To understand ovulation, first, we need to understand the menstrual cycle. Every woman’s menstrual cycle is different, the average woman’s cycle lasts for 28 days, and some women will have shorter or longer cycles (21 to 35 days). For a woman with a 28 day cycle it can be expected she will ovulate around day 14 (mid-point), however those with different cycle lengths will ovulate at different times - those women with short cycles may ovulate around day 10 whilst those with longer cycles may not ovulate until day 16-18.
Your body gives you several clues during your menstrual cycle as to when the most and least fertile times are, so it is good to learn a little bit more about what to look out for.
Common Signs That You Are Ovulating
There are several signs and symptoms that indicate ovulation is happening.
1. Cervical mucus (or discharge) significantly increases, and is often clear, stretchy, and slippery, resembling egg white. Nature is wise, and this slippery discharge is very ‘sperm-friendly,’ helping sperm travel more quickly through your reproductive system to meet the egg released from your ovary.
2. Basal Body Temperature (BBT), progesterone is released BBT can rise by 0.5 degrees and stay raised until your next period.
3. Mittelschmerz, a dull ache on one side of the lower abdomen. This is known as mittelschmerz, which means ‘middle pain’ in German and is associated with ovulation.
4. Changes in the cervix, the position of the cervix and its consistency (how it feels to touch) change throughout the menstrual cycle.
5. Feeling more sexual, from a survival-of-the-species point of view, nature is wise and wants you to have babies! During, your most fertile days, you may feel more sexual and, perhaps, sexier!
6. A positive result on an ovulation strip, Luteinising hormone (LH) surges 24-36 hours before ovulation occurs, and this surge is what the ovulation strip checks for to predict fertility, the ovulation stick will give you a positive result. Unfortunately, a surge of LH does not guarantee ovulation. If you have polyendocrine metabolic syndrome (PMOS), you are over 40 or approaching the menopause, a positive ovulation result may not necessarily indicate ovulation, as LH levels can surge or be higher and not followed by ovulation.
When are you most likely to get pregnant?
There are a few days in your cycle when you are most fertile and, therefore, most likely to conceive, including ovulation day. And this is known as your ‘fertile window’.
For women who have regular cycles lasting 28-31 days, their fertile window tends to take place mid-cycle. Your ‘fertility window’ can start before you get a positive result on an ovulation strip, as your ‘sperm-friendly’ cervical mucus helps keep sperm alive for a few days.
Current NHS advice about charting ovulation is to move from using ovulation strips to having unprotected sexual intercourse (UPSI) every 2-3 days per week throughout your menstrual cycle which gives the optimal chance of conceiving. Sperm can live in the uterus, fallopian tubes, and cervix for around 5-7 days (although many of them don't survive the acidity of the vagina) meaning that UPSI at least 2-3 times a week is now the recommendation from fertility experts.
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