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How many days do u ovulate after your period


Calculating, Timeline, Pain & Other Symptoms

What is ovulation?

Ovulation is a phase in the menstrual cycle when your ovary releases an egg (ovum). Once an egg leaves your ovary, it travels down your fallopian tube where it waits to be fertilized by sperm. On average, it happens on day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle.

Ovulation and your menstrual cycle

The process of ovulation begins when your hypothalamus (a part of your brain) releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH causes your pituitary gland (a gland in your brain) to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

Between days six and 14 of your menstrual cycle, FSH causes follicles (small sacs of fluid in your ovaries that contain a developing egg) in one ovary to begin to mature. During days 10 to 14 of the cycle, only one of the developing follicles forms a fully mature egg. Around day 14 in the menstrual cycle, a sudden surge in LH causes the ovary to release this egg. This is ovulation. After ovulation, the hormone progesterone rises which helps prepare your uterus for pregnancy.

Ovulation, conception and pregnancy

Once ovulation occurs, your egg travels through your fallopian tube. It’s in your fallopian tube that your egg meets sperm for fertilization. If conception occurs (sperm fertilizes your egg), the fertilized egg travels down to your uterus. After about a week, the fertilized egg (now a blastocyst) attaches to the lining of your uterus. This is called implantation. Release of the hormones estrogen and progesterone causes the endometrium to thicken, which provides the nutrients the blastocyst needs to grow and eventually develop into a baby. As cells continue to divide — some developing into the fetus, others forming the placenta — hormones signal your body that a baby is growing inside your uterus. This also signals your uterus to keep its lining, which prevents you from getting your period. Not getting a period is usually the first sign you’re pregnant.

When does ovulation occur?

In an average 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs about 14 days before the beginning of your next menstrual period. The exact timing varies — your cycle length may be longer or shorter. You may find it helpful to track your menstrual cycle using an app on your phone or a calendar. This can help you determine when ovulation is most likely to occur. Most people will have a period 14 to 16 days after ovulation, regardless of the length of their overall cycle.

How many hours does ovulation last?

An egg only survives 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. If sperm doesn’t’ fertilize the egg, your body reabsorbs it. Unlike your egg, sperm can survive for several days in your body.

How do I know I’m ovulating?

Pinpointing ovulation can be tricky. There are several methods people use to track their menstrual cycle and estimate when ovulation occurs. Since each method has its drawbacks, it’s always best to use more than one for the most accurate answer.

Menstrual cycle

Ovulation happens at around the midpoint of your cycle if you have a 28-day cycle (day 14). However, a “normal” cycle is anything between 21 and 35 days, so this means ovulation is unique to your menstrual cycle. Keep track of your cycle on paper or on an app on your phone for several months. Take note of any unusual symptoms. Most people ovulate 14 days before their period begins, regardless of cycle length.

Calendar method

People using the calendar method to predict ovulation, analyze six months of menstrual cycles to determine when they’re fertile. To calculate when you may be ovulating, you find your shortest cycle and your longest cycle in a six month period. You subtract 18 days from your shortest cycle and 11 days from your longest cycle. These two numbers give you the days in your cycle you’re most fertile. For example, if your cycle lengths are 31 and 18, your fertile time is day 10 to 20 of your cycle.

Cervical mucus

Cervical mucus is a vaginal fluid produced by your cervix. Your cervical mucus goes through stages during your menstrual cycle. Your cervical mucus is thick, white and dry before ovulation. Just before ovulation, your cervical mucus turns clear and slippery (like egg whites). This consistency makes it easy for sperm to swim up to meet your egg.

Basal body temperature

Your body temperature increases slightly during ovulation (typically about 0.5 to 1 degree). Take your temperature every morning using a digital thermometer meant specifically for measuring basal body temperature. This method only works if you take your temperature before you get out of bed and before you eat/drink. Record your results for several months and note what day of your cycle a temperature increase occurs.

Ovulation kits

Ovulation kits work similarly to at-home pregnancy tests because you pee on an indicator strip in the comfort of your own home. They work by detecting LH (luteinizing hormone) in your pee. LH is the hormone that surges before ovulation. A positive result means you’re about to ovulate (usually within 36 hours).

What are the symptoms of ovulation?

Every person is different and not everyone has signs of ovulation. In those that do, the most common symptoms are:

  • Tender breasts.
  • Bloating.
  • Minor pelvic or abdominal pain.
  • Light bleeding or spotting.
  • Changes in the position and firmness of your cervix.
  • Increased sex drive.
  • Heightened sense of smell, taste or sight.
  • Mood changes.
  • Appetite changes.

How many days during ovulation can you get pregnant?

Even though your egg only lives for 24 hours, sperm can live in your uterus for between three and five days. This means you can get pregnant from having sex from about five days before ovulation to one day after ovulation. If pregnancy is your goal, it’s better to have sperm already in your body when you ovulate. The highest probability of conception occurs when intercourse takes place one to two days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation.

Is pain during ovulation normal?

