Identify When You Are Most Fertile
Women who know when they ovulate and when they are most fertile have a higher chance of getting pregnant during that cycle. Most other sites incorrectly calculate your fertile days and ovulation. babyMed has the most accurate ovulation calculator to determine your fertile window. It can also be used for early pregnancy detection.
When To See A Doctor
Females who track their fertile window with the aim of getting pregnant should see their doctor for preconception planning.
As well as identifying barriers to conceiving, a doctor can advise on the use of folic acid or prenatal supplements to encourage a safe pregnancy.
Most couples who have frequent sex without contraception will conceive within 12 months.
Women under 35 years of age should see their doctor if they do not conceive after a year of trying. Those over 35 years of age should seek medical advice after 6 months of trying to conceive.
Anyone who has irregular cycles or does not appear to ovulate should also speak with their doctor. There may be an underlying medical cause that is preventing ovulation and conception.
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about when pregnancy can occur.
Using Ovulation Test Kits
Ovulation predictor kits are available from chemists and are quite easy to use. They work by detecting a hormone in your wee that increases when ovulation is about to take place. The simplest urine kits test for luteinising hormone , which surges 24 to 36 hours before ovulation. This will help to identify the best 2 days for conception, although you can be fertile for a day or so before and after this time.
It is best to become familiar with your usual menstrual cycle to help figure out when you should start testing. If you have an irregular cycle, then an ovulation predictor kit can help you identify the time of ovulation, but you will probably end up using a lot more of the test strips. There is also no evidence that using an ovulation predictor kit will improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally.
Read more about apps, tools and kits for predicting ovulation.
Also Check: What Happens In The Early Stages Of Pregnancy
How Your Fertile Days Are Calculated
The Ovulation & Fertility Calculator estimates when you’ll ovulate by counting back 14 days from the day you expect your next period.
Your fertile window includes the day you ovulate and the five days before, but keep in mind that you’re much more likely to get pregnant during the last three days of this time frame.
See other ways to pinpoint your fertile days and increase your chances of becoming pregnant. Find out how to use an ovulation predictor kit, chart your basal body temperature, and pay attention to changes in cervical mucus.
How Do I Know Im Ovulating
Pinpointing ovulation can be tricky. There are several methods people use to track their menstrual cycle and estimate when ovulation occurs. Since each method has its drawbacks, its always best to use more than one for the most accurate answer.
Menstrual cycle
Ovulation happens at around the midpoint of your cycle if you have a 28-day cycle . However, a normal cycle is anything between 21 and 35 days, so this means ovulation is unique to your menstrual cycle. Keep track of your cycle on paper or on an app on your phone for several months. Take note of any unusual symptoms. Most people ovulate 14 days before their period begins, regardless of cycle length.
Calendar method
People using the calendar method to predict ovulation, analyze six months of menstrual cycles to determine when theyre fertile. To calculate when you may be ovulating, you find your shortest cycle and your longest cycle in a six month period. You subtract 18 days from your shortest cycle and 11 days from your longest cycle. These two numbers give you the days in your cycle youre most fertile. For example, if your cycle lengths are 31 and 18, your fertile time is day 10 to 20 of your cycle.
Cervical mucus
Basal body temperature
Ovulation kits
Ovulation kits work similarly to at-home pregnancy tests because you pee on an indicator strip in the comfort of your own home. They work by detecting LH in your pee. LH is the hormone that surges before ovulation. A positive result means youre about to ovulate .
Don’t Miss: How Far Into Pregnancy Can You Take Abortion Pill
How Does The Menstrual Cycle Work
- Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and continues up to the first day of your next period.
- This is 28 days on average, but its normal to have a cycle that lasts between 21 and 40 days.
- At the same time, eggs begin to mature in the ovary.
- The lining of the womb thickens ready for fertilisation.
- During ovulation, your cervical mucus becomes thinner and clearer to help the sperm reach the released egg.
- About 12 to 16 days before the start of your next period, an egg is released from your ovaries .
- If sperm is present during ovulation, or some time during the next 24 hours, the egg may be fertilised.
- If the egg has not been fertilised, the egg is re-absorbed by the body, the hormone levels drop, and the womb lining is shed. This is the beginning of your next period.
Read more about how pregnancy works.
Calculating Your Monthly Fertility Window
Your fertility window is the time during your menstrual cycle when youre most likely to get pregnant. For most people, its the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation and the day after ovulation. Calculating your monthly fertility window can help you target the optimal time to have sex if youre trying to conceive. However, natural family planning is a less reliable form of contraception and does not protect against sexually transmitted infections.
