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Ovulation Symptoms: 9 Signs of Ovulation

If you’re getting ready to grow your family and learning more about conception, you’ll want to get familiar with ovulation. Exactly when you ovulate varies for each woman, but luckily there are ways to recognize the signs of ovulation and time sex accordingly to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Even if you’re not trying to conceive yet, it’s still important to have a good grasp on ovulation signs. Not only can they help you better understand your menstrual cycle, but they can also help you identify any abnormal ovulation symptoms down the road. (In fact, some women keep track of their ovulation patterns as part of their contraception method to avoid getting pregnant.)

Want to learn more about exactly what happens during ovulation, which signs of ovulation to look out for and how those ovulation symptoms might make you feel? Keep reading to learn from experts what to expect and when to expect it.

In this article:
What is ovulation?
When do you ovulate?
How to predict ovulation
Ovulation symptoms

What Is Ovulation?

Let’s get down to brass tacks: What happens on your ovulation day? You probably learned way back in health class that ovulation is the phase in your menstrual cycle when a mature egg is released from the ovary, setting the stage for fertilization. Every woman is born with millions of immature eggs that wait to be released, normally one at a time, every month. During ovulation the egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it may meet up with a sperm and become fertilized. For most healthy women, ovulation generally happens once a month, a few weeks after menstruation begins.

Watch, Ovulation Signs and Symptoms:

When Do You Ovulate?

Now that we’ve reviewed what ovulation is, you’re probably wondering when ovulation occurs. You may have heard that ovulation typically happens on day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle, but it’s not the same for everyone.

If you’re like most women of childbearing age, your menstrual cycle lasts between 28 and 32 days, and ovulation usually hits between days 10 and 19 of that cycle—about 12 to 16 days before your next period. “In healthy women, ovulation occurs 14 days before the onset of your period,” says Donnica L. Moore, MD, president of Sapphire Women’s Health Group in Chester, New Jersey. So if your cycle is 35 days, ovulation will happen on day 21 of that cycle—but if your cycle is 21 days, ovulation will happen on day seven.

The timing of ovulation can vary from cycle to cycle and from woman to woman, adds Shannon M. Clark, MD, associate professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in Galveston, Texas. This is why it’s a good idea to get familiar with your body’s menstrual calendar for at least three months or so, to help you better estimate your own ovulation cycle.

For some women, ovulation doesn’t always take place, or it can be irregular. In general, if you’re pregnant, have gone through menopause or you take birth control pills consistently and on time, you won’t ovulate. Certain diseases or disorders (such as polycystic ovary syndrome or premature ovarian failure, among other conditions) and certain medications (including some antidepressants, anti-nausea medications and chemotherapy) may also cause a woman to stop ovulating for periods of time. Other lifestyle factors—such as stress or being significantly underweight or overweight (measured by body fat percentage)—may affect menstruation and ovulation as well.

If you’re dealing with irregular menstrual cycles or ones that are particularly short (fewer than 21 days) or long (more than 35 days), Clark recommends you get evaluated by a physician to rule out any medical conditions that might be causing those irregular cycles. It’s true that tracking ovulation with irregular cycles can be more difficult, but keep in mind that ovulation occurs 14 days before the onset of menstruation, so even with irregular periods, you could still conceive at some point in your cycle.

If you’re planning to breastfeed exclusively (meaning baby won’t get any other source of nutrition), be aware that you likely won’t ovulate during that time. But there are always exceptions, so you can’t depend on breastfeeding as a method of birth control. Once baby is introduced to other foods or the occasional bottle, ovulation is likely to resume. Plan your birth control accordingly, unless you want to give baby the possible surprise of a new brother or sister!

How long does ovulation last?

So you’re probably wondering, for how many days do women ovulate? Once the mature egg is released from the surface of the ovary, it can potentially be fertilized for about 24 hours, explains Patricia Pollio, MD, director of OB-GYN at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York.

That said, you don’t have to have sex on the exact day of ovulation in order to get pregnant. In reality, there’s a six-day “fertile window” in your cycle—the five days leading up to ovulation and the day you ovulate, Moore says. Of those six days, you’re most fertile during the two to three days prior to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself.

Beyond 24 hours after ovulation, the egg is no longer viable and you typically can’t get pregnant until your next menstrual cycle. (If you’re not trying to conceive, though, you should still use birth control at all times as a precaution. )

How to Predict Ovulation

Whether you’re trying to conceive or merely want to get to know your body’s signs of ovulation, these indicators, including at-home and over-the-counter (OTC) tests, can help you learn how to tell if you’re ovulating (or are about to).

