How to Calculate Ovulation Day & How to calculate ovulation day if Periods are Irregular

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Charting your ovulation cycles is actually very easy and can really help you a lot in figuring out when you are most likely to get pregnant. 

Charting and tracking your ovulation cycle is a big part in trying to conceive. If you know when you are ovulating, you can figure out when you are most likely to get pregnant. This is very important, and if you are actively trying to conceive, then by the time you are done you are likely to be an expert at tracking your ovulation cycle. However, if you are just getting started, here is what you need to know.



How long is your cycle?

First of all, you need to start by figuring out how long your average menstrual cycle is. You count day one as the first day of your period and your cycle goes until you start your period again. Keep track of the days, and once you start your period again, the day before that is the last day of your ovulation cycle. Most women have a cycle of between 28 and 30 days. By counting your cycle for several months, you will be able to really start to see a pattern and figure out when you are ovulating each month.

Mark your calendar

Now that you know the length of your cycle, start marking it on the calendar each month. That way you can keep track.

Calculate your ovulation date

Now, starting from the LAST day of your cycle, count backwards 14, 15, 16, 17 days. That day is the day that you are most likely to ovulate. Most women believe that they ovulate 14 days after their period starts, but that is not always true, so it is very important to chart your cycles for a few months so you know exactly when you are ovulating. To get pregnant, you should have sex a couple of days before that day, or right around that day. There are also a few other ways to chart your ovulation cycle.

Your Most Fertile days

Pregnancy is technically only possible during the five days before ovulation through to the day of ovulation. These six days are the ‘fertile window’ in a woman’s cycle, and reflect the lifespan of sperm (5 days) and the lifespan of the ovum (24 hours).
If a woman has sex six or more days before she ovulates, the chance she will get pregnant is virtually zero. If she has sex five days before she ovulates, her probability of pregnancy is about 10%.

Remember the ‘fertile window’ is the six days leading up to and including ovulation.
The three days leading up to and including ovulation are the most fertile. Depending on your cycle length the most fertile days in the cycle varies:
  • If you have 28 days between periods ovulation typically happens on day 14, and the most fertile days are days 12, 13, and 14.
  • If you have longer cycles, say 35 days between periods, ovulation happens on day 21 and the most fertile days are days 19, 20, and 21.
  • If you have shorter cycles, say 21 days between periods, ovulation happens on day 7 and the most fertile days are days 5, 6, and 7.

How to calculate ovulation day if Periods are Irregular

Many mothers-to-be often ask “How can I track ovulation with irregular periods?”.  This question is very common and there are multiple solutions available.

Charting Your Cycle – Even though your cycle is irregular, it is good to track it on a calendar for a few reasons. First, you may notice some clues that give you a pattern. Second, if you experience fertility problems, the data from your tracking efforts is valuable information to share with your gynecologist or fertility specialist.

Cervical Mucus – Your cervical mucus changes when you ovulate. Cervical mucous during the first few days after your menstrual cycle will be dry. Your cervical mucus will begin to increase.  As you approach ovulation, the cervical mucus will be plentiful, slippery, clear, and stretchy.Many women compare the consistency to that of egg whites.

Basal Body Temperatures – Your body temperature fluctuates with the onset of ovulation. If you are tracking your basal body temperature, you will find a spike in temperature as ovulation occurs.  This lets you know that ovulation is occurring.

Feeling Wetter – Not only does cervical fluid become thinner and stretchier as ovulation approaches, it also becomes more abundant. A woman may not be able to tell if her cervical mucus has changed to the right type of mucus, but she should be able to observe how her body feels. When she is fertile she will feel wetter and her vagina will feel more lubricated during sex. This is different from the arousal fluid a woman makes. Around ovulation, she will feel wetter throughout the day and not just during intercourse.



 






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