Ovulation is the so-called X day, which is eagerly awaited by many couples who want to conceive a baby as soon as possible. This day can be calculated and determined independently or with the help of specialists.

You can get pregnant only on certain days of the cycle, about seven of them in one month. For most young girls this is real news! It turns out that not everything is as simple as it seemed during my student years.

Every woman should have an idea of ​​what ovulation is. For some, this is an opportunity to get pregnant quickly, for others, on the contrary, to avoid unwanted motherhood. In the second case, you should not rely only on calculations; you should always use additional methods of contraception.

During ovulation, an egg (and in rare cases more than one) is released from an ovarian follicle in anticipation of a sperm for fertilization. If conception does not occur, the egg dies and the next period begins. And so on from month to month. Critical days replace ovulation and vice versa, this happens from the moment of puberty until the onset of menopause.

Conception occurs if, during ovulation (plus or minus a few days), sexual intercourse occurs and the most active sperm reaches its goal. Why are several days favorable for fertilization, and not one, the day of ovulation itself? The fact is that sperm can live in the female body for several days, traveling through the fallopian tubes. Therefore, theoretically, you can get pregnant on the second or third day after intercourse. For example, you are driving, and you don’t know that an important event has happened at that very second! By the way, knowing this principle, you can try to guess the gender of the child.

Whether you get a boy or a girl depends entirely on your man. The fact is that a woman always has an X chromosome, but a man either has an X or a Y. With a combination of XX, the result is a girl, and with XY, a boy. Each sperm contains both chromosomes, but one is initially more pronounced than the other. In simple words, we can formulate this way: each sperm carries a feminine or masculine principle.

“Male” sperm reach their goal faster, and “female” sperm, in turn, live much longer. This means that in order to become pregnant with a girl, sexual intercourse is necessary 2-3 days before ovulation. During this time, the “male” sperm will die, giving way to the “female” ones. But for a boy, it’s better to wait just until day X. The boys will shoot ahead, overtaking the girls and trying to reach the goal as quickly as possible. It is clear that there is no 100% guarantee, but still the chances of getting the desired gender increase significantly if you adhere to these rules.

Whether you want a boy, a girl, or just get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby, it all comes down to one thing - you need to determine the favorable time for conception. This can be done both at home and with the help of specialists. In addition, the body itself can tell you that it is ready for fertilization.

Signs of ovulation

It will be news to some, but ovulation is often accompanied by certain signs, although in many women it is asymptomatic. Some of them you can notice on your own:

1. Change in the nature of discharge. They become somewhat more plentiful, with a consistency reminiscent of a raw egg.
2. Increased sexual desire. This is how nature cleverly planned for the continuation of the human race.
3. Sensitivity in the chest area, even pain is possible. This occurs due to a hormonal surge during ovulation.
4. During ovulation, the stomach pulls on the right or left. This is explained by the release of the egg from the right or left ovary.
5. Increase in basal temperature.
6. Changes in the cervix. It softens a little and opens slightly, hence the change in the nature of the discharge.
7. A surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). Due to this, mature eggs are released.

A woman can notice the first four signs on her own, but the last three only with the help of specialists or special devices.

In rare cases, women experience anovulation - the absence of ovulation as such, a disruption of the menstrual cycle. If a couple cannot conceive a child for a long time, the first step is an ultrasound to track the progress of ovulation.

How to determine ovulation

If a woman does not have pain during ovulation, she may not even know that she is now ready to conceive. Discharge during ovulation also does not necessarily have to be unique for everyone and in each cycle. And a change in sexual desire is quite a subjective sign. Therefore, there are a number of ways to determine ovulation at home or with the help of doctors.

Ovulation calendar

So, we take the most ordinary calendar, in which the start and end dates of critical days are recorded for several months, and so on for at least six months.

First, based on these data, you need to calculate the length of the cycle, that is, the number of days between the first days of menstruation in two months in a row. We subtract 14 from the resulting indicator and get the day of ovulation. For example, if the cycle is consistently 28 days, then ovulation will occur on the 14th day of the cycle. From here it becomes clear why calculating the day of ovulation is possible only for girls with a regular cycle. If it constantly jumps, and in one month it is 27 days, in another 35, then it is difficult to predict how many days it will have in the next month.

Ovulation tests

Nowadays there are not only pregnancy tests on sale, but also ovulation tests. Unlike the former, they respond to an increase in LH, and not hCG.