1. Basal body temperature monitoring

Sometimes referred to as BBT, your basal body temperature is the temperature of your body at rest. At the beginning of your cycle, basal body temperature remains fairly consistent and averages between 97.2 and 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit. As you get closer to ovulation, there’s a slight dip in basal body temperature followed by a sharp increase, typically of about 0.4 to 1.0 degrees, just after ovulation. One way to know if you’re ovulating is to track your basal body temperature over a series of months. Take your temperature with a digital thermometer designed for basal body (you can get one online as soon as you wake up—even before you get out of bed—and jot down the reading every morning. Keep in mind that from day to day, your BBT can fluctuate by half a degree or more, so don’t be fooled by a little blip—look for a sustained rise to confirm that you’ve ovulated. After several months the info will give you a good sense of when you usually ovulate so you can plan babymaking accordingly.

2. Menstrual charting

Another simple and inexpensive way to track ovulation is to record the days your period begins and ends for several months. If you have normal menstrual cycles—between 25 and 35 days—you’re likely to be ovulating regularly, with ovulation occurring about 14 days before menstruation. Make sure to write down whenever you experience potential signs of ovulation: Typical ovulation symptoms could include cramps, an increase in cervical mucus, breast tenderness, fluid retention, and appetite or mood changes. Keep reading for more about ovulation symptoms.

3. Ovulation kit

OTC ovulation predictor kits measure your levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), which can be detected in your urine. These kits work because ovulation typically hits about 10 to 12 hours after LH peaks—on day 14 to 15 of the menstrual cycle if your cycle is 28 days long. Your LH concentration should stay elevated for 14 to 27 hours to allow for full maturation of the egg.

Here’s how the ovulation kit works: Pee on the stick and wait for a line to appear. If the color of the line matches the shade shown on the instructions, ovulation is imminent—within 24 to 48 hours. If it’s too close to call, retest within the next 12 hours. Most kits come with a five-day supply of sticks, to be used in as many days, but check their expiration date: Most of them have a shelf life of only two years. While the majority of ovulation predictor tests can be used any time of day, many of them suggest testing first thing in the morning. For best results, test around the same time each day, and cut back your liquid intake for four hours beforehand, so your pee will be more concentrated and your LH easier to detect.

The real trick to finding success with an ovulation predictor kit is knowing when to start using it. If your cycle is regular, the charting you’ve been doing can help you identify that optimum window. If your cycles are irregular, your best bet is to pay attention to ovulation symptoms. Even if you’ve confirmed that ovulation is happening (through tests or other signs), try to wait to have sex until you notice an increase in cervical mucus, which will heighten the chances of conceiving.

4. Fertility monitor

While an ovulation predictor kit can identify when ovulation is expected to occur (giving you 24 hours for possible conception), a fertility monitor can identify your five most fertile days. The monitor measures LH and estrogen levels to identify your two peak fertile days, plus the one to five fertile days leading up to them. Some versions of the monitor store information from your previous six cycles to customize your fertility reading. Be aware, though, that because monitors give you more advanced information, they’re pricier than ovulation kits.

Ovulation Symptoms

Now, you’re probably wondering, can you feel ovulation happening? And what exactly does ovulation feel like? It can differ from woman to woman, but there are several common ovulation symptoms you may sense. Before and during ovulation, hormonal shifts can affect the entire body, prompting ovulation symptoms. These can be a powerful way to know when you’re ovulating. Many women will experience those ovulation symptoms for up to five days before ovulation as well as the day of, Pollio says, and they may last for a day after ovulation.

But if you don’t notice any signs you’re ovulating, don’t worry—it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. “Most women have no clue,” Moore says. If you can learn to recognize the common signs of ovulation listed below, it could help you predict when ovulation is likely to occur.

1. Cervical mucus changes

Cervical mucus changes are one ovulation symptom you may experience. As you near ovulation, your body produces more estrogen, causing cervical mucus to become stretchy and clear, like egg white, which helps sperm swim to the egg that’s released during ovulation. Cervical mucus changes happen in most women, Moore says, but you have to know what you’re looking for. The amount of cervical mucus and what it looks and feels like varies from woman to woman. To test it for ovulation, insert a clean finger into your vagina, remove some of the mucus and then stretch out the secretion between your thumb and finger. If it’s sticky and stretchy or very wet and slippery, that’s a good sign you’re in a fertile phase.

