About ovulation. Why is gestational age so important? Atypical cases of ovulation

The question of what ovulation is is usually asked only by women planning a pregnancy.

And for good reason, because understanding this process just necessary for quick conception, if you are serious about getting pregnant. Based on fragments of knowledge about ovulation and certain “favorable days,” it might seem to you that this is very complex science. But we will now prove that everything is much simpler and more interesting than it seems at first glance.

About ovulation, simple and clear

From birth, the ovaries of a girl, and then a woman, contain about a million eggs. Not all eggs survive to puberty, but those that are mature are quite capable of fulfilling their purpose. main responsibility– formation of a new human organism.

But only a few eggs succeed in fulfilling their functions. From the moment a girl begins her first menstruation, every month one of these eggs matures and is released from the ovary.

Essentially, ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the ovary, somewhere in the middle of the menstrual cycle (normally 14 days before the start of menstruation). Naturally, ovulation does not occur during pregnancy.

There is a special day in every woman's menstrual cycle when... highest probability getting pregnant is the day of ovulation.

Ovulation occurs once a month, and the egg lives for about 24 hours. Ovulation itself is like a small explosion, when a mature follicle bursts in the ovary and the egg is released. Everything happens very quickly, within a few minutes.

Now the task of the egg is to meet with the sperm within 24 hours for the conception of a child to occur. If a meeting with a sperm occurs, the fertilized cell passes through the fallopian tube and is implanted into the uterus. As a result of this process comes. If for some reason pregnancy does not occur, then menstruation occurs and the egg is released from the body.

Very in rare cases Ovulation can occur 2 times a month, but at approximately the same time with an interval between the first and second no more than 2 days. It is during this short period of time that conception is possible. Without ovulation, conception is impossible.

Therefore, to successfully plan a pregnancy, you need to have a good understanding of ovulation issues and be able to calculate days favorable for conception.

How to seize the moment?

Each woman's egg matures and is released approximately 14 days (plus or minus 2 days) before the next menstruation begins. And what day it will be from the date of the start of the last menstruation depends on the length of the cycle of a particular woman.

This is where all the complexity of calculating ovulation using the calendar method lies. If you have a 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs around day 14 of your cycle. If your cycle is 32 days - on the 18th day of the cycle, and so on.

Based on this knowledge, you can calculate the date of ovulation using. But, if a woman has an irregular cycle, then its length changes each time, for example, from 30 to 40 days, and it is almost impossible to calculate ovulation in this way. That's why they came up with ovulation tests, a method basal temperature, which help in realizing our maternal destiny. But more on that later.

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There are terms such as early and late ovulation.

If the egg is released, for example, on the 12th day instead of the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, then this ovulation is early. Therefore, late ovulation is when the egg is released later than the middle of the cycle. For similar phenomena there are several reasons:

Irregular periods
Hormonal imbalance
Postpartum period
Regular stress
Post-abortion
Gynecological diseases
Premenopausal period in women over 40 years of age.

How does ovulation occur?

Just recently, scientists for the first time captured the moment of ovulation on video during an IVF operation. Previously, it was a mystery, shrouded in darkness, and one could only guess about what was happening in the female body.

The process only takes about 15 minutes. A hole forms on the wall of the follicle, resembling a wound, from which a small cell emerges. It is small and invisible to our eyes, but in fact it is the largest cell in the human body.

Some women are able to feel ovulation. They notice some dull or stabbing pain that is growing, which is barely noticeable if you don’t pay attention to it. Then a fairly sudden cessation of pain occurs - this means that ovulation has occurred.

The egg, leaving the ovary, is picked up by the villi of the fallopian tube, and they direct it towards the uterus and towards the sperm. The egg waits only 24 hours to meet them, and if not a single sperm reaches it, it dies.

If during these 24 hours the sperm merges with the egg, we can say that conception has occurred. As you can see, the moment of ovulation and conception are somewhat different in time.

Signs of ovulation

As already mentioned, some women feel pain in the ovary at the time of ovulation. It is difficult to tell whether this pain is caused by a burst follicle or simply tension in the ovarian area. According to doctors, ovulation cannot be felt, since the follicle does not contain nerve endings.

But it can definitely be said that the ovulation process is controlled by sex hormones, which affect emotional state women and even her body temperature.

