For some women, knowing exactly when ovulation occurs can be quite a challenging task. Not everyone is lucky enough to have such a regulated period with a set time and date for menstruation, to ovulate, and to stop menstruating. In some cycles, figuring out when ovulation happens can become a real case for fertility detective specialists, right?
So, how do you catch the ovulation day, exactly that day when you are fertile, without losing sleep worrying if you’re having intercourse on the right days? Theoretically, ovulation happens on average 14 to 16 days before the next period1 according to medical estimates. However, there are ways to know when ovulation happens or will happen—just follow some very simple steps.
Step 1: Get to Know Your Body Better
To detect ovulation day, a woman who wants to get pregnant should know her body well. The cycle can be a good indicator if ovulation is about to happen or not. Women with regular cycles might even know the exact hour to ovulate! Now, women who have a more irregular cycle (like a roller coaster) may take much more time to learn to know their bodies and recognize when they are about to ovulate.
A simple method to use to recognize ovulation is the Billings method which consists of observing the cervical mucus to identify what stage of the cycle the woman is in2. Usually, when a woman is about to ovulate, she starts to secrete a mucus different from the rest of the cycle’s mucus, which may be whitish, very similar to moisturizing cream.
Characteristics of Fertile Mucus
Fertile mucus can be:
- Egg white-like elastic (similar to raw egg white)
- Soapy elastic (foamy and very slippery)
- Watery (the woman only notices significant wetness)
The most fertile day for women who can see “egg” mucus is when the thinnest mucus appears. The mucus becomes elastic enough to be stretched between two fingers without breaking, unlike the earlier version of the egg white mucus. The previous mucus type is also a mucus indicating fertility, but it’s not the best for intercourse—the thinnest mucus is excellent!
Women who only experience some dampness in the vaginal region can still ovulate; they just don’t produce this elastic mucus. One theory is that estrogen is lower, resulting in less visible mucus production, but these women are still fertile. Once the mucus turns into a more opaque and white, like moisturizing cream, it’s a sign that ovulation has already occurred.
Step 2: Use Methods To Track When Ovulation Occurs
Two easy systems can be very helpful for those who want to get pregnant. Ovulation tracking can be done at home and is quite simple. Basal temperature measurements, if done with discipline, are a strong ally to help you know when ovulation occurs. Normally, temperature tells us the days when estrogen is highest, and then the inverse peak on the chart—meaning the dip—shows the exact day to have intercourse, to try for pregnancy.
This method also helps determine the length of your luteal phase (post-ovulation). Knowing how long after ovulation you menstruate can also reveal your most fertile day. For example: Women whose cycles have a 14-day luteal phase would theoretically ovulate 13 days before the next period. Women with a 16-day luteal phase might ovulate 14 days before the next period. Still, the fertile days can be quite flexible depending on your body, so the best recommendation is to use more than one ovulation tracker so you don’t risk missing your most fertile day. Women with long and irregular cycles benefit from using both the Billings method and ovulation tests. Used together, they will precisely indicate the most fertile day.
Ovulation Tests
Ovulation tests are also a great way to discover when ovulation happens in your cycle3. Before starting the tests, you should study your cycle to estimate the average number of days your follicular phase takes to reach the fertile window. Ideally, you should start taking ovulation tests as soon as your cervical mucus changes or when the basal temperature starts to drop. For regular cycles, starting the tests is less complicated—just begin two days before the fertile window to monitor the progression of the test line. Keep in mind that ovulation is relative and can happen on any day of the fertile window—sometimes at the end, other times at the start—so it’s essential to pay attention!
When the test is positive—when the result line is as strong or stronger than the control line—it’s time to try! Ovulation usually happens 12 to 48 hours after a positive ovulation test: 12 hours for lines stronger than the control, and 24 hours for lines of similar color intensity. Finding a good ovulation test just takes a quick search online—buying ovulation tests at great prices is now easier than ever. Determining when you will ovulate depends on these individual factors and each woman’s unique cycle, but it’s similar for everyone. The real key is to know your body to identify the right time to ovulate—and then try a lot!
Readers’ Questions:
I had intercourse and then menstruated, can I get pregnant?
Since the sexual intercourse happened close to the period, the fertile window was already over, so the chances are almost zero, but it can happen. For women with irregular cycles, the risk is higher.
I had intercourse during my fertile window, could I be pregnant?
Yes, if you had sex during the fertile period and aren’t using any contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy, you are at risk of becoming pregnant.
Can I get pregnant outside the fertile window?
The chances of getting pregnant outside the fertile window are very small, but not zero. There are many cases of irregular cycles, late ovulations, or even miscalculating the fertile period, so pregnancies can happen this way, too.
Why does late ovulation happen?
Due to some hormonal imbalance, whether natural or caused by medication use, the cycle may become irregular and ovulation might occur at a different time than expected.
Why do I feel pain during ovulation?
Pain doesn’t necessarily happen during ovulation, but you may feel mild discomfort on the lower, lateral abdominal region (about four fingers below the navel). This discomfort arises as the eggs are being released and ovarian stimulation peaks.
How can I increase ovulation?
There are proper medications to increase ovulation, but they should only be taken under prescription and medical supervision. Naturally, yam is used as a natural ovulation stimulant and can be consumed in several forms: as tea or in the diet.
See also: Female Fertile Period – How to Calculate the Right Ovulation Day