Tests should begin to be done a few days before expected ovulation, since the hormone begins to rise 1-2 days before the egg is released from the ovary.

Unlike a pregnancy test, ovulation tests have some nuances that should be taken into account to ensure the results are as accurate as possible:

1. Morning urine is not suitable! The optimal interval for collecting urine is from 10-00 to 20-00.
2. You do not need to drink any liquids for 4 hours before the test.
3. You should refrain from going to the toilet for 2 hours.
4. Read the instructions carefully! Each type of test has its own nuances. Somewhere you need to collect urine, somewhere on the contrary, it’s enough to place it under the stream.

There are more expensive tests that can detect ovulation using saliva rather than urine.

Basal temperature measurement

It is necessary to measure the temperature in the rectum the next morning immediately after sleep. On the day of ovulation it should increase. Based on the data, you can even create your own ovulation calendar, and if you keep it for several months, you can try to make a forecast for the future. However, again, it will only be accurate for girls with a constant and regular cycle.

It should be borne in mind that the temperature may jump slightly in case of illness, restless and short sleep (less than 6 hours), or taking alcoholic beverages or medications the day before. When measuring temperature, this feature of the body must be taken into account!

After the critical days and before ovulation, the temperature has slight fluctuations - approximately 36.6 - 36.9. But immediately after ovulation, its values ​​​​exceed the reading of 37 degrees.

In order to obtain the most accurate measurement results, it is necessary to measure the temperature with one thermometer and under equal conditions - at the same time after a quiet, long sleep.

Medical diagnosis

Usually, doctors can determine ovulation of the ovary during examination in the gynecological chair. As already mentioned, on this day the cervix visually changes, softening and opening slightly.

To confirm ovulation, a woman may be sent for an ultrasound. With the help of modern equipment, diagnosticians are able to determine whether ovulation has occurred, and if so, at what stage it is.

Typically, medical diagnosis is carried out after unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant for a long time. You should start coming for an ultrasound on the 10th day after your period. In order for specialists to track the growth of the dominant follicle in the ovary, they will have to come several times until the diameter of the follicle is about 20 cm. Then it will rupture and another egg will be released, ready for fertilization. During this period, you will be able to see on the screen the corpus luteum, located in the ovary without a follicle.

Some nuances you should know

First of all, this will be of interest to women who calculate ovulation for contraception purposes. As already mentioned, this method is very dubious. There are millions of examples of unwanted pregnancies caused by blind numbers. Therefore, in order not to think about the moral side of abortion, which is officially permitted in our country, it is better to play it safe and always use additional methods of contraception. Some people have been trying to conceive a baby for years, while others succeed unexpectedly and on the first try. You should not play this roulette if you are not ready to become parents.

There are several other factors that work against the calendar method. It turns out, paradoxical as it may sound, if a woman does not have regular sex life, her chances of pregnancy are much higher! At the very first sexual intercourse, unscheduled ovulation may occur - the body will not want to miss such a rare opportunity. After all, nature created a woman to procreate.

Having sex during menstruation is considered safe. Indeed, during this period the environment is quite unfavorable for sperm and they die earlier than usual. However, if a woman has an irregular ovulation cycle, then there is still a chance of getting pregnant. If sexual intercourse occurred in the last days of menstruation, and ovulation occurred earlier than usual, there is a chance that sperm will wait for the egg in the fallopian tubes.

Children are our joy; we have them for the rest of our long and happy lives. Therefore, the issue of pregnancy should be approached very responsibly, planning it in advance and creating appropriate conditions for the unborn baby. Remember that unloved and unwanted children always feel their attitude towards them, growing up angry and distrustful of the world around them.

Let's summarize

So, ovulation is a process in a woman’s body that signals that she is ready to conceive. It should be calculated and determined by other methods for couples who want to have a baby in the near future. It is useless to do this as contraception; it is better not to skimp and use other methods.

Video " Symptoms of ovulation - 8 main signs"

Ovulation, the date of which you can calculate right now, is the only day in the month when a woman can become pregnant. Many ladies take the opportunity to calculate ovulation online in order to bring the long-awaited motherhood closer. Other women, on the contrary, try to protect themselves from unplanned pregnancy in this way. But, unfortunately, both programs and doctors can make mistakes. And if in the first case, calculating ovulation with a calculator is done more for the sake of interest, then in the second, an incorrect result can lead to very negative consequences. So, you shouldn’t place all your hopes only on this method.

But if you still decide to try, then you should understand what ovulation is, how to calculate it, and what you need to know and be able to do for this.

