On the day of ovulation can you get pregnant
Ovulation signs – know when you’re most fertile
Ovulation signs – know when you’re most fertile | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content5-minute read
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Key facts
- There are signs that can help you track and predict ovulation, including changes to your body temperature and vaginal discharge.
- In a typical 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs at around day 14.
- Ovulation predictor kits detect levels of luteinising hormone (LH) in your urine and can help you know when ovulation is likely to occur.
- Having sex in the days leading up to and the day of ovulation will increase your chance of conceiving.
- If you are trying to get pregnant, see your doctor for a pre-conception health check.
When am I most fertile?
You are most likely to conceive during the 5 days before ovulation, along with the day you ovulate. 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, your egg can only live for 12 to 24 hours. After this time is up, your chance of getting pregnant is virtually zero until your next menstrual cycle.
Your chances of getting pregnant are at their highest in the 3 days leading up to and including ovulation.
How can I predict ovulation?
Ovulation usually happens about halfway through your menstrual cycle. This is about 14 days before the first day of your next period in a typical 28-day cycle, but the exact time can vary. Signs that you are about to ovulate can be subtle. However, there are some things you can pay attention to and track over time to help you predict your fertile window.
Changes in mucus
Around the time of ovulation, you may notice your vaginal discharge is clear, stretchy and slippery — similar to egg whites. After ovulation, when the chances of becoming pregnant drop, vaginal discharge 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 to keep 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 calculators and kits can also help you predict ovulation.
Ovulation calculators are available on websites such as www.yourfertility.org.au. 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. They test for a rise in the level of a hormone called luteinising hormone (LH) in your urine. You should use the kit a few days before your predicted ovulation day. A positive result indicates you will ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Your doctor can also arrange a blood test to check your progesterone levels, which can be used to detect ovulation.
What else should I think about if I’m trying to conceive?
If you are trying to get pregnant, there are some other things you should consider, such as:
- taking a folate supplement
- maintaining a healthy diet
- making sure your vaccinations are up to date
Most healthy couples will conceive within a year of trying. If you are under 35 years of age and have been trying to conceive for a year without success, see your doctor to discuss your options.
If you or your partner are over 35, you might like to see your doctor after trying to conceive for 6 months, as fertility can decrease with age.
You can find more information from:
- Your Fertility for more information on ovulation and the fertile window.
- Jean Hailes for Women’s Health for more information on things that can be helpful to know, when you start trying for a baby.
- Your doctor
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.
Sources:
Your Fertility (Right time for sex), Your Fertility (Understanding ovulation and the fertile window), Family Planning NSW (Maximising Natural Fertility), Jean Hailes (Trying for pregnancy), Your Fertility (Thinking about having a baby?), Australian Prescriber (Fertility testing), Australian Family Physician (Basal body temperature chart)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: October 2022
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- Planning for pregnancy
- Working out your due date
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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
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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).
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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!).
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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.
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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: 04/03/2023
ᐈ Why can't get pregnant - Reproductive medicine, gynecology, pregnancy monitoring, urology
At a certain moment in life, we feel an irresistible desire to become the parents of our baby. For some couples, this happens immediately, while others plan to continue the family for a certain period of life.
What if after a while pregnancy does not occur? Women begin to worry, and a question or even a problem arises - “I can’t get pregnant, what should I do?”. First, figure out if you are doing everything right.
First, it is extremely difficult to conceive the first time. To get pregnant, you need to have regular sex without using contraceptives. Secondly, this should be done on time, or rather, on the days of ovulation (fertile period).
Reasons why you can't get pregnant
Ovulation is the process of release of an egg from the ovary. The menstrual cycle of a woman can theoretically be divided into 2 phases. In the first phase, in one of the ovaries (less often in both), the follicle grows and the egg matures in it. Around the middle of the cycle, the follicle ruptures and the egg is released - this is ovulation.
The ovum released from the follicle is ready for fertilization. Moving, she enters the fallopian tubes, where she meets with the sperm. The fertilized egg descends into the uterine cavity, where it is implanted, and pregnancy begins to develop. If fertilization does not occur or the fertilized egg is not implanted in the uterine cavity, then menstruation begins.
