tekecs.UUCP>, <4532@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 29


	Irregular menstrual cycles can be analyzed.  Try taking your basal
temperature.  Each morning, before your feet hit the floor, take your 
temperature.  Plot the data points for a few cycles.  For MOST women there
is a clear increase in basal temperature the day after ovulation.  (This
makes the "rhythm method" an impossible method of birth control unless you
are like clockwork.)

	Generally, the part of the cycle which is irregular is the part
before ovulation.  Most women begin to menstruate 14 days after ovulation.
This irregularity runs in my family and seems to be related to nothing
meaningful.  

	Some less-than-competent OB-GYNs will tell you that you may have trouble
getting pregnant, since it used to be believed that women with irregular
cycles were not ovulating.  Your basal temperature chart will probably
clarify that issue.

	If you want to induce a menstrual cycle, the herb Pennyroyal is
a very effective emmenagogue.  If it's been 14 days since you ovulated,
you can "encourage" a regular cycle by taking an infusion (cup of tea)
made with Pennyroyal.  You can also take Pennyroyal extract.  DO NOT TAKE
PENNYROYAL IF YOU THINK YOU MAY BE PREGNANT.  Pennyroyal can induce an
abortion, but it's not perfect.  Sometimes it can just cause some mild
hemorrhaging, which would be quite hazardous to the unaborted fetus.

						Patricia Collins
						hplabs