COSMO GYNO.(brief sexual health notes)(Brief Article)

New research shows you're fertile for more days of the month than you might think.

A Woman's pregnancy-prone zone is a lot less predictable than experts previously believed. Doctors have assumed a woman's fertile days fall in the middle of her cycle--from day 10 to day 17 (day one being the first day of your period). That belief was based on the assumption that ovulation occurs around day 14. But according to a new study conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, in Durham, North Carolina, ovulation can, in fact, occur earlier or later than that.

Researchers found that 70 percent of the 221 women observed were fertile before or after days 10 and 17 of their cycles.

The take-home: "Don't count on any day as safe," says researcher Allen J. Wilcox, Ph.D.

 
DECIPHER DOWN-THERE DISCHARGE 
Although most vaginal secretions don't 
signal something serious, there are 
certain kinds that may indicate an 
infection. Here's what you need to 
knowthe difference. 
SYMPTOMS                      COULD BE 
Cottage cheese--like          A yeast infection 
discharge and/or 
itching or burning 
Off-white watery or           Bacterial vaginosis 
foamy discharge 
accompanied by a fishy smell 
Frothy yellow or              Trichomaniasis, a 
greenish discharge            sexually trans- 
accompanied by                mitted bacterial 
vulval itching and            infection 
soreness 
SYMPTOMS                      TREATMENT 
Cottage cheese--like          If you've had one 
discharge and/or        ...