The probability of conception is maximum on the day of ovulation, and is approximately 33%. If we take into account that the average lifespan of a sperm cell is 2-3 days (in rare cases it reaches 5-7 days), and the egg remains viable for up to 48 hours, then the maximum duration of the "fertile period" is 7-9days (6-7 days before ovulation and 1-2 days after ovulation).
In the absence of ovulation, the egg does not mature or does not leave the follicle, which means that there is nothing for the spermatozoon to fertilize, and the onset of pregnancy in this case is impossible.
Lack of ovulation is a common cause of infertility in women who admit “I can’t get pregnant” at the appointment.
When planning pregnancy and simply for diagnosing women's health, determining the presence of ovulation is a top priority. There are several methods, including those that can be used at home.
How to determine ovulation?
Subjective feelings. Ovulation is usually not accompanied by any pronounced signs, and it can only be determined by carefully observing yourself. What to do and what to pay attention to?
About imminent ovulation says:
- increased vaginal discharge in the middle of the menstrual cycle;
- change in their color and consistency;
- pain in the lower abdomen on the side where ovulation occurred.
- Severe pain during ovulation occurs with a pronounced adhesive process or polycystic ovary syndrome.
Basal temperature measurement. Based on the temperature values in the rectum, a graph of basal temperature is plotted. On the days of ovulation, the temperature drops sharply, and then rises and stays at this level for 12-14 days, decreasing 1-2 days before the onset of menstruation.
An easier and more convenient method of determining ovulation at home are ovulation tests. They are similar to pregnancy tests, but are carried out approximately in the middle of the cycle and reliably show ovulation. If within three menstrual cycles, ovulation tests are negative, then you need to consult a doctor to find out the reasons for its absence.
The most reliable method for diagnosing ovulation is the ultrasound method (foliculometry). This requires repeated ultrasound monitoring. The study is safe, it can be done several times a year.
Why is there no ovulation?
There are many reasons why couples wonder why they can't get pregnant. Possible reasons for the lack of ovulation:
- diabetes mellitus;
- hyperprolactinemia;
- diseases of the thyroid gland;
- polycystic ovary syndrome;
- hypothalamic-pituitary insufficiency;
- metabolic disorders (obesity or underweight), etc.
Most often, the absence of ovulation occurs in polycystic ovary syndrome. Couples for 2 years can wait for conception, but they never will. The lack of ovulation can be corrected by hormonal stimulation of the ovaries, after which pregnancy will occur naturally.
If pregnancy does not occur in the natural cycle with ovarian stimulation, then intrauterine insemination is necessary. If, after insemination with polycystic ovary syndrome, pregnancy does not occur, then in vitro fertilization is indicated.
Obstruction of the fallopian tubes
As mentioned above, the egg and sperm meet in the fallopian tube, where fertilization takes place, and then the fertilized egg, moving through the fallopian tube, enters the uterus. Therefore, the next reason for the absence of pregnancy may be a violation of the patency of the fallopian tubes, which occurs due to previous inflammatory diseases and adhesions formed.
Tubal patency can be checked using hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy. If the obstruction of the fallopian tubes is confirmed, the patency of the tubes can be restored with the help of microsurgery. If it is not possible to restore the patency of the fallopian tubes, then the patient is recommended in vitro fertilization.
Pathology of the uterine cavity
Pathology of the uterine cavity can also be one of the reasons for the absence of pregnancy. These can be both congenital pathologies (absence or underdevelopment of the uterus, doubling, saddle uterus, septum in the uterine cavity), and acquired (scars in the uterus, intrauterine adhesions, uterine fibroids, endometrial polyp).
Methods for diagnosing uterine pathology are ultrasound and diagnostic hysteroscopy. For the treatment of uterine pathology, reconstructive surgery is sometimes necessary, and sometimes hysteroscopy is indicated. In rare cases, there is a need for donor and surrogate programs.
Sperm motility in men
Very often, women, saying “I can’t get pregnant”, start looking for the reason in themselves. But after all, in the process of fertilization, the ability of the husband's spermatozoa to fertilize also plays an important role. To find out, you need to give your husband a spermogram.