2. Heightened senses

For some women, a more sensitive sense of smell in the latter half of a normal menstruation cycle can be a sign of ovulation. In this fertile phase, your body is primed to be more attracted to the male pheromone androstenone. Some women also report a heightened sense of taste.

3. Breast soreness or tenderness

Tender breasts or sore nipples can be another sign of ovulation, thanks to the rush of hormones entering your body right before and after ovulation. Some women will experience this tenderness just before ovulation, while others may feel it right after ovulation occurs.

4.

Mild pelvic or lower abdominal pain

A lot of women wonder, can you feel ovulation? And for some, the answer is actually yes—typically as a mild ache or pain in the lower abdomen, usually on one side or the other (not the same side each time). So what are ovulation pains like? Called Mittelschmerz, ovulation pain can feel like a sharp or dull cramp on the side of your abdomen where the ovary is releasing the egg. This ovulation side effect can last anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours. You might also experience light vaginal bleeding, discharge or nausea along with the ache or pain, which is usually mild and short lived.

There’s no need to worry about ovulation pain that goes away with an OTC, anti-inflammatory medication (such as Motrin), Moore says. But if ovulation pain is persistent or severe, see a doctor to rule out conditions such as endometriosis or an ovarian cyst. Moore suggests monitoring and recording your ovulation symptoms every month to get a sense of what is normal for your body, so you can more easily spot any abnormal ovulation signs and symptoms. “When in doubt, check it out,” she adds.

Many women wonder whether ovulation pain is a sign of fertility. It can be, since it indicates that an egg is being released (although there’s no guarantee it’ll be fertilized that cycle.) But you can still be fertile without feeling any pain, so it’s best not to rely on this ovulation side effect as a way of assessing your fertility.

5. Light spotting or discharge

Brown discharge or spotting during ovulation is normal, if not that common. This ovulation symptom can occur when the follicle that surrounds and protects the developing oocyte (the egg) matures, grows and then ruptures, resulting in a small amount of bleeding. As blood gets older, it turns brown, which is why the ovulation discharge may range from red to dark brown. It’s not a cause for concern unless the spotting persists, in which case you should see a physician to check for signs of infection and the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy if you’ve been sexually active.

6. Libido changes

A change in libido is another common ovulation symptom. Some women notice that their sex drive increases during ovulation, which might be Mother Nature’s way of ensuring we keep the species alive and well! But, as Moore says, “sex drive can be influenced by just about anything, including whether you had a glass of wine or are just in the mood.”

7. Changes in the cervix

During ovulation, your cervix may become higher, softer and more open. You can check your cervix, along with your mucus, for ovulation symptoms, but it can take time to learn the differences you’re feeling for and is often more difficult than watching for the other signs of ovulation mentioned above. If you’d like to try and get more comfortable checking for cervical changes as a sign of ovulation, Moore recommends standing in whatever position you use to insert a tampon (for example, next to the toilet with one foot up on the closed seat) and using your finger to feel inside. In many women with a regular cycle, right before ovulation the cervix will be softer, like touching your lips, but after ovulation it will feel harder, more like touching the tip of your nose. An OB can also check for cervical changes using a speculum and help give you more guidance on how to do it at home.

8. Nausea and headaches

Many women ask, “can ovulation make you feel sick?” The answer is yes. Nausea and headaches are two possible ovulation side effects due to the change in your estrogen and progesterone levels.

9. Changes in your basal body temperature

While you may not actually feel this symptom, it can still be a sign of ovulation. As mentioned above, your basal body temperature will rise during ovulation and stay elevated during that time. After tracking your basal body temperature for a few months, you’ll begin to more easily notice the patterns and identify notable changes.

Understanding when you ovulate is key to getting pregnant, but it can also give you clues about why you’re suddenly experiencing certain symptoms. When you know the signs of ovulation, you can be better prepared, regardless of whether or not you’re trying to conceive. The more in tune you are with your body, the better you’ll be able to predict when ovulation will occur.

About the experts:

Donnica L. Moore, MD, is a women’s health expert and advocate, as well as president of Sapphire Women’s Health Group in Chester, New Jersey. She has been a women’s health contributor for NBC’s Later Today and guest on NBC’s Weekend Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, Good Morning America and CNN-International.* She received her medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine.

Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS, is an OB-GYN and maternal fetal medicine specialist, as well as an associate professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in Galveston, Texas. She earned her medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine, in Louisville, Kentucky, and completed her residency at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Patricia Pollio, MD, is the director of OB-GYN at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York. She received her medical degree from Joan Sanford I Weill Medical College Of Cornell University in 1989 and has been in practice for more than 30 years.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

8 Signs of Fertility to Look For Each Month

What Affects Your Fertility (and How to Boost It)

Sex Ed for Baby-Making

What to Expect, Timing, and Tracking

Ovulation can sometimes be associated with bloating, tender breasts, and a slight increase in your basal body temperature. Not everyone experiences these changes, though.

Ovulation occurs when hormonal changes signal your ovaries to release a mature egg. It usually happens once a month in the middle of your menstrual cycle, but it can occur more than once a month or not at all.

Keep reading to learn how to recognize the typical signs and symptoms of ovulation.

Ovulation happens when an egg leaves your ovaries and travels to the fallopian tubes, where it can be fertilized by sperm.

This process is driven by reproductive hormones. Prior to ovulation, your levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) rise. This is known as the LH surge.

The LH surge causes the follicle to swell and rupture. This releases an egg that then travels through the fallopian tube.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels also rise during ovulation, but its role is less well-understood.

When do you ovulate?

Ovulation usually occurs in the middle of your menstrual cycle. It happens after the follicular phase and about 2 weeks before your period starts. The follicular phase is when egg-containing pods ripen and one of the eggs matures,

However, this process can vary a lot from person to person and month to month. In general, you should ovulate about 2 weeks before the start of your period.

Ovulation sometimes happens more than once a month. In other cases, it does not occur at all, even when menstruation takes place. This can make it hard to track, but paying attention to physical changes may help you identify when you’re ovulating.

Listed below are the most common signs and symptoms of ovulation. However, these can vary a lot from one person to the next. It’s typical to notice some of them one month and not the next.

Also, keep in mind that not experiencing any of these signs or symptoms does not mean you’re not ovulating.

Ovulation pain (mittelschmerz)

Some people experience slight pelvic discomfort or mild cramps before or during ovulation. Often referred to as mittelschmerz, pelvic discomfort that’s associated with ovulation may be caused by the rupturing of the follicle and the release of tiny amounts of blood or fluid.

These sensations are sometimes described as a twinge or pop. They can be felt in either ovary and may vary in location and intensity from month to month.

Some people may experience ovarian pain on alternating sides of their body each month, but it’s a myth that your ovaries take turns releasing eggs.

The discomfort may last for only a few moments, but some people feel mild discomfort for longer periods of time.

You may also feel a burning sensation caused by the release of fluid from the follicle when the egg is expelled. This fluid sometimes causes irritation in the abdominal lining or surrounding area. A feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen may also accompany these sensations.

Ovary pain may also be unrelated to ovulation.

Changes in body temperature

Basal body temperature (BBT) refers to your temperature when you first wake up in the morning, prior to getting up and moving around.

Your BBT rises by about 1°F or less during the 24-hour window after ovulation occurs. This is caused by the secretion of progesterone.

If pregnancy does not happen, your BBT will remain raised until your period starts.

Tracking your BBT may provide clues about your ovulation pattern from month to month, but this method is not foolproof.

An older study of over 200 women found that late ovulation cannot be predicted by any method and that no signs of ovulation, including BBT, correspond perfectly with the release of an egg.

BBT charting can also be unreliable for people who have even slightly irregular periods.

Changes in cervical mucus

Cervical mucus consists primarily of water. It changes in consistency during your fertile window because of changes in the levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone and may provide clues about ovulation.

The change in cervical mucus consistency around the time of ovulation helps transport sperm to an egg.

During your fertile window, this nutrient-rich, slippery fluid increases in volume. It also becomes thinner, stretchy in texture, and clear in color. Cervical mucus is often described as having an egg-white consistency during this time.

In the days leading up to ovulation, you may notice more discharge than usual because of an increase in cervical mucus volume.

When you’re at your most fertile, cervical mucus may help keep sperm alive for an average of 3 days but potentially up to 5 days. This increases your chance of conception and provides lubrication for intercourse.

You can check the consistency of cervical mucous by observing it in your underwear liner.

Changes in saliva

Estrogen and progesterone can alter the consistency of dried saliva before or during ovulation, causing patterns to form. These patterns may look similar to crystals or ferns in some people with periods.

However, smoking, eating, drinking, and brushing your teeth can all mask these patterns, making them a less reliable indicator of ovulation.

