Are you still fertile after ovulation

Ovulation signs | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

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If you are trying to become pregnant, your chances will be improved if you have sex at a particular time of your cycle. Knowing when you ovulate – when an egg is released from your ovaries – is the key to knowing when that right time is.

When you are most fertile

The 5 days before ovulation, together with the day you ovulate, are the days when you are most likely to conceive. Sperm can live up to 5 days inside your body, so if you have sex up to 5 days before your egg is released, you can get pregnant. After ovulation, though, your egg can only live for 12 to 24 hours. After this time is up, your time for getting pregnant has gone for now till the following month.

Your chances of getting pregnant are at their highest in the 3 days leading up to and including ovulation.

Predicting ovulation

Ovulation usually happens about halfway through your menstrual cycle, about 14 days before the first day of your next period, but the exact time can vary. Although signs that you are about to ovulate can be subtle, there are some things you can pay attention to and track over time to help you predict your fertile window.

Changes in mucus

Noticing how your vaginal secretions change during your menstrual cycle is the basis of the Billings ovulation method. Around the time of ovulation, you may notice your secretion is clear, stretchy and slippery — similar to egg whites. After ovulation, when the chances of becoming pregnant drop, the secretion tends to become cloudy and thick, or disappear entirely.

Changes in body temperature

When you’ve just ovulated, your body temperature may increase very slightly, by about half a degree Celsius. If you’re using temperature as a means of keeping track of when you are most fertile, you need to use a special thermometer to take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed. If you record the readings every day using a graph or a spreadsheet, it’s possible to learn your pattern over time. The time when you are most fertile is 2 to 3 days before the rise in temperature.

Other signs

There may be other signs that you are near the time of ovulation, such as mild abdominal cramps, breast tenderness or increased sex drive. However, using these signs to predict when you’re fertile is not the most reliable method.

Using ovulation calculators and kits

Ovulation calendars and kits can also help you predict ovulation.

Ovulation calendars are available on websites such as www.yourfertility.org.au, and use the date of your last period and the length of your cycle to predict when you are likely to be most fertile.

Home ovulation predictor kits are available from pharmacies. You use the kit a few days before your predicted ovulation day, to test for a rise in the level of a hormone called luteinising hormone (LH) in your urine. A positive result indicates you will ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours.

A blood test, which your doctor can order, can also detect ovulation by measuring levels of the hormone progesterone.

If you are trying to get pregnant, there are also a number of other things you should consider, such as taking folate, maintaining a healthy diet and making sure your vaccinations are up to date.

For more information and support, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436.

Sources:

Billings Life (Key to fertility control – the mucus), Your Fertility (Your Fertility right time for sex), Your Fertility (Understanding ovulation and the fertile window), Women and Children's Health Network (Getting pregnant), Family Planning NSW (Maximising natural fertility)

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Last reviewed: July 2020

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How many days after ovulation can you get pregnant?

It is possible to become pregnant after ovulation. When a person has sex within 12–24 hours after the release of a mature egg, there is a high chance of conceiving.

Ovulation occurs when one of the ovaries releases a mature egg. This is the time when the body is ready to receive sperm for fertilization.

If fertilization does not occur, the egg disintegrates into the uterine lining. The body will then shed the remains during a person’s monthly period.

Ovulation lasts anywhere from 12–24 hours. After the ovary releases an egg, it survives for about 24 hours before it dies, unless a sperm fertilizes it.

If a person has sex days before or during the ovulation period, there is a high chance of conceiving. This is because sperm can survive up to 5 days in the cervix. Therefore, it is important to understand the fertile window.

The fertile window is the period of time during which it is possible to become pregnant from sex. This is the day of ovulation plus the amount of time that sperm can live inside the cervix before it fertilizes the egg.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a person can become pregnant if they have sex anywhere from 5 days before until 1 day after ovulation.

Depending on the menstrual cycle, the fertile window may vary from one person to another.

To calculate the fertility window, a person should note the first day of a period until the next period occurs. This timeframe is the menstrual cycle. On average, most people who menstruate have a 28-day cycle.

However, according to the Office on Women’s Health, for some, it may last 21–35 days.

According to the ACOG, ovulation occurs around day 14 of the menstrual cycle.

A person with a 28-day cycle, for example, will have their fertile window 5 days before the ovulation date.

Pregnancy is possible 12–24 hours after ovulation. This is because the released egg can only survive 24 hours before the sperm can no longer fertilize it.

The likelihood of getting pregnant on the days before and after ovulation varies from one person to another.

An older study from 1995 looked at the timing of sexual intercourse in relation to ovulation and the likelihood of conception.

Out of 221 healthy women, there were 192 pregnancies. Researchers concluded they could estimate the odds of becoming pregnant on each day of the fertile window as between 10–33%, depending on the day.

