Many women have difficulties knowing the right day of ovulation, whether due to an irregular cycle or a cycle with some type of issue, such as polycystic ovaries for example, which, in most cases, hinders ovulation due to its hormonal action in the body.
Although the female fertile period is somewhat complex, women who wish to get pregnant must pay attention to the signs their bodies give to take advantage and have intercourse during the time they are ovulating to achieve pregnancy. But how can you detect the female fertile period amidst irregular cycles and, in some cases, absence of mucus?
Irregular Cycles
The truth is that irregular cycles are more difficult to deal with when it comes to getting pregnant. Being aware of your cycle and knowing your body is fundamental for successful attempts to conceive1. Knowing exactly that the female fertile period is marked by hormonal changes, and that these changes can be clearly noticed in some cases, but not so much in others. Part of this process is cervical mucus, which is a strong indication that ovulation is happening at that right time?
We know that the most fertile mucus2 is the most elastic one, which becomes thinner during the ovulation process and the female fertile period. As the days go by, this elastic mucus tends to become thinner, more slippery, and to stretch, so to speak. However, not all women have this mucus! Yes, and then you ask me, even if I don’t have the stretchy mucus as always described, can I ovulate? Yes, you can!
For women who do not have mucus and are trying to get pregnant, the strategy is to use fertility-friendly gel lubricants. Produced with a water base, they have the same appearance as mucus, so they faithfully play the same role, helping sperm reach the egg. Since they are developed to help the survival of the sperm, their acidity is very close to that of vaginal flora, which helps control vaginal pH and prevents infections. The most recommended fertility-friendly lubricant gel in these cases is FamiGel, which is easily found as it is produced in Brazil. You can purchase it here in our online store.
Some women tend to have watery (thin) mucus during the fertile period. The vagina becomes extremely moist but there is no traditional stretchy or egg white-like mucus. These cases are more common than you might think! So, women who tend to feel much more moist during the female fertile period should have intercourse when they feel more moist, right?
Vaginal Changes and Libido
Another aspect that should be taken into consideration when it comes to knowing the day of ovulation is the receptivity of the vagina during the fertile period. It can become more swollen and more sensitive to the touch. Some women experience a considerable increase in libido to facilitate conception (sexual arousal).
It is nature working in favor of pregnancy. We can’t forget about soap-like mucus, which many women have but don’t know is fertile mucus. Mucus with a soapy appearance, like a goo similar to vaginal lubrication for intercourse, but in greater quantity than usual, right. If you see this mucus, then go ahead and have sex, because the chance of ovulation is very high.
IMPORTANT: To help women trying to conceive who cannot identify their fertile period, there are fertile calculators, ovulation tests, and basal thermometers, which become true allies for those trying to conceive.
How to Calculate the Fertile Day in Irregular Cycles
This is where many women with irregular cycles get confused and make it even harder to figure out the ovulation day. Normally, ovulation occurs 14 days before the next menstruation. In regular cycles, it is easy to identify the fertile period even if the woman does not have fertile mucus. However, the most fertile day may not be on day 14 of the cycle, but 2 or 3 days before or after.
But what about irregular cycles? That is where some tricks to catch the fertile period appear and can be very useful. Learning how to calculate the fertile period is a big advantage, or maybe making a calendar to get pregnant, tracking the signs of ovulation!
Ok, let’s imagine that in irregular cycles there is an average number of days. Even if it is long, there are women who have cycles up to 80 days! Yes, women with hormonal imbalance tend to have long cycles. Not to mention women with polycystic ovaries, who take longer to ovulate and get pregnant.
After confirming that hormone levels are okay through blood tests and ultrasound to check the ovaries and uterus, you can take an average between the longest and shortest menstrual cycle you have had and start doing ovulation tests on the day that theoretically would be the start of your fertile period. The menstrual cycle is the interval between one menstruation and another, and theoretically, in the middle of it or 14 days before the next period is the start of the female fertile period. If you had a cycle longer than 40 days and then a shorter cycle of 20 days, you should consider these two numbers to find the average fertile period. But today we know that not all bodies are the same, and all this is just theory. Today, we know that the fertile period can happen at any time of the cycle and that the fertile period on the 14th day of the cycle has become a myth compared to the reality of women’s bodies. You can buy your ovulation test here in our online store.
Understand the Menstrual Cycle
To make things a bit simpler, understand:
40-day cycle = 40 days of the cycle – 14 days before the next period = 26th day of cycle (theoretically the probable ovulation day) 20-day cycle = 20 days of the cycle – 14 days before the next period = 6th day of cycle (theoretically the probable ovulation day)
So, we conclude that you should theoretically have intercourse between the 6th day of the cycle and the 26th day of the cycle to cover a possible ovulation. If you have a cycle averaging 32 days, your most fertile day would be the 18th day of the cycle, right? But we should also remember that the female fertile period lasts for 7 days, with 3 days before and 3 days after the most fertile day. If you have sex 2 days before your most fertile day, you still have a chance of getting pregnant! Theoretically, if the uterine environment is conducive, sperm can survive up to 72 hours in the uterus. The ideal is to get help to find the most fertile day, for example with ovulation tests; they will show exactly when the woman is fertile, regardless of her cycle length.
So, we can conclude that: a woman who does not have visible mucus, or the most elastic mucus, can indeed ovulate. Just make sure everything is okay with your hormones. Now, if you are irregular and also cannot identify fertile mucus, doing this calculation can make things much simpler and help you have sex on the right days. Remember that there are great techniques such as the ovulation test, which is also a great ally for those who want to get pregnant even with a messed up fertile period.
Remember, the female fertile period takes about 7 days but can last up to 10 days, depending on the body and the amount of estrogen, FSH, and LH circulating in the woman’s body.
Grab your calculator and let’s get to it! Let’s go, and practice a lot!
Readers’ Questions:
How to stimulate ovulation?
There are some medications used to stimulate ovulation, but they should only be used under medical prescription and supervision. A natural method to stimulate ovulation is yam, which can be consumed as food, in capsules, as an elixir, or even as tea.
How to do an ovulation test?
For women who have trouble confirming ovulation, there are now ovulation tests available. There are a few test models: one can be done just like a pregnancy test using urine, and another by collecting saliva. Just follow the instructions for each test and read the result instantly; they are easy, practical, and reliable.
How does the Billings ovulation method work?
The Billings ovulation method3 can be used both by women trying to conceive and to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. It consists of observing the cervical mucus, and each of its changes indicates hormonal changes in the female body, such as an approaching period or the fertile period. By recording mucus observations, it is possible to see the daily differences and thus determine the exact period.
How to differentiate ovulation discharge?
Although quite similar, discharge has different signs from ovulation, such as itching, smell, and even local burning, which are different from ovulation.
See also: Late Ovulation – Why and How It Happens or use the Fertile Period Calculator