Other possible signs of ovulation

Some more potential signs of ovulation include:

  • Tender breasts. Some people report breast tenderness or sore nipples around the time of ovulation.
  • Bloating. Some people feel bloated before and during ovulation. Since bloating occurs at other moments during your cycle, particularly during menstruation, it’s not necessarily a reliable indicator of ovulation.

The ovulation phase of your menstrual cycle typically lasts between 16 and 32 hours, starting with the LH surge and ending when the egg is released.

Ovulation generally occurs 24 to 48 hours after the LH surge.

You can become pregnant both before and after ovulation. This is called the fertile window.

Your fertile window starts up to 4 days prior to ovulation and extends for 1 day after ovulation. You are most fertile on the day before ovulation and the day of ovulation.

If you’re trying to get pregnant, you may find it helpful to track your ovulation. Even if you are not trying to conceive, monitoring your cycle may be a useful way of understanding more about your overall health, energy levels, mood changes, and when you can expect your period to start.

To track ovulation, try to keep a record of the following information:

  • your menstruation dates
  • descriptions of your menstrual blood
  • descriptions of your cervical mucus
  • your BBT readings
  • physical changes, such as cramps, pain, bloating, or breast tenderness
  • other relevant information, such as your mood, libido, and energy levels

You can use any calendar or journal to track ovulation. There are a number of printable templates to track your menstrual cycle available online. In addition, organizations such as the American Pregnancy Association and the March of Dimes provide online ovulation predictors.

Fertility charts are another option. They require you to plot your morning temperature readings on a graph, providing a handy visual of the rise in your BBT after ovulation.

Finally, there are a number of apps you can use to help you track your cycle. While these apps may help you determine when you’re most likely to be fertile, they may not be able to reliably predict the day of ovulation, according to a 2018 study.

Most at-home ovulation tests measure LH levels in your urine, a relatively reliable predictor of ovulation. There are many different types of tests you can use, including:

  • Ovulation tests. This type of test lets you know if you’re fertile on the day you take the test. Like a pregnancy test, it involves urinating on a stick for a positive (fertile) or negative (not fertile) result. Digital versions are also available.
  • Ovulation predictors. Predictor kits measure and track your levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) over several months to determine when you’re most fertile. This test typically requires daily urine testing outside of menstruation.
  • BBT monitors. You can track your temperature orally each day and record it in a journal or with an app.
  • Saliva tests. Saliva tests indicate when you’re nearing ovulation. However, these tests tend to be less effective than urine tests. They tend to be most effective if used daily over several months, first thing in the morning.
  • Fertility kits. At-home fertility kits offer a comprehensive look at both you and your partner’s fertility. In addition to analyzing reproductive hormones such as LH in urine, they may also analyze sperm quality via an ejaculate.

At-home ovulation tests and fertility kits can be helpful if you’re trying to conceive. Many claim a high level of accuracy, but it’s important to follow package instructions in order to maximize their effectiveness.

Keep in mind that ovulation tests cannot diagnose fertility issues. For example, it’s possible to experience an LH surge without ovulating.

Similarly, at-home ovulation predictor tests do not provide information about non-hormonal causes of infertility, such as:

  • blocked fallopian tubes
  • fibroids
  • hostile cervical mucus

Finally, at-home sperm tests are not definitive indicators of sperm quality. If you suspect that you or your partner have fertility issues, it’s important to talk with a doctor or fertility specialist.

People who have irregular periods often have irregular ovulation or do not ovulate at all. You can also have regular periods and still not ovulate.

Your physician may order bloodwork and imaging tests such as a sonogram to try and determine if you’re ovulating.

If you’re thinking about conceiving, consider talking with a doctor before you start trying. They can help determine if there are any obvious reasons that you may have trouble conceiving.

Fertility declines with age, but even young people can have infertility issues. Talk with a fertility specialist if you’re having difficulty conceiving if:

  • you’re under 35 and unable to get pregnant within 1 year of actively trying
  • you’re over 35 and unable to get pregnant within 6 months of actively trying

It’s also important to note that 70 to 80 percent of couples will get pregnant after 12 months of trying to conceive, but this can vary with age.

Many infertility issues in either partner can be resolved without expensive or invasive procedures. Keep in mind that the longer you wait, the more stress you might feel. If you’re having sex during your fertile window and not getting pregnant, you do not have to wait to get help.

Some people experience signs and symptoms of ovulation. These can include abdominal pain or cramps, bloating, slightly elevated body temperature, changes in cervical mucus and saliva, and breast tenderness.

Ovulation is a part of your fertile window, but pregnancy can happen up to 5 days prior and 1 day after you’ve ovulated.