Yes, many people experience ovulation pain. Ovulation pain (or mittelschmerz) is cramping or pelvic pain that happens around ovulation. You typically feel the pain in your lower abdomen and pelvis, in the middle or on one side. Ovulation pain may happen when an egg bursts from a follicle (the sacs in your ovaries that contain eggs). It can even cause light bleeding.

Pain during the time of ovulation may also be caused by a medical condition, so it’s best to contact your healthcare provider to be sure the pain isn’t something more serious.

What happens if I’m not ovulating?

Certain health conditions or life events may affect ovulation or cause you to stop ovulating. Some of these are:

  • Breastfeeding (chestfeeding) or hyperprolactinemia.
  • Menopause.
  • PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).
  • Primary ovarian insufficiency.
  • Amenorrhea from things like high or low body fat, excessive stress or fatigue or excessive exercise.

If your period is irregular or you go months without a period, you may have not be ovulating. Contact your healthcare provider if this is the case so they can rule out any serious conditions.

Do you still ovulate if you’re on birth control?

No, if you’re taking birth control pills or other hormonal contraception as directed, you shouldn’t ovulate. Keep in mind, this is only the case if you’re using pills, patches, IUDs or other devices exactly as prescribed. The hormones in birth control work by stopping ovulation and thickening cervical mucus (which makes it harder for sperm to swim).

Can you ovulate but not get your period?

Yes. You can ovulate but not get your “period.” Technically, if you’re ovulating regularly, you should also get your period regularly. However, it’s possible to get your period without actually ovulating and to ovulate but not have a true period.

Can medicine help you ovulate?

Yes, there are fertility medications to induce ovulation. Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms and goals, such as if you wish to become pregnant. They can work with you on the best treatment based on your condition.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Ovulation is a process that occurs during your menstrual cycle. The exact timing of ovulation varies from person to person and even from cycle to cycle. Without ovulation, it’s hard for you to get pregnant or have regular menstrual periods. There are many methods available to help you predict ovulation. Knowing when you ovulate can help you either achieve a pregnancy or avoid a pregnancy. There are several health conditions that affect ovulation. Contact your healthcare provider if you’re concerned that you’re not ovulating.

Right Time For Sex , When Do You Ovulate ?

When are you more likely to conceive?

We’re talking about the 'fertile window’ – the days in a woman’s menstrual cycle when pregnancy is possible. The ‘fertile window’ depends on the length of the menstrual cycle, which varies among women.

The ‘fertile window’ is the day an egg is released from the ovary (ovulation) and the five days beforehand. Having sex (intercourse) during this time gives you the best chance of getting pregnant.

Ovulation Calculator

What day did you your most recent period start?

Number of days in your cycle Please select20 Days21 Days22 Days23 Days24 Days25 Days26 Days27 Days28 Days29 Days30 Days31 Days32 Days33 Days34 Days35 Days36 Days37 Days38 Days39 Days40 Days41 Days42 Days43 Days44 Days45 Days

Your ovulation day

Most fertile time

  • What is an ovulation calculator and how does it help you get pregnant?

    This ovulation calculator or ovulation calendar can help you work out your most fertile time. These are the days you are most likely to get pregnant.

    It can also estimate your due date if you do become pregnant during your next fertile days.

    Others ways to help you work out when you're ovulating:

  • Notice changes in vaginal mucus

    A few days before ovulation, you may notice your vaginal mucus becomes clear, slick and slippery, and feels a bit like egg white.

    This is a sign that ovulation is about to happen. It’s the best time to have sex, as sperm travel more easily in this kind of mucus.

  • Use an ovulation predictor kit

    You can use a predictor kit from a supermarket or pharmacy, to test your urine for signs of ovulation. If you start testing your urine a few days before the day you next expect to ovulate, a positive result means you are going to ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours (one to two days).

  • Facts about timing

    Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from the ovary. The egg then moves down the fallopian tube where it can be fertilised. If sperm are in the fallopian tube when the egg is released, there is a good chance that the egg will be fertilised, creating an embryo, which can grow into a baby.

    Pregnancy is technically only possible if you have sex during the five days before ovulation or on the day of ovulation. But the most fertile days are the three days leading up to and including ovulation. Having sex during this time gives you the best chance of getting pregnant.

    By 12-24 hours after ovulation, a woman is no longer able to get pregnant during that menstrual cycle because the egg is no longer in the fallopian tube.

    There’s almost no chance of getting pregnant if you have sex before or after the fertile window (but if you’re not trying to get pregnant, don’t rely on this – contraception is your best option!).

  • How to know when you’re ovulating

    Knowing when you ovulate can help you plan for sex at the right time and improve your chance of getting pregnant.  You can keep track of your menstrual cycles on a chart, in a diary, or on a free period-tracker app on your smartphone.  

    To work out the length of your menstrual cycle, record the first day you start bleeding (first day of your period). This is day 1. The last day of your cycle is the day before your next period begins.

  • What is a ‘menstrual cycle’ and a ‘period’?

    Some people think the ‘menstrual cycle’ and a ‘period’ are the same thing.

    A period is when you bleed (or menstruate).