One of the most popular, accessible and reliable methods is to draw up a chart based on the results of basal temperature measurements. To compile it, you will need to measure your rectal temperature every day for at least 3 months in the morning, while not forgetting to enter all the data obtained into a tablet in order to create a graph later.

The next way is to determine when ovulation occurs using a test, calculate it, or rather, you can clearly see the result without using a calculator or a graph. The test must be done several days in a row. The test strip itself is practically no different from the one used to determine pregnancy, and the technique is also not new. The only difference is in the chemical reactions.

Ovulation, calculate, calculator, all kinds of tests and charts, ultrasound - all these terms and actions are so difficult and expensive. But you can trust your own feelings! When a woman’s body is ready to conceive, it begins to send certain signals. First of all, this affects sexual desire - it becomes noticeably stronger. The amount of vaginal discharge also increases. But the main thing here is not to confuse this natural cyclical process with an infectious disease. Some women may feel discomfort in the area of ​​the ovary where the egg has matured. Well, confirming the accuracy of all the above signs, finding out whether ovulation occurred, calculating online, using a calendar - all this is not a problem.

But keep in mind that the only 100% method of calculating this favorable, and for some, dangerous day, is ultrasound.

Problems with conception are quite common today, and this also applies to absolutely healthy young couples.

Stress, strong emotional disturbances, a sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, excess weight and many other factors can contribute to this.

Even poor nutrition can cause a long-awaited pregnancy to never occur. If a man consumes few foods containing zinc, selenium and chromium, the activity of his sperm drops sharply, they lose viability, and the overall quality of sperm deteriorates.

If the spouses are healthy and do not have chronic diseases, then the method of determining ovulation can help speed up conception. Determining the most favorable day for fertilization has long been used in IVF clinics and reproduction centers, but this does not mean that a woman cannot independently calculate the day of ovulation.

Ovulation is the release of mature eggs from the follicle into the cavity of the fallopian tube. This is where fertilization occurs if the sperm reaches its goal. It is important to understand that the lifespan of an egg outside the ovaries is no more than 24 hours, so women who want to get pregnant should not miss this opportunity.

Ovulation occurs only once a month, however, there are cases when eggs come out of the follicles only 8–10 times per year instead of the required twelve. Most often, this occurs in women with an inconsistent menstrual cycle, as well as disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.

All girls and women who are sexually active and cannot get pregnant within a year are recommended by gynecologists to keep an ovulation calendar, which allows, even with an error, to calculate the day of conception. This will help determine favorable days for conception and prepare for pregnancy in advance (3-4 days before expected ovulation, you should abstain from intimacy and follow a special diet).

There are many methods to determine the day of ovulation. They all have their pros and cons, so you shouldn’t stop at just one. After all, the more accurate the result obtained, the greater the likelihood of pregnancy. So, on what day does ovulation occur?

How to calculate the day of ovulation if you have a regular cycle

Last period method

This method allows you to determine on what day after menstruation ovulation occurs. This is the simplest, but at the same time the most unreliable way to determine ovulation.

The day of expected menstruation is 14 days = ovulation.

In order to determine the expected day of the onset of menstruation, you need to add the average cycle length (from 27 to 37 days) to the first day of the last menstruation. Subtract 14 days from the resulting date - this will be the estimated date of ovulation.

28 days – cycle duration

Total: March 15 is the expected day of thinning of the ovarian walls and the release of mature eggs, that is, ovulation.

Calendar method for determining a favorable day for conception

A slightly more accurate way to determine exactly when the period favorable for conception will occur. To do this, you need to know all the cyclic dates for the last six months, or even better - for the year. Next, you need to make calculations using the following algorithm:

• Determine the duration of the longest and shortest cycles.
• Subtract 18 from the shortest one. The resulting figure will be the date of the beginning of the fertile (favorable) period.
• Subtract 11 from the longest one. The resulting figure will be the end date of the fertile period.
• The interval between these values ​​is the period when the probability of conception increases by 50–70%.

The described methods are effective only under one condition - the menstrual cycle is constant, and the woman monitors its duration (knows exactly the start and end dates of menstruation) for at least 6 months.

If your cycle is inconsistent, you can determine ovulation using other methods.

With an irregular cycle

Basal temperature measurement

- This is the lowest temperature of the human body, which is measured during rest. You need to measure it in the morning, before getting out of bed. It is best to measure the temperature in the rectum (anus), although you can insert the thermometer into the mouth (under the tongue) or into the vagina.