Ovulation predictor kits may help you pin down when you’re ovulating but should not be used long-term if you do not become pregnant. There are many causes of infertility that are not associated with ovulation. Many of these can be managed or treated with medical and infertility support.

Signs of ovulation | Clinic MEdel

OVULATION (from lat. ovum - egg) - release of a mature egg capable of fertilization from the ovarian follicle into the abdominal cavity; stage of the menstrual cycle (ovarian cycle). Ovulation in women of childbearing age occurs periodically (every 21-35 days). The frequency of ovulation is regulated by neurohumoral mechanisms, mainly gonadotropic hormones of the anterior pituitary gland and ovarian follicular hormone. Ovulation contributes to the accumulation of follicular fluid and thinning of the ovarian tissue located above the protruding pole of the follicle. The rhythm of ovulation , which is constant for every woman, undergoes changes within 3 months after an abortion, within a year after childbirth, and also after 40 years, when the body is preparing for the premenopausal period. Stops ovulation with the onset of pregnancy and after the extinction of menstrual function. Setting a deadline ovulation is important when choosing the most effective time for fertilization, artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization.

Signs of ovulation

Subjective signs of ovulation may be short-term pain in the lower abdomen. objective signs of ovulation are an increase in mucous discharge from the vagina and a decrease in rectal (basal) temperature on the day of ovulation with an increase in it the next day, an increase in the content of progesterone in the blood plasma, etc. Violation of ovulation is due to dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system and can be caused by inflammation of the genitals, dysfunction of the adrenal cortex or thyroid gland, systemic diseases, tumors of the pituitary and hypothalamus , stressful situations. Lack of ovulation at childbearing age (anovulation) is manifested by a violation of the rhythm of menstruation by the type of oligomenorrhea (menstruation lasting 1-2 days), amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Absence ovulation (anovulation) is always the cause of a woman's infertility. Methods for restoring ovulation are determined by the cause that caused anovulation, and require an appointment with a gynecologist and special treatment.

Some women experience peak sexual arousal on days 90,003 of ovulation 90,004. However, the use of a physiological method of contraception against pregnancy, based on sexual abstinence during ovulation , is especially difficult for young spouses, whose frequency of sexual intercourse reaches a fairly high level. In addition, with strong love excitement and nervous stress, additional ovulation can occur (especially with episodic, irregular intercourse), and then not one, but two eggs mature in one menstrual cycle. This should be remembered when choosing one or another method of contraception.

As soon as every healthy girl at the age of 11-15 begins to menstruate, which is an indicator of her body's readiness for childbearing, then there are problems associated with counting the days of the menstrual cycle and the legitimate question why menstruation does not occur, or vice versa, why the long-awaited pregnancy does not occur. . This makes a woman think and wait all the time, be in the dark about what happens to her every month. And so every month for decades.

Length of menstruation and cycle

Ideal menstruation lasts 3-5 days and repeats every 28 days. However, for some women, this cycle takes 19 days or even less, while for others it lasts from 35 to 45 days, which is a feature of their body, and not a violation of menstrual function. The duration of menstruation also, depending on the organism, can vary within a week. All this should not cause alarm in a woman, but a delay of more than two months, called opsometry or more than six months - amenorrhea, should alert the woman and make sure to find out the cause with a gynecologist.

Length of menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is a complex physiological process that continues in women up to 45-55 years. It is regulated by the so-called sex centers located in the middle part of the diencephalon - the hypothalamus. The changes that occur during the menstrual cycle are most pronounced in the uterus and ovaries. In the ovary, under the influence of hormones produced by the ovarian follicles, partly by the adrenal cortex and testes, the main follicle, which contains the egg, grows and matures. The mature follicle ruptures and the egg, together with the follicular fluid, enters the abdominal cavity, and then into the fallopian tube. The process of rupture of the follicle and the release of a mature (suitable for fertilization) egg from its cavity is called ovulation , which, with a 28-day cycle, occurs most often between the 13th and 15th days.

Corpus luteum, estrogen, progesterone

A corpus luteum forms at the site of the ruptured follicle. These morphological changes in the ovary are accompanied by the release of sex steroid hormones - estrogens and progesterone. Estrogens are secreted by the maturing follicle, and progesterone by the corpus luteum.

The release of estrogen has two maxima - during ovulation and during the period of maximum activity of the corpus luteum. So, for example, if the normal estrogen content is about 10 µg/l, then during ovulation it is about 50 µg/l, and during pregnancy, especially towards the end of it, the estrogen content in the blood increases to 70-80 µg/l per due to a sharp increase in the biosynthesis of estrogens in the placenta.

