Ovulation occurs in the phase of the menstrual cycle in which a mature egg is released from the ovaries and collected by the fallopian tubes, and can potentially be fertilized if a sperm comes into contact with it. Since pregnancy can only occur during ovulation, many women find it important to calculate when it occurs if they are planning to have a baby. This is not a recommended method of replacing contraceptives, as the prediction is rather uncertain and furthermore sperm can survive up to seven days in the female reproductive tract. For more reliable results, calculate the time of ovulation using multiple methods, and keep track of the results for many months.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Using a Calendar
Step 1. Keep track of your menstrual cycle, as well as using other methods
This is not the most accurate method, but it is a simple and useful thing to do while writing down other data. Purchase or set up a calendar to keep track of your monthly menstrual cycles. Circle the first day of your period, which is when your period begins. Keep an eye on your cycle length, which averages 28 days.
- It marks how many days the entire cycle lasts, including the first day. The last day of each cycle is the day before the next menstruation.
- Keep a record of your cycles like this for at least 8-12 months. The more monitoring cycles, the more accurate this method will be.
Step 2. Make a graph of the length of the cycles
When you have accounted for at least eight cycles, you can plot the data in a graph. Write down the day of the month your period begins in one column and the number of days in your period in a second column.
Alternatively, you can use an online ovulation calculator. Just a simple search on the internet and you will find several. Make sure you include all the information described below in the calculation, otherwise the forecast will be less accurate
Step 3. Use the graph to calculate the fertile period in the current month
It is difficult to predict the exact day you will ovulate with just the use of a calendar. However, it is a useful tool for determining the span of days in which you will be fertile, which can be more or less long from woman to woman, as will be explained later.
- Determines the first fertile day in the current cycle, identifying the shortest cycle had in the analyzed period and reported in the graph. Subtract 18 from the total number of days in that cycle to find the first fertile day, which is the first day you could get pregnant. For example, if the shortest cycle lasted 26 days, the first fertile day would be the eighth of each cycle (26 - 18 = 8), counting when you start menstruation as the first day.
- Calculate the last fertile day in the current cycle, identifying the longest cycle in the analyzed period and shown in the graph. Subtract 11 days from the total number of days to find out when you last will be fertile in that month. For example, if the longest cycle lasted 31 days, the last potentially fertile day in each cycle would be the twentieth of the cycle (31 - 11 = 20).
- Keep in mind that the more regular your cycle length, the more effective this method is.
Method 2 of 5: Analyze the Cervical Mucus
Step 1. Understand the role of cervical mucus
It is a protective substance present on the cervix that changes at different times of the month. The body produces more mucus during ovulation to facilitate fertilization of the egg. When you get to know the mechanism in your body well, you can take it into account to calculate the day of ovulation.
Step 2. Track changes in your mucus
To learn how to control it, you can read this article. Monitor it every day, once your period is over, and watch for changes throughout the month. Write down the changes on a calendar.
- Record the days you have your period, the days you have no mucus at all, and the days when the mucus is sticky, slimy, and particularly wet.
- Take note of changes in color and smell, as well as in texture. Pay attention to whether it looks cloudy or light.
- Write everything down as thoroughly and accurately as possible, especially in the first few months, when you are still familiar with this method.
- If you are breastfeeding, have infections, are taking certain medications, or have other circumstances, know that all of these can affect cervical mucus, so it's important to keep these factors in mind as well.
Step 3. Interpret the changes and trends of your mucus to calculate the day of ovulation
This is usually when the mucus appears wetter and slimmer. In the days following this peak, especially when the cervix is still dry, fertility is at its lowest stage.
Method 3 of 5: Monitor Basal Temperature
Step 1. Purchase a basal temperature thermometer
The time just before ovulation is the most fertile for a woman. Body temperature rises slightly immediately after ovulation and remains so for the rest of the cycle, until the next menstruation. Therefore, know that the maximum fertility peak occurs during the days just prior to the increase in basal temperature. Given that the temperature increase is almost imperceptible from day to day, a normal thermometer does not provide accurate results. Thermometers for measuring basal temperature are digital, therefore more accurate, and you can easily find them in pharmacies.
For more accurate results, the best places to take the temperature are the vagina or rectum, but there are also some models designed for reading in the mouth. The important thing is that you always keep the same detection area throughout the period, always trying to measure the temperature at the same depth and angle each time
Step 2. Measure your temperature every day
It is important to always detect it at the same time, as it changes during the different phases of the day. The ideal would be to measure it first thing in the morning, after at least five hours of sleep and before getting out of bed. Write down the value with a sensitivity of 1/10 of degree. Place a dot or other symbol on the graph to mark the days when there may be other factors affecting the reading, such as illness, restless sleep, or taking fever-lowering medications, such as aspirin, tachipirin, and ibuprofen.