Measurements must be carried out for at least three months. This is important for the reliability of the data obtained and the accuracy of the graph. The data should be recorded in a special notebook, preferably so that you can clearly record the curve of the rise and fall of the values.

The thermometer should be held for at least 5 minutes, and measurements should begin on day 1 of the cycle.

How to decipher the result?

• During menstruation, the temperature will be quite high, after which it will decline (this usually happens towards the middle of the cycle).
• At the moment of ovulation, basal temperature values ​​rise sharply by 0.2–0.6 degrees. Such values ​​can last up to two weeks.
• Before the next monthly period, the thermometer will drop again.

The lowest temperature values ​​recorded before the next increase will be considered ovulation.

Ovulation tests - help you get pregnant

The most popular and fairly reliable method for determining ovulation.

The principle of operation of these tests is similar to similar strips for determining pregnancy, which are used when there is a delay to confirm or exclude the possibility of pregnancy.

The only difference is that ovulation test strips determine the content of LH (luteinizing hormone) in the urine, which reaches its maximum concentration 24 hours before the eggs leave the follicle cavity.

These tests must be carried out every day during the fertile period - this is the only way the accuracy of the result will be close to 98%.

Saliva examination: the “fern” method

At the time of ovulation, the amount of female hormones - estrogens - increases. Under their influence, the composition of the salivary secretion changes, in which the level of sodium chloride (salt) almost doubles. If you apply such saliva to glass on the day of ovulation, then as it dries, you will see a pattern similar to fern leaves. Small salt crystals form on the surface of the glass - this picture can be observed 72 hours before and after ovulation.

There are special devices on sale for carrying out such testing. They are convenient and easy to use, and the accuracy of the results obtained ranges from 90 to 96–97%.

Ultrasound monitoring

The most reliable method that allows you to accurately calculate the day of ovulation to increase the likelihood of conception. Ultrasound monitoring (folliculogram) is a dynamic observation of the growth and maturation of follicles and the expulsion of eggs.

This study is called monitoring, as observation is carried out over time. This means that the frequency of examination using a transvaginal sensor is every day for the period necessary to establish a diagnosis or confirm the fact of ovulation.

This method is used in the treatment of infertility and IVF, since only with the help of a sensor can one assess the condition of the organs of the female reproductive system and determine whether positive dynamics occur in response to therapy as part of artificial stimulation of ovulation.

Constant monitoring is also necessary for polycystic ovary syndrome, and in some cases with this disease, the study can be carried out for 3 months in a row (with two-week breaks).

What can be assessed using ultrasound monitoring:

• growth and maturation of the dominant follicle on the eve of ovulation;
• the appearance of free fluid after ovulation;
• destruction of the walls of the main follicle;
• formation of the corpus luteum at the site of maturation of the dominant follicle.

For the first time, the patient should come for the study on the 6th day of the cycle; in the future, the procedure will be repeated every day until ovulation occurs. A control ultrasound should be performed no later than 3 days after the date of release of the eggs from the cavity of the dominant follicle.

Among the listed methods for determining ovulation, there are none that would 100% guarantee an accurate result. Even during ultrasound monitoring, small errors are possible, since there is a human factor, and the possibility of error cannot be completely eliminated. However, using these methods, you can increase the chances of a successful conception by at least half, so you definitely shouldn’t neglect them.

Many women are familiar with the concept of ovulation. For those who don’t know, ovulation is a relatively short period of time during which the likelihood of fertilization reaches its peak. Calculating this interval is extremely important for married couples trying to have a child. But even the most accurate calculations are not a 100% guarantee of conception.

So, ovulation is the period between the phases of the monthly cycle, lasting about two days. What is so special about this process that regularly occurs in the female body?

During ovulation, the egg (mature and formed) moves from the ovary to the uterus. If the egg is fertilized, it will attach to the walls of the uterus and begin to develop. Therefore, women trying to get pregnant need to do the right calculations. Pregnancy, as well as ovulation, occurs differently in each case, individually, because it depends mainly on the menstrual cycle. Let's look at how the duration of this cycle is calculated.

How long does menstruation last?

Ideally, the cycle should consist of 28 days. Menstruation should be regular and last about 3-5 days, but in reality their duration can vary between 19-35, while the monthly cycle itself can take up to 9 days.

Menstruation is a complex process directly related to hormonal balance. The slightest changes in the balance, sudden jumps caused by poor ecology, medication or stress, in any case affect ovulation and the day of conception.

