Understanding ovulation is an important tool when it comes to getting pregnant—whether you’re trying to conceive or trying no on, but not always easy to follow. Different factors come into play when your body is primed and ready to make a baby, and recognizing these signs can give you more control over your fertility. With a solid understanding of fertility, how ovulation works, and what you should look for each cycle, you’ll be in a better position to achieve the desired results.
What is Fertility?
Fertility is the ability of an individual—male or female—to produce offspring. In women, fertility refers to the capacity of the reproductive system to conceive, carry, and deliver a healthy baby; for men, it refers to the ability to produce healthy sperm that can fertilize a woman’s egg to create an embryo. When any of these components are impaired, it can lead to difficulty getting pregnant or infertility.
Fertility can be influenced by a set of factorsincluding age, genetics, lifestyle habits, stress, and underlying medical conditions, such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, endometriosis, or erectile dysfunction. It usually lasts four to six months for young couples to conceive, and it can take up to a year to get pregnant. But if you are 35 or older, it is advised to see a doctor within six months of trying to conceive to rule out any fertility issues.
What is Ovulation?
During the menstrual cycle, an egg is released from one of the ovaries, travels down the fallopian tube, and remains there for up to 24 hours to be fertilized by sperm. This stage is called “ovulation,” and it usually happens about two weeks before the start of menstruation or on the 14th day of a 28-day cycle. However, each person’s cycle length is different, and the time between ovulation and the start of a period can vary. Fortunately, if you’re like many people and don’t have a typical 28-day cycle, there are ways to determine the length of your cycle and when you’re most likely to ovulate (more on that later).
According to Cleveland Clinic, ovulation actually begins in the brain. Different parts of the organ release three different hormones that work together to stimulate the ovaries to produce steroids, trigger ovulation, encourage testosterone production, and support the reproductive process.
How To Know If You Are Fertile
As with ovulation, understanding and tracking your fertile window is paramount for conception. “[A person] is most fertile in the four days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and the day after ovulation,” explains Amy Beckley, PhDowner and CEO of Prov, a line of at-home fertility screening tests. Sperm can live inside the female reproductive tract for up to five days after sex, so any time have sex within your ovulation window, you increase your chances of getting pregnant.
One way to track your ovulation is by keeping a menstrual calendar or using a weather calculator, but you’ll need to gather details (start and end dates, period length, and average number of days in your cycle) to make it effective. Aside from keeping a calendar, there are also ovulation signs that can help you better predict your window.
Cervical mucus
Vaginal secretions change color and consistency throughout the menstrual cycle. Before ovulation, the discharge is thick, white, and dry, but when your ovary releases an egg, “the vaginal discharge is watery or stretchy like egg whites,” says Dr. Beckley. According to Mayo Clinic, you are most fertile when your cervical secretions become abundant, clear, elastic, wet, and slippery. Ovulation most likely occurs during or one day after your last day of this type of discharge, known as your “peak day,” and is the best time to have sex if trying to conceive.
You’ll need to do some bathroom research to check your cervical mucus. Many people notice changes in what they see in their underwear, but if you don’t naturally discharge more, you can use a clean finger or tissue paper to gently wipe your genitals and make observations. Keeping a daily journal of changes in your cervical secretions will help you become familiar with what the different stages look and feel like during your cycle. Monitor color (yellow, white, clear, or cloudy), consistency (thick, sticky, or stretchy), and feel (dry, wet, or slippery) for best results.
Basal body temperature
Your “basal body temperature” refers to your body temperature at rest and rising slightly during ovulation. After ovulation, your body releases the hormone progesterone which signals the brain to raise your body temperature by approx. 0.5 to 1 degree Fahrenheit. This rise in temperature lasts until the start of your period and returns to normal at the end of your cycle. If your basal body temperature remains high, it may mean that you are pregnant.
Like tracking your cervical mucus, paying attention to changes in your basal body temperature can help you identify patterns on your most fertile days and determine your peak day. To use this method, take your temperature using a basal body thermometer at the beginning of each day. A good time to do this is when you first wake up before getting out of bed. A basal body thermometer measures in tenths of a degree and is better at detecting slight fluctuations in heat during ovulation. It’s important to note that temperature change is considered a “lagging indicator,” meaning you’ll need to record your readings for several months to best identify any patterns in your ovulation—slow and steady is the name of the ovulation game. .
Increased libido
Perhaps a less concrete—but no less intriguing—factor in ovulation charting is a spiked sex drive. “When estrogen increases before ovulation, a person’s libido often increases,” says Dr. Beckley. “Studies also show that men find women more attractive before ovulation.” This is certainly beneficial for partners who are interested in making a baby, but if you’re not ready to get pregnant, make sure you have a backup method of birth control ready to use if the mood strikes.
In addition to cervical mucus and increased body temp and libido, some people experience secondary symptoms of ovulatingincluding light spotting, slight cramping or pain in one side of the pelvis, breast tenderness, abdominal bleeding, and increased sense of smell, taste, or vision.
Ovulation tests
Natural methods of charting your ovulation are good to know and use, but they are not the only resource available. Ovulation kits measure the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. This hormone exists in low concentrations throughout your cycle, but a build-up in LH seen in a urine test—also known as an “LH surge”—usually indicates that ovulation is about to occur. inside of 12 to 24 hours.
According to Dr. Beckley, home ovulation tests are “It’s amazing at predicting when you might ovulate and likely be fertile. However, they don’t confirm if you ovulated or if your ovulation is pregnancy-friendly,” she explains, adding, “Therefore, the tests ovulation predictor should be used in conjunction with a PDG test to confirm ovulation and ensure [progesterone] levels are high during the implantation window. Predicting and confirming ovulation is important to give people the best chance of conceiving each cycle.”
Dr. also said Beckley says that for people with irregular periods, it’s best to use ovulation predictor kits that measure LH because these tests help determine when a person is likely to ovulate. She adds that these people should avoid period tracker apps, as they are “not very accurate with irregular cycles.”
Determining When to Try to Conceive
This may seem like a bit of a puzzle, but by paying attention to the cues from Mother Nature and seeking help with ovulation tests, you can find your ovulation window and adjust sexual activity accordingly. (Looks sexy, right?)
“The best time to conceive is one to three days before ovulation. By monitoring estrogen and LH with a similar product Proov is completeyou can identify days one to three better because LH testing alone will usually only identify one of those days,” says Dr. Beckley.
Increasing your sexual activity around and during ovulation is possible increase your chances of getting pregnant because more sperm are introduced into the vaginal canal and possibly fertilize the egg.
Speaking about the sperm, Dr. also said. Beckley says that partners hoping to conceive should approach fertility together. “Male factor infertility accounts for about 40% of infertility, and the female partner should not shoulder all the burden. It requires an egg and a sperm, so I recommend getting the male partner tested as soon as possible.”
Whether you’re trying to conceive or hoping to avoid an unwanted pregnancy, understanding your cycle and how ovulation works is a great way to stay in the driver’s seat when it comes to your fertility. If you need more support, contact your provider to discuss these methods and options to achieve the best results for you and your partner.