A woman's average body temperature is around 35.6-36.7ºC before ovulation and 36.1-37.2ºC after ovulation. If you see results well outside this range, check the thermometer instructions to make sure you are using it correctly
Step 3. Write down the temperature
Record the daily result on a temperature chart that allows you to create a graph and thus monitor changes over time. You can consult this link for an example of a chart to monitor basal temperature.
Step 4. Learn to read your temperature trend
By keeping your basal temperature checked regularly, you will notice the day it rises as the months go by. Most likely, by then ovulation will have already occurred, and so you will know that the most fertile time will be just before. Once you have enough data, you can figure out which days of your cycle you are most likely to ovulate.
Method 4 of 5: Taking the Ovulation Test
Step 1. Buy an ovulation test
You can find it in pharmacies and parapharmacies; it is a kit capable of identifying the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) present in the urine, which is greater one or two days before ovulation. It is a digital device, much like a pregnancy test, and is used by holding it under the flow of pee.
There is another type of kit on the market that allows you to observe a dried saliva sample under a microscope to look for an image similar to a "fern" which often indicates an increase in estrogen levels in the first days before ovulation. This is a less reliable test than that of the LH, especially if you cannot see well and are unable to distinguish the pattern on the slide
Step 2. Moderate your water intake in the hours leading up to the test
A very concentrated or very diluted urine can alter the results. To get accurate answers, avoid caffeine or alcohol on the day of the test, make sure you don't get dehydrated, but don't drink excessively and wait until your bladder is full.
Step 3. Interpret the test results
Urinate on the stick and wait for a new line to form on the window. You will already find a black line that will serve as a control comparison; if the one you are forming is very similar to this, then there is a high chance that you are ovulating. An inconspicuous line is not a reliable indicator.
- Ovulation tests are able to provide accurate data on the level of LH present in the urine, but the surge of this hormone lasts only 24-48 hours, so you have little time to identify it. It is always better to use several methods at the same time to predict the days of ovulation.
- Some tests work slightly differently, so always refer to the instructions on the package. For some models you have to urinate into a container and then dip the stick, or the smile symbol may appear instead of a line to indicate fertility.
Step 4. Repeat the test if necessary
Do it every day during the period when you are most likely to ovulate (you can find it by following the directions in the calendar method). If you have not kept track of your previous ovulations and you can afford the purchase of multiple kits, run the test twice a day.
Method 5 of 5: Detecting Infertility
Step 1. Check for the absence of the expected changes
Thanks to the basal temperature, the ovulation test or the cervical mucus method, you may find that it does not have the changes associated with fertility, ovulation and the normal menstrual cycle. Just one such episode does not necessarily mean that you are not fertile; for example, you may have lost the LH surge that occurred between one detection and another. However, if you notice these irregularities for multiple cycles or your "fertile window" is very small, then it is worth following the steps below.
Step 2. See a doctor
Make an appointment with your gynecologist or an endocrinologist who specializes in human reproduction to undergo tests that are more accurate and precise than those you can do at home. These will include a blood test to measure the level of progesterone and other hormones, or tests to check thyroid function and prolactin levels if your doctor believes these may be your problem. An ultrasound scan will analyze any structural abnormalities of the reproductive tract that could interfere with ovulation.
Step 3. Ask your sexual partner for tests
Men can also get tests for infertility. First, the sperm life cycle is monitored, and an ultrasound can be continued to highlight any problems in the reproductive tract.
Step 4. Request treatment
If the gynecologist suspects that you are not fertile due to anovulation (lack of ovulation), he may recommend a series of medications, based on your general health conditions. Do not assume that your conception difficulties are caused by the absence of ovulation until you are faced with an official diagnosis, since the etiology is varied. The doctor will also evaluate the possible presence of obstructions in the fallopian tubes, problems with your partner's sperm, difficulty of the egg to implant, uterine abnormalities and decrease in the quality of the egg due to age.
Advice
- The longer you monitor the cycle, the more accurate the information you can get. If you are over 35 or have a very short fertile period for other causes, you should consult a doctor while practicing these methods.
- If you have been tracking your ovulations but your attempts at conception have not been successful for six months or more, then contact your gynecologist or an endocrinologist who specializes in human reproduction for more accurate investigations and assessments. This is especially important if you are over the age of 35. You may have fertility problems related to your partner's sperm or structural abnormalities such as blocked tubes.
- You can make a rough estimate of the ovulation period by counting the days since the end of your period backwards, but you will get a figure that is susceptible to a three-day error.
Warnings
- Ovulation control is not a reliable contraceptive technique. It is not possible to accurately predict the day of ovulation, and sperm can survive for up to seven days in a woman's body after sexual intercourse.
- Monitoring ovulation does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases.
