As women, we have all had vaginal dryness at one time or other, and it's usually as a result of hormonal changes. Hormones fluctuate up and down throughout the month, making us more wet at times and more dry at other times.

Experiencing a dry vagina leading up to and during ovulation can be very problematic for those trying to conceive. Cervical mucus lubricates the vaginal area, and this fluid should be more abundant leading up to a woman's ovulation time. If the vagina is dry, then sperm will not be able to move efficiently up the reproductive tract to fertilize the egg.

What are the things that influence vaginal dryness, and what can be done to avoid it or fix the problem?

Stress can contribute to vaginal dryness as well as dehydration and hormonal imbalances.

What to do to help fix the problem:

- Exercise and relaxation help to combat stress. If you're not on a regular exercise program, begin to exercise at least three times a week. Walking or swimming are great choices. Spend some time every day relaxing - a bubble bath, walking your dog, talking with a friend, getting a massage , reading - whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed.

- Drink lots of water. We all need to drink at least eight glasses of purified water per day. This is for overall good health, not just for female lubrication and conception.

- If your dryness is the result of a hormonal imbalance, most likely there are other issues you're having as well - such as irregular or missed periods or no ovulation. You should check with your doctor to have some blood tests run to determine the cause of these issues. Water will help with hormonal imbalance, but you may need more than that to resolve your issues completely. It's best to know the issue you're facing before attempting to resolve it, even if you resolve it with natural means.

Notice I said "purified" water - not just tap water or cheap bottled water (which is just bottled tap water most of the time). It does matter what type of water you drink and how pure it is. The water treatment plants do the minimum requirements to make tap water drinkable, but it's definitely not free of impurities. Water companies are unable to get the THMs--which can cause birth defects--out of our water.

My husband and I have a water purifier system in our home that we LOVE! It not only does a great job (certified to get out lead, THMs, and tons of other toxins), the water tastes terrific! When we change the filter at the end of the year, it's obvious that our water system has been doing it's job well - our old filter is the color of a cardboard box! If you'd like to get a great filter that's well worth the money, I highly recommend the filter we use.

If you want to really improve lubrication because you're having intercourse a lot in order to conceive, you may need a little extra help beyond the above measures. You may need to use a sperm-friendly female lubricant. Make sure that it is "sperm friendly," though, as most personal lubricants are not and can harm sperm.

Please visit my website to learn more.

Author's Bio: 

Sally Moran helps women to increase their fertility and get pregnant more quickly at Getting Pregnant Fast - www.getting-pregnant-fast.com/

To learn more about cervical mucus and the water filter and female lubricant I recommend, please visit - www.getting-pregnant-fast.com/cervical-mucus.html