5 days before ovulation	10%
4 days before ovulation	16%
3 days before ovulation	14%
2 days before ovulation	27%
1 day before ovulation	31%
Ovulation day	33%

The same study authors also note there could be a 12% chance of conceiving on either day 7 before ovulation and the day after ovulation.

However, the chances of becoming pregnant before or after ovulation depend on several factors, including:

age
frequency of sexual intercourse
menstrual cycle

For those trying to conceive, tracking ovulation is crucial to ensure they identify the most fertile days in the menstrual cycle.

Here are some of the methods a person can use to track or predict ovulation.

Basal body temperature charting

Basal body temperature (BBT) is the temperature when the body is at rest.

Charting BBT for a series of months by measuring every morning after waking up will help predict ovulation.

During or when ovulation approaches, there is a slight increase in BBT. A person can use a digital thermometer to track these small changes in temperature.

Monitoring BBT can help tell when ovulation occurs and therefore predict the days in the cycle when pregnancy is possible.

Ovulation predictor kits

Using ovulation predictor kits, such as test strips and digital tests, will help measure the level of luteinizing hormone (LH), which usually rises during ovulation.

A person needs to take tests for consecutive days to detect the rise in LH.

Once they notice a consistent rise, experts recommend having sex daily for the next couple of days to increase the chances of pregnancy.

Cycle charting apps

Several cycle apps, such as the Clue period tracker and Flo period ovulation tracker, can help calculate the ovulation period and fertile window.

Charting ovulation using these apps will indicate the ovulation date and days when a person’s body is most fertile.

Fertility monitors

For people trying to conceive or wishing to avoid pregnancy, using fertility monitors to track ovulation can help people plan intercourse.

Fertility monitors work by measuring significant body changes, such as BBT, heart rate, and breathing.

By compiling this data, the fertility monitor can predict the fertile window.

Cervical mucus method

Observing cervical mucus can give an idea of when a person may be ovulating.

When ovulation approaches, the cervical mucus changes to a thin, clear, stringy, slippery consistency. It may look similar to raw egg whites.

The mucus allows the sperm to swim to the released egg during intercourse.

Ideally, this is the ideal time to have sex due to the high chances of becoming pregnant.

Watching ovulation signs, such as a slight increase in BBT, changes in cervical mucus, and increased sex drive, can help determine the best time to have sex to boost chances of becoming pregnant.

In addition, having sex during the fertile window increases the chances of conception. During this timeframe, the body is ready to receive sperm for fertilization.

On average, a menstrual cycle lasts between 21–35 days.

An irregular cycle or absent cycle that lasts fewer than 21 days or more than 35 days, can mean that a person is not ovulating.

A person should speak with a doctor if they do not become pregnant after 1 year of trying to conceive.

Age may also determine when to seek help. People between 35–40 years of age should speak with a doctor after 6 months of trying to get pregnant. For those above 40 years of age, a healthcare professional may run some fertility tests.

A doctor may also test for possible signs of infertility or if a person has ever had repeated miscarriages, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, prior cancer treatment, or a history of irregular periods.

A person can get pregnant 12–24 hours after ovulation, as a released egg can survive up to 24 hours within the cervix.

For those trying to conceive, it is crucial to understand the menstrual cycle.

Beyond this, a person can use methods, such as BBT charting, cycle charting apps, fertility monitors, changes in cervical mucus, and ovulation predictor kits to boost the chances of pregnancy.

When is a woman most fertile?

If you are a woman taking precautions to prevent pregnancy, or if you are thinking about pregnancy in some way in the future, the issue of fertility usually remains in the background.

The question of when a woman is most fertile has two aspects.

First, is the menstrual monthly cycle and the period when a woman is most fertile.

To figure out the arithmetic, a fertility calendar or an ovulation calculator will help. The second aspect of the question concerns biological age and the stage of life at which women are most fertile. In our article, we will look at the monthly cycle, the days that are the most fertile during this cycle, and various means of monitoring and predicting ovulation. This makes it possible to predict the time of maximum fertility with some accuracy.

Second , we look at the stages of fertility at various times in a woman's life and their impact on her ability to conceive.

It is well known that fertility peaks at age 20 and begins to decline after age 30; after 35 years, natural conception rates begin to drop sharply. However, in today's society, many women, for understandable financial and social reasons, choose to delay childbearing until the age of thirty. Thus, we are faced with the paradoxical situation where many women, who have long sought to prevent pregnancy in their younger years, find themselves in a situation where they begin to look for ways to increase their chances of conceiving.

When is a woman most fertile? What does the menstrual cycle show?

In a woman, the ability to conceive is maximum a day or two before and after ovulation. This is when the egg is released from the ovaries. You can calculate with a reasonable degree of accuracy when ovulation will occur, especially if your cycle is regular, anywhere between 24 and 35 days. Consider the start of your period (bright spotting) as the first day of your cycle, and the day before the next as the end of your cycle. Ovulation usually occurs 12-16 days before the start of the next cycle. Thus, if you have a regular 28-day cycle, then the indicator remains the same: ovulation occurs on the 12th-16th day. However, fertile time is not limited to these few days. Remember that you can get pregnant if you have unprotected sex at any time during the week before ovulation, as sperm can live in a woman's genital tract for up to seven days.