Together with progesterone, estrogens promote the implantation (introduction) of a fertilized egg, maintain pregnancy and promote childbirth. Estrogens play an important role in the regulation of many biochemical processes, are involved in carbohydrate metabolism, lipid distribution, stimulate the synthesis of amino acids, nucleic acids and proteins. Estrogens contribute to the deposition of calcium in bone tissue, delay the release of sodium, potassium, phosphorus and water from the body, that is, increase their concentration both in the blood and in electrolytes (urine, saliva, nasal secretions, tears) of the body.

The secretion of estrogens is controlled by the anterior pituitary gland and its genadotropic hormones: follicle-stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing (LH).

Under the influence of estrogens in the first phase of the menstrual cycle, called folliculin, regeneration occurs in the uterus, that is, the restoration and growth of its mucous membrane - the endometrium, the growth of glands that stretch in length and become convoluted. The mucous membrane of the uterus thickens 4-5 times. In the glands of the cervix, the secretion of mucous secretion increases, the cervical canal expands, and becomes easily passable for spermatozoa. In the mammary glands, the epithelium grows inside the milk ducts.

In the second phase, called luteal (from the Latin word luteus - yellow), under the influence of progesterone, the intensity of metabolic processes in the body decreases. The growth of the mucous membrane of the body of the uterus stops, it becomes loose, edematous, a secret appears in the glands, which creates favorable conditions for attaching a fertilized egg to the mucous membrane and developing the embryo. The glands stop secreting mucus, the cervical canal closes. In the mammary glands, from the overgrown epithelium of the end sections of the milk ducts, alveoli arise, capable of producing and secreting milk.

If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum dies, the functional layer of the endometrium is rejected, and menstruation occurs. Monthly bleeding varies from three to seven days, the amount of blood lost is from 40 to 150 g.

It should be noted that different women have a noticeable difference in the timing of ovulation . And even for the same woman, the exact timing of the onset fluctuates in different months. In some women, cycles are characterized by exceptional irregularity. In other cases, cycles may be longer or shorter than the average - 14 days. In rare cases, it happens that in women with a very short cycle ovulation occurs around the end of the period of menstrual bleeding, but still, in most cases, ovulation occurs quite regularly.

If, for one reason or another, ovulation does not occur , the endometrial layer in the uterus is thrown out during menstruation. If the fusion of the egg and sperm has occurred, then the cytoplasm of the egg begins to vibrate very strongly, as if the egg is experiencing an orgasm. Sperm penetration is the final stages of egg maturation. All that remains of a spermatozoon is its nucleus, where 23 chromosomes are densely packed (half the set of a normal cell). The sperm nucleus is now rapidly approaching the egg nucleus, which also contains 23 chromosomes. The two cores are slowly touching. Their shells dissolve and their fusion occurs, as a result of which they are divided into pairs and form 46 chromosomes. Of the 23 chromosomes of the sperm, 22 are completely analogous to the chromosomes of the egg. They determine all the physical characteristics of a person except gender. In the remaining pair from the egg there is always an X chromosome, and from the sperm there can be an X or Y chromosome. Thus, if there are 2 XX chromosomes in this set, then a girl will be born, if XY, then a boy.

Studies conducted at the National Institute of Environmental Medical Problems (North Carolina) showed that the time of conception in relation to the time of onset of ovulation depends not only on the actual conception of a child, but also on its gender.

The probability of conception is maximum on day of ovulation and is estimated at about 33%. A high probability is also noted on the day before ovulation - 31%, two days before it - 27%. Five days before ovulation the probability of conception is estimated to be 10% four days before ovulation - 14% and three days - 16%. Six days before ovulation and the day after ovulation, the probability of conception during sexual intercourse is very small.

Considering that the average “lifespan” of spermatozoa is 2-3 days (in rare cases it reaches 5-7 days), and the female egg remains viable for about 12-24 hours, then the maximum duration of the “dangerous” period is 6- 9days and the “dangerous” period corresponds to the phase of slow rise (6-7 days) and rapid decline (1-2 days) before and after the day of ovulation , respectively. Ovulation , as noted above, divides the menstrual cycle into two phases: the follicle maturation phase, which, with an average cycle duration of 10-16 days, and the luteal phase (corpus luteum phase), which is stable, independent of the duration of the menstrual cycle and is 12-16 days. The phase of the corpus luteum is referred to as the period of absolute infertility, it begins 1-2 days after ovulation and ends with the onset of a new menstruation.

