What is Ovulation?
Ovulation is the phase in a woman’s menstrual cycle when an unfertilized egg is released from the ovary and travels through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus. This is the stage of the menstrual cycle during which pregnancy can occur if the released egg is fertilized by sperm.
When do I ovulate?
Ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovary, usually occurs approximately 14 days prior to the next period. Count the number of days from the first day of your period to the day before your next period to determine the length of your cycle. Then subtract that number by 14 to determine what day after your period you will ovulate. If your average menstrual cycle is 30 days, you will ovulate 16 days after your period starts (30-14=16).
How do I calculate the Length of my Menstrual Cycle?
Make a note of when your next period starts. This is the first day of your cycle. Then, make note of when your period comes again in the following month. This is the beginning of the next cycle. When you count the days in between, this gives you the length of your cycle. You might want to do this for more than one month, as menstrual cycles can vary in length from month to month. This will also help you determine if you have an irregular cycle, in which you may skip periods for a month or more at a time. An irregular cycle will make predicting ovulation more difficult.
Use our Ovulation Calendar
How do I Calculate when Ovulation Starts?
If you have a 30-day cycle, then ovulation will occur approximately on day 16 of your cycle. Ovulation occurs 10-14 days before your next period, so you will get an approximate ovulation date by subtracting 14 from the number of days in your cycle (eg. 30 days minus 14 = 16). This means that ovulation will occur 16 days after your period starts. If you have your period on January 1, ovulation will take place on January 17.
Other ways to calculate ovulation
Basal Body Temperature
Your basal body temperature (BBT) is your lowest temperature in a given 24-hour period, most likely early in the morning when you first wake up. Two or three days after you ovulate, your BBT should rise about 0.4 to 1.0 degrees Fahrenheit due to hormonal changes and stay that high during your period.
Ovulation Kit
An ovulation kit can be easily purchased and used to test your urine for elevated levels of luteinizing hormone just before ovulation. Ovulation kits can accurately predict ovulation 12 to 36 hours ahead of time, and unlike other methods, can predict ovulation during the first month of using them.
Monitoring Cervical Mucus
The consistency and colour of vaginal discharge will change over the course of a month, due to hormonal fluctuations. Examining your cervical mucus can give you some indication of where you are in your cycle. Right before ovulation, your vaginal discharge will become clear and develop the consistency of a raw egg white. The last day you see mucus of this consistency is the day before or day of ovulation when you’re most fertile.
References
- WebMD. Ovulation calender. Accessed 25th October 2018