Fertility specialists generally advise that if you are hoping to get pregnant, it is advisable to specifically schedule contacts around this time, as it can be difficult to calculate the exact day of ovulation, and trying to have sex on a schedule can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. For the best chance of getting pregnant as long as there are no underlying fertility problems, it is recommended to have intercourse every 2-3 days during your cycle. In addition, fertility calendars, an ovulation test, and self-monitoring for signs of ovulation can help predict the ideal time to conceive.

Menstrual calendar

It could be an old-fashioned pen and paper, a spreadsheet, or one of the many online calendars available. They are also known as ovulation calendars or ovulation calculators. They all do the same thing: keep track of your menstrual cycle dates and use the 12-16 day calculation outlined above to determine the days on which you are most likely to conceive.

Ovulation Tests

These are test kits that measure the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. The essence of the measurement is to capture the surge in LH levels that occurs during your cycle a couple of days before ovulation. There are also tests that measure the same hormone pulsation but use a saliva sample. In these tests, saliva takes on the appearance of a fern-like pattern when it dries on glass. However, the most accurate analysis that allows you to track the LH peak is a urinalysis (rarely used in routine practice).

Self-monitoring for signs of impending ovulation

Self-monitoring includes taking temperature every morning after waking up, as well as monitoring the quality and consistency of vaginal mucus secretions. This must continue for several months so that ovulation can be tracked. This is the least reliable of the methods, because there can be many different causes of body temperature fluctuations (night rises, colds, blood sugar fluctuations), and in fact, many girls rightly find this procedure tedious and difficult to perform.

Women's diseases and fertility

Fertility refers to the ability of an organism to reproduce healthy offspring. Most often, the concept of fertility is mentioned in the case when they talk about female reproduction. Some women can give birth to a child without problems, while others face reproductive problems up to the impossibility of conception in a natural way.

The body of a woman even before birth contains a certain number of eggs. Throughout life, there is a gradual decrease in the number of eggs, even if a woman does not give birth. If within a year, with regular sexual activity without the use of contraception, a woman does not become pregnant, then there is a possibility of fertility problems.

Types of fertility

There are low, normal and high female fertility. Female fertility is determined by three factors - the ability of the egg to fertilize, the ability to bear a fetus and give birth to a child. If there is a lack of at least one of these components, it is considered that fertility is low. If these factors are present, then fertility is considered normal. With high fertility, it becomes possible to conceive, bear and give birth to a child without complications.

Factors that reduce fertility

Let's take a closer look at the causes that reduce fertility:

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which ultimately lead to infertility or miscarriage. For example, gonorrhea and chlamydia, often causing obstruction of the fallopian tubes;
Diseases of the internal genital organs, represented by various chronic inflammatory processes in the small pelvis, neoplasms of the ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus, endometriosis, which lead to disruption of the processes of ovulation and the promotion of the egg to the uterus. Sometimes the female germ cell does not reach the uterine cavity due to obstruction of the fallopian tubes, and cannot be fixed in the uterus itself due to the altered endometrium;
Violation of ovulation: already in the newborn age, the ovarian follicles contain about 400 eggs. With the onset of menstruation in the follicles, the maturation of eggs occurs, usually one during the cycle. Then the follicle bursts, the mature cell leaves it, ending up in the fallopian tube, through which it gradually moves to the uterus. The process of rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg is ovulation. Ovulation may be absent or irregular if there are hormonal disorders associated with a problem in the production of sex hormones. The cause of hormonal changes can be prolonged stress, abortion, trauma, various internal diseases. Without ovulation, the process of conception is impossible;
Non-gynecological factors: One of the factors that reduce female fertility is age. As you age, your chances of getting pregnant decrease. In addition, addiction to smoking, alcohol abuse, poor environmental conditions, constant stress and malnutrition, leading to obesity or lack of weight, negatively affect.

How to increase fertility rates?

To increase fertility, it is necessary to give up bad habits - smoking, alcohol, psychotropic substances, energy drinks, a sedentary lifestyle. All this becomes a way to accelerate the aging process of the body and the cause of the deterioration of the ovaries. In addition, coffee should not be abused, even if this drink becomes a way to wake up in the morning. Instead of coffee, you can drink green tea or black tea with lemon and honey. Women who want to increase their fertility should give up fast food, do not eat before bedtime, switch to proper nutrition, pay attention to the composition of the foods that are included in the diet. It is possible to increase fertility only by being in a calm, friendly atmosphere, which means that it is necessary to avoid stressful situations, postpone all household and financial problems, and clear your mind of disturbing thoughts.