Are you planning or struggling to get pregnant? If you have a healthy body and still cannot conceive, you’re probably not tracking your ovulation cycle. A survey done on 125 women of ages 18-51 years shows that nearly 68.8% of women never track their menstrual cycle. Nearly 53.6% of women didn’t even know when their next menstruation cycle would begin. Tracking your cycle is the key to getting pregnant and understanding the important facts about ovulation is equally vital to help you get pregnant successfully.
Many women don’t know what exactly ovulation is, and nearly 62.4% of women don’t know how long sperm and egg live in the uterus. Uncooked or misleading information about ovulation can decrease the chances of conception. Therefore, if you’re unsure about ovulation and unable to conceive, don’t panic. In this post, you’ll know about ovulation facts and information that help to plan your pregnancy the right way.
Let’s get started.
Video on Tracking Ovulation
What Are The Signs of Ovulation?
Ovulation signs are very easy to track. The signs and symptoms are very common, and many women ignore them because they don’t know these are the signs of ovulation. When the egg is released from the ovary, the process is known as ovulation. When a woman ovulates, her body shows these signs
1. Fertile Vaginal Mucus Discharge
When your body is about to ovulate, cervical mucus secretion increases near the cervix canal. The secretion achieves a thick raw-egg white texture and has a foul smell. This fertility vaginal secretion helps the sperms to move from the reproductive tract to the fallopian tube. Hence, if you are able to track this cycle, it is the best time to get pregnant.
Besides that, the secretion also makes intercourse enjoyable and easier. If you notice that cervical mucus has a sticky consistency, this may not be a sign of ovulation.
2. Rise in The Basal Body Temperature
Basal body temperature refers to the body temperature during the resting condition. 98.6 degrees F is considered normal body temperature. But when your body is about to ovulate, then the temperature may vary. It may go up and may go down. The temperature fluctuation depends on the activity level you do and your hormonal secretions. But if you notice such fluctuation in the middle of the cycle, this is probably a sign of ovulation.
3. Breast Tenderness
Do you ever notice tenderness in your breast? This may happen due to ovulation and hormonal surge into the body. During ovulation, the body produces certain hormones such as progesterone that cause breast tenderness. If you notice such a thing, it’s a sign of ovulation.
4. Increased Desire For Sex
As per research, the sexual desire in a woman increases when she is about the ovulate. The hormonal changes can affect the mood of the women. Some women get stressed, whereas some feel depressed too. During ovulation, the level of progesterone also rises in the body. This can also cause a rise in temperature and enhance sexual desires. Different women show different changes during ovulation. If they are charting their cycles carefully, they will be able to identify ovulation by monitoring and looking for these changes.
5. Change in Cervical Position
The cervical position also changes during the menstrual cycle. When women reach ovulation, the cervix position slightly moves upward. Moreover, it becomes softer and slightly remains open. But when you are not in the ovulation stage, the cervix remains lower, closed, and harder to touch.
5. Ovulation Pain
Did you ever notice intense pain in the abdominal region in the middle of the cycle? This is also a sign of ovulation. However, some women may not experience muscle cramps. But if you experience intense pain, then this is an indication of ovulation.
When Does Ovulation Happen?
On average, the menstrual cycle is 28 days, and ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle, about 14 days before the beginning of the next menstrual phase. However, the menstrual cycle length may vary from woman to woman. If your cycle is lengthier than 28 days, you should keep a menstrual calendar to track ovulation.
After ovulation, the egg is released from the ovary and moves into the fallopian tube. Here the egg stays for about 12-24 hours. If the egg is not fertilized within 24 hours, the egg will rupture. However, if the egg receives sperm, it will be fertile. So, if you are trying to conceive, then have intercourse before ovulation time.
Understand Your Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle begins with releasing the endometrial wall and blood out of the vagina. The menstrual flow lasts longer for three to five days. Once the bleeding stops, the wall thickens to support the pregnancy. During the middle of the month, on the 14th day, ovulation takes place. The hormonal changes such as LH and FSH hormones prepare the uterus for ovulation and fertilization.
If the egg is fertilized, the hormones remain at their peak to support other pregnancy events. However, if the egg is not fertilized, the wall ruptures and comes out from the cervical canal in the form of bleeding.
How to Track Your Most Fertile Days?
As discussed above, the ovulation cycle is 28 days, and the egg remains for 12—24 hours in the fallopian tube; it is easier to track the fertile days. The most fertile days for the women to get pregnant is three days, including ovulation. If you have intercourse or sex between the 12-15th day of the menstrual cycle, you have a high chance of pregnancy. Charting your menstrual cycle, tracking ovulation symptoms, charting your basal body temperature, and taking the help of an ovulation prediction kit will help you track your most fertile days.
What Factors Affect Fertility?
Certain factors can affect your fertility which are as follows
1. Age
The age of women plays a crucial role in pregnancy. You will be surprised to know that a woman is born with raw eggs, and as she matures, the number of eggs will decrease. The ideal fertility age for women is between 25 to 30 years. As the women start ageing or crossing 30, the pregnancy chances decrease. Not just does the number of eggs decrease, the egg’s quality also decreases. Therefore, if you want to conceive, do ensure to try between the age of 25 to 30.
2. Weight
It’s a fact that overweight women face the issue of irregular periods and their hormones also fluctuate. This means the pregnancy chances will decrease. If you are overweight, then before proceeding with conceiving, do ensure to reduce 5-10% of the weight. This helps to restore menstrual health and improve the chances of pregnancy.
3. Previous Pregnancy
Women who previously got pregnant are likely to have better chances of pregnancy. They do get pregnant faster, no matter whether their previous pregnancy results in the delivery of a baby or not.
4. Sexual Intercourse Frequency
You know that ovulation occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, i.e., on the 14th day. So, if you increase the frequency of intercourse, you get a better chance of getting pregnant. Couples who have at least two to three times sex in a week have better chances of achieving pregnancy goals.
How Long Does it Take to Ovulate After LH Surge?
Ovulation occurs within 28-36 hours after the LH surge. The LH hormone usually attains its peak one or two days before ovulation. The increase in the secretion of the hormone further raises the level of estrogen to progesterone to support fertilization and further the process of pregnancy; if the egg is not fertilized, then hormones are set back to normal.
The next time you’re planning to have a baby and cannot conceive, track your ovulation cycle to know when you have a higher chance of fertilization. However, if you still have trouble conceiving, then visit a Gynecologist to know the exact reason and get the right treatment.
FAQs
1. Can The Ovulation Process be Affected Due to PCOS?
PCOS can affect the process of ovulation, and it may create a hormonal imbalance. If you are suffering from PCOD, do ensure to get the right treatment and proper medication to deal with infertility issues.
2. Why am I Not Conceiving Even After Having a Healthy Menstrual Cycle?
There are so many possibilities of not conceiving. If you have a healthy menstrual cycle, you are probably not tracking your ovulation cycle, or maybe you are not receiving a proper sperm count. You can consult with a doctor to know the exact reason and get the right treatment.
3. Can I Get Pregnant if I Have Intercourse on The 15th Day of Ovulation?
Yes, the highest fertility days in women are between the 12 to 17th days of the menstrual cycle. So, if you have intercourse on the 15th, you still have a chance to get pregnant.