Don’t Miss: What Are You Not Supposed To Eat When Pregnant
How Long Does Your Fertile Window Last
Strictly speaking, conception only occurs within 24 hours of ovulation. However, its possible for your body to release eggs from both ovaries in a single cycle, as much as 24 hours apart. Therefore, your ovulation window can last up to 72 hours.
Keep in mind that your fertile window is much longer. It begins four or five days before ovulation. However, because ovulation can shift, its important to remember that youre potentially fertile on any day that you observe cervical fluid, or a clear to whitish discharge. Sometimes its sticky or lotiony. If youre about to begin ovulating, its wet and slippery like egg whites. Sperm have the highest chances for survival in wet, slippery cervical fluid.
How To Track Ovulation When Trying To Conceive
Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. She is a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has been writing about womens health since 2001. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles.
When you are trying to conceive, it helps to know how to track ovulation. Monitoring when you ovulate lets you make sure that you’re targeting the most fertile window in your cycle. .
Ovulation tracking is a method of natural family planning or a fertility awareness method. There are several ways you can do it, including the calendar method, tracking cervical mucus, and using an ovulation predictor kit. If you know when you ovulate, it’s ideal to have sex during the five days before through the day after your expected ovulation. Experts usually recommend couples have sex every day or every other day during this most fertile time.
It’s also key to be aware of other symptoms of ovulation, which can include breast tenderness, bloating, and light spotting and cramping. Whether you are just starting to attempt to conceive, you have been trying for a while without success, or you have recently suffered a miscarriage, you may turn to tracking ovulation to help improve your odds of conception. Learn more about how to track ovulation.
Also Check: How Quickly Do You Experience Pregnancy Symptoms
Can I Get Pregnant If I Am Having Sex After Ovulation
Having intercourse the day after established ovulation is unlikely to improve your chances of getting pregnant. The egg lives only for 12-24 hours and sperm must be around when ovulation happens to improve fertilization and pregnancy. Increasing amounts of estrogen in the cervical mucus and reproductive tract of a woman approaching ovulation generally allows the sperm to live for up to 6 days.
How Soon Can I Take A Pregnancy Test
A missed menstruation cycle is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. Thats why we usually recommend waiting until youve missed your period before taking a pregnancy test. If you cant wait that long and you know the day of your last period we can calculate possible conception and your pregnancy due date.
You May Like: How Long After Being Pregnant Can You Get An Abortion
Signs Of Ovulation: What Is It And How Do I Know When Im Ovulating
Pay attention to the physical signs of ovulation, Ovulation symptoms arent difficult to notice. Once you know what to look for, youll be surprised how easy it can be. Just about every person trying to get pregnant wants to know when its ovulation day. Ovulation is when an egg is released from the ovary. When the egg is ovulated, you want sperm waiting in the fallopian tubes available to fertilize that egg.
In other words, ideally, sexual intercourse should occur before the moment of ovulation in order to increase your odds of conception. You are most fertile in the days leading up to ovulation. If you can have sex during that time your chances of getting pregnant that cycle will go up considerably.
- Rise in basal body temperature, typically 1/2 to 1 degree, measured by a thermometer.
- Higher levels of luteinizing hormone , measured on a home ovulation kit.
- Cervical mucus, or vaginal discharge, may appear clearer, thinner, and stretchy, like raw egg whites.
- You can notice by buying in advance, home ovulation predictor kits, which are relatively accurate, though somewhat pricey.
- Breast tenderness.
How Else Can I Prepare For Pregnancy
In addition to tracking your ovulation to determine your fertile window, its important to schedule preconception counseling with your doctor. There are a variety of screenings and lifestyle modifications that can help increase your chances of a successful planned pregnancy.
If youre under 35 and have been trying to conceive for more than a year, or if youre over 35 and have been trying for six months, it may be time to talk to your doctor about why you cant get pregnant.
Don’t Miss: Can You Get Pregnant 6 Days After Your Period
Understanding Your Ovulation Calculator Results
There are many ovulation calculators available today that estimate when your fertile days will occur. These calculators are a form of calendar method and work on average data without reading anything about your personal hormone levels. However, none of us are average:1. Cycle lengths vary from woman to woman and cycle to cycle – in fact nearly 50% of menstrual cycles vary by 7 or more days2. The timing of ovulation can vary by a few days, even in regular cycles.
Should we have intercourse every day I am fertile?
Professor William Ledger
What To Expect At Your Appointment
During your first visit with a fertility specialist, your doctor will ask a lot of questions about your history, to try to understand factors that may be making it harder to become pregnant. They may order some blood tests to try to understand any irregularities that might be keeping you from getting pregnant, and to make sure you are in the best possible health to become pregnant. Theyll also order a on your partner though this wont be performed on the day of your initial appointment. Depending on your medical history, you might also plan an ultrasound and additional imaging to further explore. If you arent ovulating, your doctor may prescribe medications, including ones that can help induce ovulation. The best choice is very personal and your doctor will help you understand all of your options.