A day or two before ovulation, the level of the hormone estrogen in the blood rises sharply, due to which a strong emotional and physical uplift is felt, and the feeling of sexuality and self-confidence increases. This hormone also helps increase vaginal discharge - cervical mucus, which becomes thinner and clearer.

All this is not in vain, because these days are the most favorable conditions for conception. Ovulation has not yet occurred, but the sperm has just enough time to reach the location of the egg after it is released from the ovary. And cervical fluid has a composition that helps sperm reach their destination and remain active longer.

The hormone estrogen also affects basal body temperature, which is measured in a state of complete rest immediately after waking up in the rectum, vagina or mouth. Only with this measurement method can you see how the temperature before ovulation, under the influence of the hormone estrogen, decreases by 0.1 or 0.2 degrees.

At the very moment of ovulation, the temperature usually returns to its previous level, but the next day it increases significantly by several tenths of a degree. It is on this principle that the method of determining ovulation by basal temperature is based.

To summarize, we can highlight following signs ovulation:

Pain in the ovarian area (doubtful sign)
Improved mood, increased activity and sexual desire
Liquid, copious and clear discharge
Decrease in basal temperature

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Methods for determining ovulation

There are several ways to determine ovulation.

Let's look at each of them.

1 Calendar method used for stable menstrual cycle. Any girl can do the calculation herself. With a menstrual cycle of 28 days, ovulation will occur on days 13–16. If the cycle length is 30 days, then on days 14–17.

2 Also, with determining the time of ovulation, it can help determine Ultrasound – ultrasound diagnostics.

To do this, it is necessary to observe the process of maturation of the follicle in the ovary, from which the egg will subsequently be released. At least three ultrasounds will be required, but it will be worth it. At the beginning of the cycle, several follicles of approximately the same size are visible in a woman’s ovary. A follicle is a sac in the ovary that contains an egg.

Then one of the follicles begins to grow and it becomes clear that it is from this follicle that ovulation will occur. Its size increases gradually from 1 mm to 20 mm. When the follicle reaches its maximum size, the doctor concludes that ovulation is imminent and sends the woman home.

A few days later she visits the ultrasound room again, and if the follicle is no longer there, then it has burst and an egg has been released from it. In other words, ovulation has occurred.

3 There is also traditional method calculating ovulation - maintaining a basal temperature calendar.

Every day, as soon as the girl wakes up in the morning, measure the temperature in the rectum (insert a thermometer there).

Typically, the temperature at the end of menstruation stays at 36.6 - 36.9°, before ovulation it drops slightly, then rises sharply and remains between 37.0 - 37.3° until the next menstruation.

4 Most women use rapid tests, which are freely sold in pharmacies. Such tests react to the content of a special luteinizing hormone in a woman’s urine.

At positive result test, ovulation will begin in 16–26 hours.

Method for determining the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine.

The very peak of estrogen that occurs in favorable days before ovulation, provokes the release of this hormone. Thanks to it, the follicle ruptures and the egg is released.

LH is detected in a woman’s urine 1-2 days before ovulation, and it is on its detection that the pharmacy ovulation test is based.

It should be done daily for several days, approximately in the middle of the cycle. It is important not to miss the moment when LH levels are highest.

This can be judged by the very bright 2nd line on the test. After this point, ovulation will occur in 1-2 days.

To achieve success in determining ovulation, it is not at all necessary to conduct several ultrasounds every month or endlessly buy tests. There is one plus to all this - every woman ovulates at approximately the same time in the cycle.

The long-awaited moment has come when a young family or married couple begins to think about the appearance of a little man who will become a continuation of their family. On early stages During this period, difficulties and pitfalls begin to appear, because every fourth family has difficulties conceiving a child. Lack of ovulation is the limiting factor.

Any woman who is planning a pregnancy should understand what day after her period ovulation occurs. Ovulation is a process accompanied by the release of a mature egg from a ruptured follicle. Let's understand this process a little. any woman is divided into two important points- follicular and At the beginning of the cycle, exactly until the middle, the follicle matures, it ruptures and the movement of the egg ready to merge with the sperm occurs in abdominal cavity. All this occurs under the influence of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, produced by the hypothalamus and the endocrine system as a whole. This is ovulation. If fusion does not occur, then the mature egg, together with the inner layer of the walls of the uterus, comes out in the form of bleeding. Ripening is determined by the middle menstrual period. Ideally, with a 28-day cycle, it will occur approximately 13-15 days after the start of menstruation. There are cases when ovulation occurs twice during the menstrual cycle. Is this related to any infectious diseases, incorrect work endocrine system, stress.