    A menstrual cycle starts on the day when a period starts (day 1) and ends the day before the next period. A cycle’s length is considered normal if it’s between 21 and 35 days. They can vary between women and from one cycle to the next.

  • Working out your ‘average’ menstrual cycle length

    If your menstrual cycles are different lengths (most women’s cycles are) you can work out your average cycle length.

    The number of days in a woman’s menstrual cycle can vary month to month. Periods are not always regular. It can be useful to work out an ‘average’ cycle length, based on the length of three menstrual cycles, to estimate when you’re most likely to be ovulating.

    If you add the number of days in three cycles and divide the total number by three, it gives you your average cycle length.

     

    Example

    Sarah tracked her last three menstrual cycles by counting the time from the first day of one period, to the day before the next period.  

    Cycle 1 was 28 days; Cycle 2 was 32 days; Cycle 3 was 27 days

    28 + 32 + 27 = 87

    87 divided by 3 = 29

    So the average length of Sarah’s menstrual cycles is 29 days.

  • Working out your most fertile days

    When you know your average menstrual cycle length, you can work out when you ovulate.

    Ovulation happens about 14 days before your period starts. 

    • If your average menstrual cycle is 28 days, you ovulate around day 14, and your most fertile days are days 12, 13 and 14.
    • If your average menstrual cycle is 35 days ovulation happens around day 21 and your most fertile days are days 19,20 and 21.
    • If you have shorter cycles, say 21 days, ovulation happens around day 7 and your most fertile days are days 5, 6 and 7.

    Your most fertile days are the three days leading up to and including the day of ovulation.

    Some women have very irregular cycles or find it difficult to work out an average cycle length. This can make it hard to work out when ovulation happens. If it’s all too hard, having sex every 2-3 days covers all bases and improves your chance of getting pregnant.

Myth busting

MYTH

A woman can get pregnant any time of the month.

FACT

A woman can only get pregnant on a few days during her menstrual cycle.

Why?

Because eggs and sperm only live for a short time:

  • Sperm live for around five days. 
  • Eggs can only be fertilised for around 24 hours (one day) after being released from the ovary. 

Eggs and sperm need to come together at the right time for fertilisation to happen to create an embryo.

Getting the timing right

If you're trying to get pregnant, timing is everything. Dr Karin Hammarberg explains how to work out when you are ovulating and the right time to have sex to improve your chance of pregnancy.

  • What are the chances?

    Having sex as close as possible to the time of ovulation increases the chance of pregnancy.

    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 percent.

    If she has sex on the day of ovulation, or the two days before, the chance of getting pregnant is around 30 percent.  

    These are average figures and depend on a woman’s age.

When does preconception health begin?

Professor Sarah Robertson, Director of Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, highlights the key time before pregnancy that your health is most important to ensure your child has the best start to life.

How to know you are ovulating

Kerry Hampton, a registered nurse and fertility specialist, discusses the importance of fertility awareness, and how to determine your fertile window to improve your chances of conceiving.

  • References
    • American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Optimizing natural fertility, https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/optimizing-natural-fertility/
    • Berglund Scherwitzl, et al. (2015). Identification and prediction of the fertile window using Natural Cycles. The European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care, 20(5), 403-408. doi:10.3109/13625187.2014.988210
    • Ecochard, R., et al. (2015). Self-identification of the clinical fertile window and the ovulation period. Fertility and Sterility, 103(5), 1319-1325.e1313. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.01.031
    • Pfeifer, S., et al. (2017). Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility, 107(1), 52-58. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.09.029
    • Stanford, J. B. (2015). Revisiting the fertile window. Fertility and Sterility, 103(5), 1152-1153. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.02.015
    • Stanford, et al. (2002). Timing intercourse to achieve pregnancy: current evidence. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 100(6), 1333-1341.
    • Stephenson, J., et al. (2018). Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health. The Lancet, 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30311-8 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30311-8
    • Vélez, M. Pet al. (2015). Female exposure to phenols and phthalates and time to pregnancy: the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study. Fertility and Sterility. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.01.005
    • Verón, G. L., et al. (2018). Impact of age, clinical conditions, and lifestyle on routine semen parameters and sperm kinematics. Fertility and Sterility, 110(1), 68-75.e64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.03.016
    • Waylen, A. Let al. (2009). Effects of cigarette smoking upon clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction: a meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update, 15(1), 31-44.
    • Zenzes, M. T. (2000). Smoking and reproduction: gene damage to human gametes and embryos. Hum Reprod Update, 6(2), 122-131.

Page created on: 28/08/2018 | Last updated: 18/11/2022

Ovulation: how to calculate? | Clinic MEDEL


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The phase of a woman's menstrual cycle when an unfertilized egg is released from the ovary, travels through the fallopian tubes and into the uterus, is called ovulation.

This is the stage of the menstrual cycle during which pregnancy can occur if the released egg is fertilized by sperm.

We'll show you how to calculate the length of your menstrual cycle to determine when you might be ovulating.

How many days after menstruation does ovulation last?

Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days before your 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 which 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).