Based on the number, motility and morphology of spermatozoa, this analysis allows an assessment of the fertility of a man's sperm. Violation of the motor activity of spermatozoa in the cervical mucus of the cervical canal can also be the reason for the absence of pregnancy. To study the interaction of spermatozoa and cervical mucus, a postcoital test is used.
So, before you panic, cultivate the fear that you might not be able to get pregnant, or diagnose yourself with infertility, you need to find out if you are creating a problem for yourself prematurely.
According to the latest WHO classification, infertility is likely if, with regular intercourse for a year or more, pregnancy has not occurred. But you don't have to wait 3 years to get pregnant. If conception has not occurred within a year, consult a doctor!
Fomina Clinic - a network of multidisciplinary clinics
Today's world is full of information: literally with one click, each of us can open the Universe and learn everything - from string theory to concert posters for the next week. It is all the more interesting that, having unlimited access to knowledge, we still live in myths - and sometimes they arise, including thanks to the Internet, replicating untruth and absurdity.
We have prepared for you a short “blitz” of six questions or myths about pregnancy and conception, so that you are fully equipped and do not believe the tales on the Internet.
Well... not exactly. Firstly, the idea of a “full examination” is a clear exaggeration, because there is no single list of tests that an expectant mother needs to pass. Ideally, visit a doctor three months before the end of contraception, get tested for STIs and antibodies to rubella. If additional examinations are required, you will be individually prescribed everything you need - including, probably, vaccinations that should be “updated”. As for alcohol and smoking, they are really contraindicated at the stage of pregnancy planning, so if you have these addictions, you will have to give them up. However, it should be remembered that smoking cessation applies to both electronic cigarettes and “passive smoking”, which can lead to dangerous consequences for the fetus.
Spoiler: no big deal. Do not panic and blame yourself for all mortal sins because of a glass of wine. With the recognized insecurity of alcohol, scientists have proven that a woman drinking 1-2 servings a couple of times a week should not harm the unborn child. For men, the allowable figures are slightly higher - 3-4 doses of alcohol per week. The main thing is to know the measure and not to overdo it.
There is, of course, a simplified formula for calculating the estimated due date: plus 7 days and minus 3 months from the date of the last period, but to be honest, it doesn’t work like that: the fact is that it is very difficult to “program” pregnancy and make sure that the child is born when you want. If you have a plan and are going to stick to it, be prepared for the fact that things can go wrong, if only because:
- the duration of pregnancy is not 40 weeks, but 37-42 weeks, which means that you can easily get into a five-week “loop”, which will reduce the chances of fulfilling the plan to zero;
- with regular sex, the probability of conception is not 1 time per month (exactly when you guessed it), but 1 time per year.
Nothing is impossible... However, it is worth clarifying the question a little: you can get pregnant only during ovulation (more precisely, shortly after it), but you can have sex, which will lead to a long-awaited pregnancy, on different days. Of course, on the days of menstruation, the probability is lower than on the days that precede ovulation, but on none of the days of the menstrual cycle this probability is not zero.
Let's just say that trying multiple times a day is a bad idea. Why? At least because ejaculation more than once a day worsens the quality of sperm, as a maximum - such perseverance and zeal can create tension in the relationship of partners. Doctors advise to have sex every 2-3 days throughout the cycle, and not try to guess the moment and throw all your strength into this short period.
Planning the sex of a child is an extremely prolific topic for myth-makers. Some believe that with the help of a special table that takes into account such indicators as the age of the father and mother, the month of conception, it is possible to accurately calculate the sex of the child. This "method" is anti-scientific and has nothing to do with reality.
Another myth is that you have to get pregnant on the day you ovulate to have a boy. Previously, scientists really believed that X and Y spermatozoa differ from each other (Y are faster), and the sex of the child is formed due to the first one that broke through the defenses of the female egg. If you want to conceive a boy, you need to have sex on the day of ovulation so that the Y-sperms responsible for the "male sex" have more time to get to the egg located farthest from the entrance to the uterus.
However, this myth does not stand up to criticism: the fact is that there is no difference between the X and Y chromosomes, which means that the sex of the child does not depend on which of the sperm reaches the egg first.