Wherever you are on your fertility journey, remember that approximately 85% of healthy women will get pregnant within a year of trying. For those who struggle to conceive, you can increase your chances by mixing love with science and seeing a doctor who specializes in fertility.
We want our patients to feel as comfortable as possible during this emotional and sometimes stressful time. Our team is committed to providing the most caring, compassionate, and leading-edge fertility care available.
Also Check: When To Call Doctor When First Pregnant
You May Like: Can You Bleed And Be Pregnant
How Do Ovulation And Pregnancy Work
Ovulation is the process of an egg developing within the ovaries and the ovaries releasing the egg each month. It usually happens 1016 days before the start of the next period, though menstrual cycles can vary in length.
For conception to occur, a sperm must fertilize the egg. Once the ovaries release the egg, it passes into the fallopian tube. If sex has occurred, the egg will meet the sperm.
The likelihood of becoming pregnant increases if sperm are already in the fallopian tube when ovulation occurs. For this reason, people are most likely to become pregnant in the days leading up to ovulation.
Once fertilized, the egg travels farther down the fallopian tube to the uterus, where it implants in the uterine lining and develops into an embryo.
If a sperm does not fertilize the egg, however, the uterine lining breaks down and leaves the body during menstruation.
What Is Ovulation And How Do I Know When Im Ovulating
Ovulation refers to the release of an egg during menstruation. Part of the ovary called the ovarian follicle discharges an egg. The egg is also known as an ovum, oocyte, or female gamete. It is only released on reaching maturity. After release, the egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it may be met by a sperm and become fertilized. Ovulation and hormonal release during the menstrual cycle are controlled by a part of the brain.
Phases of Ovulation:
The ovulation process is defined by a period of elevated hormones during the menstrual cycle. It can be divided into 3 phases:
The lining of the uterus also begins to break down and prepares to exit the body during menstruation, or menses.
Recommended Reading: Is It Normal To Have Abdominal Pain In Early Pregnancy
What Are Ovulation Symptoms
Here are the signs you may have when your body releases an egg:
- Your basal or resting temperature falls slightly, then rises again. You can use a special thermometer to check your temperature every morning before you get out of bed. Youâre most fertile 2 or 3 days before your temperature rises.
- Your cervical mucus becomes clearer and thinner with a slippery consistency, like egg whites.
You may also notice:
But these symptoms donât always mean youâre ovulating.
How Is My Due Date Calculated
There are several ways your due date is determined. If you happen to know the day you conceived, you can count 38 weeks from that day to find your due date.
But very few expectant moms know exactly when they conceived. Even if you only had sex once during your fertile period, you wouldn’t conceive on that day unless you happen to be ovulating. Sperm can live for up to five days inside your fallopian tubes. So, it could be up to five days after you have sex that you release an egg and it gets fertilized by a waiting sperm. That’s the day you conceive.
So, without knowing the day of conception, how does anyone determine a due date?
You May Like: Can You Bleed During Pregnancy
What Does Ovulation Mean
Ovulation is a part of your monthly cycle. Your ovulation occurs during each menstrual cycle, this is once a month. During ovulation the mature follicle bursts, this releases the egg and makes its way to the fallopian tube. The egg can be fertilized up to 24 hours after ovulation. Is the egg not fertilized? Then it will dissolve and your period will slowly begin.
How We Calculate Your Fertile Window
This ovulation calendar estimates when you will ovulate based on the date of your last menstrual cycle and the average number of days between your periods. First, we count back 14 days from the start date of your next expected period to calculate the date you’re most likely to ovulate. Then, we calculate your fertile window, which can extend a few days before ovulation and possibly up to one day after. Just note that this is not an exact science menstrual cycles can vary from woman to woman and month to month . And, if you have irregular periods, that might make it tougher to pinpoint your fertile window.
Don’t Miss: How Much Is Insurance For Pregnancy
Tips For Getting Pregnant
- Find out when you’ll ovulate using our calculator or an ovulation predictor kit, or by tracking your symptoms.
- Have sex every other day around the time of ovulation.
- Start taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid at least one month before you start trying .
- See your healthcare provider and make sure they’re managing any pre-existing health conditions you may have. Staying up-to-date with vaccinations and regular check-ups and testing can lower the risk of complications during pregnancy.
- Take good care of yourself. You’ll want to kick unhealthy habits like smoking and start incorporating regular exercise into your routine if you aren’t exercising already. Eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet can help, too.
BabyCenter’s editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you’re seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.
ACOG. 2019. Fertility awareness-based methods of family planning. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Fertility-Awareness-Based-Methods-of-Family-Planning