Basic calculation methods

There are many ways to calculate ovulation, but, alas, none of them can guarantee that on this day the egg will leave the follicle. The fact is that this process depends on a number of factors, including irregular periods, various types of diets, hormonal imbalance, diseases, etc.

• test strips;
• ultrasound examination;
• basal (rectal) temperature;
• sensations, discharge;
• special online calendar

Let's take a closer look at each of the methods.

Method number 1. Test strips

Now, to calculate the day of conception, you can use special test strips, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. These strips are used in the same way as pregnancy tests and respond to luteinizing hormone, which appears 1-1.5 days before the egg leaves the follicle.

Note! If the cycle is regular, then the test should be done 17 days before the start of menstruation, and if not, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to determine the period of ovulation using test strips, since the woman will not be able to choose the right time for this.

In this case, it is better to resort to ultrasound examination.

Method No. 2. Ultrasound

Ultrasound allows you to determine with extreme accuracy the time of release of the egg. In addition, this method is also suitable for women with irregular menstrual cycles. Thanks to the study, it is possible to determine the development of the follicle, as well as find out exactly when the egg will leave it.

If the cycle is regular, then an ultrasound should be done three to four days before planned ovulation, and if not, then egg monitoring should begin four days after menstruation and every few days.

Method number 3. Basal temperature (BT)

The lowest temperature in the human body is considered to be basal temperature, which is observed during sleep. Its measurement makes it easy to determine ovulation, since the latter increases the indicators by approximately ½ degree.

During different periods of the cycle, women's temperature indicators are different. So, in the initial phase, BT is quite low, the reason for which is the effect of estrogen. And such conditions are ideal for preparing the egg for fertilization. The average temperature at the initial stage varies between 36.3ᵒC and 36.5ᵒC, although it can change in one direction or the other by about 0.1ᵒC. But during the period of ovulation, this indicator increases and can range from 37.1ᵒС to 37.3ᵒС. This temperature will remain until your period. And if they have not started, and the temperature continues to remain at this level for more than 18 days and without any delays, then pregnancy has already occurred.

Note! When measuring BBT, you need to adhere to a number of rules that allow you to calculate ovulation with extreme accuracy.

1. For all measurements you need to use one mercury thermometer. It should always be kept at hand (preferably under the bed), since getting out of bed or sudden movements are unacceptable before measuring BT.
2. The procedure should be carried out every day at the same time - after waking up.
3. The measurement process itself will not cause any difficulties: the thermometer is inserted into the rectum, after which you need to lie quietly for five minutes. Then the obtained data fits into a special chart.

For the indicators to be reliable, BT must be measured only after a long (at least 6-hour) night's sleep. Distortion of indicators can occur not only if these rules are violated, but also under the influence of other factors - illness, medication, evening sex, fatigue, alcohol consumption, etc. All this must also be indicated in the schedule.

Note! A correctly drawn up chart will be able to show the absence of ovulation or its onset. If pregnancy is planned, BT is measured during three to four menstrual cycles. All this will allow you to determine the cherished day of ovulation.

Method number 4. Sensations and discharge

Sometimes the ovulation period can be determined without resorting to any calculations. For some women, it’s enough to listen to their body. During this period you may experience:

• short-term aching pain in the lower abdomen;
• change in vaginal discharge (it becomes viscous and more abundant);
• breast enlargement;
• high sexual activity;
• mood changes.

Discharge during the ovulatory period becomes abundant, transparent and viscous, resembling the consistency of egg white

Method No. 5. Online calendars

Today, on many resources you can use special programs that allow you to determine the most favorable time for conception. These programs are based on the so-called calendar method of contraception. According to them, if the menstrual cycle is normal, that is, it lasts 28 days, then 12-16 days from the beginning of menstruation are optimal.

To create an individual ovulation calendar, you should enter the duration of your menstrual cycle (usually 28 or 29 days) and the exact date of your last period in the required fields, and then click the “Calculate” button.

Do not forget that the beginning of the cycle can only be considered the first day of menstruation.

Video - How to calculate ovulation and day of conception

As you can see, calculating ovulation is not as complicated a procedure as it might seem at first glance. To do this you only need to know:

• duration of the monthly cycle;
• date of the last critical days.

By determining your ovulation period, you will know which days are suitable for conception and which days are safe for sex.

Table. Signs of ovulation, cycle, changes

Video - Determining ovulation