How to independently determine the beginning of ovulation and not make a mistake

Ovulation is the release of an egg from the follicle. It can be tracked with an ultrasound. Or you can do an ovulation test. But some women claim that they feel it without any auxiliary means. Are you one of those?

Ovulation formula

Knowing when ovulation occurs is important for two things: if a woman wants to get pregnant or if a woman chooses a calendar method of contraception. The fertile period - the period when fertilization can occur - lasts approximately six days: five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation. The highest probability of conception is within two days before and on the day of ovulation.

Calculating the day of ovulation mathematically makes sense if you have a very clear and stable menstrual cycle. The length of the first phase of the cycle varies. The second phase is more stable and lasts 14 days. Accordingly, in order to calculate the day of ovulation, it is necessary to subtract 14 from the cycle length. In an ideal 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs exactly in the middle: 28-14 = 14. In a short cycle, it will occur earlier: for example, with a cycle length of 24 days, ovulation will have to around day 10. In the long - later: 33-14 \u003d 19. For women whose menstrual cycle fluctuates by several days, the formula becomes more complicated: you need to take into account the duration of both the shortest and longest cycles, calculate the average. Still, the figure will only be approximate.

A woman can determine the days favorable for conception if she pays attention to the changes that occur to her on certain days of the cycle. These changes are most noticeable in the uterine mucosa and cervix.

Mucus

Cervical glands produce mucus. Usually it is thick: a real cork that closes the cervical canal and prevents infections from passing into the uterus. In such thick mucus, sperm cells quickly lose their mobility, and it is difficult for them to rise into the uterine cavity. But the main (dominant) follicle growing in the ovary, from which the egg will be released, produces the hormone estradiol. The more estradiol, the more cervical mucus becomes and the thinner it is. On the eve of ovulation, it becomes extensible, like egg white. In some women, this viscous transparent discharge in the middle of the cycle is very noticeable. For some - a few days before ovulation, for others - only on the day of ovulation itself. This is individual.

Pain

Ovulation may be indicated by pain in the lower abdomen on the days of the cycle, not associated with menstrual bleeding. The pain can be in the lower abdomen in the center or on the right / left - depending on which ovary the dominant follicle matures. The pain is often of a pulling nature. It may be accompanied by slight bloating or a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen. At first, the pain is slight, but within a couple of days it can intensify. These pains are associated with an increase in the level of biologically active substances in the body of a woman before ovulation - prostaglandins. Prostaglandins dissolve the wall of the follicle and ovarian tissue so that the egg can be released into the abdominal cavity, and from there into the fallopian tube. The "side effect" of prostaglandins is pain. Just like a change in the nature of cervical mucus, pain associated with ovulation may occur only on the day of ovulation itself or be noted on the eve of ovulation and even a day or two after it.

How to understand that pain is associated with ovulation

It is important to understand that pain in the lower abdomen can be associated with much less pleasant causes than ovulation.

How to understand that this is exactly “it”.

  • The pain lasts 1-3 days and goes away on its own.
  • Pain recurs in several cycles.
  • Approximately 14 days after such pain comes the next menstruation.

Ovulation pain is moderate and does not require pain medication. Severe pain indicates a health problem. If the pain on the days of the alleged ovulation is severe, you need to contact a gynecologist. Other alarming symptoms accompanying pain in the lower abdomen and which may indicate a problem with the uterus and appendages: fever, increased discharge (leucorrhoea) from the genital tract, discoloration of the leucorrhoea from transparent or white to yellow-green, spotting. By the way, taking painkillers and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) on the days of expected ovulation or shortly before ovulation can reduce the chances of conception.

Technical aids

Home test

Ovulation can be determined with a home test available from a pharmacy. The principle of the study is based on determining the concentration of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. The level of LH in women fluctuates depending on the period of the menstrual cycle. Just before ovulation, it reaches its maximum values. The ovulation test makes it possible to register the peak of LH release into the blood. After the maximum LH surge, ovulation occurs within the next 36 hours. Therefore, with a positive ovulation test, this and the following days are most favorable for conception.

Folliculometry

This is a series of ultrasound examinations carried out during one or more menstrual cycles. During folliculometry, the growth of follicles and changes in the endometrium are assessed according to the day of the menstrual cycle, and the fact of ovulation is also ascertained. The average size of the dominant follicle, at which ovulation can occur, is 18-25 mm.

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