Every girl who has reached puberty should be able to calculate her menstrual cycle. On average, its duration is 21-35 days. But there are cases when the cycle lasted less than 18 days and more than 45. Menstruation may be erratic depending on different situations: childbirth, abortion, lactation. And during pregnancy they stop moving altogether.

Many couples raise the question “on what day after menstruation does ovulation occur” in search of an answer only in order to use the calendar method to insure against the possibility of getting pregnant. But this does not need to be done, because, as stated above, the maturation of the egg in critical situations can be repeated in one menstrual cycle. Yes, and ovulation due to health conditions may shift by 1-2 days within the cycle. Even if you manage to get between the “dangerous days,” this will not protect you from infection.

In some women, during the maturation of the reproductive cell, increased desire, or the so-called libido. Heavy discharge are also associated with rupture of a mature follicle. Sharp decline, and then an increase in temperature measured rectally may be an echo incoming ovulation. But all these methods are imperfect and do not provide a 100% guarantee. Most accurate diagnosis can be called studies carried out using ultrasound radiation.

On what day after menstruation does ovulation occur?

Let's still figure out what day after menstruation ovulation occurs. Let's take the standard 28-day menstrual cycle as a basis. When dividing in half, we get the 14th day, from which we should start. After menstruation, a mature egg leaves the follicle in search of sperm. If we take into account that the life span of a sperm is no more than three days, in some cases up to a week, and the egg is ready to wait only 12-24 hours for a meeting, then the number of “dangerous” days is at most equal to a week.

When answering the question about what day ovulation occurs, it is worth highlighting the main points:

Menstrual cycle calculated from the first day of menstruation of the previous month until the first day of menstruation of the next month;

Ovulation occurs exactly in the middle of the cycle or can shift by 1-2 days;

The absence of ovulation may be due to a number of reasons, which must be diagnosed under the supervision of qualified specialists;

If you should immediately contact an antenatal clinic.

The article will tell you how to determine or calculate ovulation at home.

A woman who knows about her ovulation can allow herself to get pregnant faster or, on the contrary, protect herself from an unplanned pregnancy.

How to calculate ovulation for conception?

You can determine ovulation in the following ways:

According to ultrasound. The procedure will not calculate for you exact date release of the egg, but definitely about the absence or approach of ovulation
By monthly
By basal temperature
According to the ovulation test
Based on how you feel and body signals

IMPORTANT: Read more about each item below

How to calculate ovulation by menstruation?

There is a common myth that ovulation occurs on the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, i.e. on the 14th day from the start of the next menstruation. This statement is truly a myth, since the day of ovulation directly depends on the length of the menstrual cycle.

The menstrual cycle consists of two phases: the follicular and corpus luteum phase.

More or less has general indicators The duration of the second phase is 12-16 days. As you can see, the average number is really 14. But the countdown does not start from the first day of menstruation, but from last day cycle, i.e. days before the start of the next period.

When is ovulation in a 21 day cycle?

With a 21-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 5–9 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 23-day cycle?

With a 23-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 7–11 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 24 day cycle?

With a 24-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 8-12 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 25 day cycle?

With a 25-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 9–13 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 26-day cycle?

With a 26-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 10-14 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 27 day cycle?

When is ovulation in a 28 day cycle?

With a 28-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 12–16 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 29 day cycle?

With a 29-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 13–17 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 30 day cycle?

With a 30-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 14–18 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 31 day cycle?

With a 31-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 15-19 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 32 day cycle?

With a 32-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 16-20 from the first day of menstruation.

When does ovulation occur in a 33-day cycle?

With a 33-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 17–21 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 34-day cycle?

With a 34-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 18-22 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 35 day cycle?

With a 35-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 19-23 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 36-day cycle?

With a 36-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 20–24 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 37 day cycle?

With a 37-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 21–25 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 38 day cycle?

With a 38-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 22–26 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 39 day cycle?

With a 39-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 23–27 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 40 day cycle?

With a 40-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 24-28 from the first day of menstruation.

IMPORTANT: A woman’s body is a delicate matter, so the numbers may, although rarely, vary

How to calculate ovulation with an irregular cycle?

You cannot calculate the day of ovulation using your periods. After all, to calculate you need to know the length of the cycle, and you know this when irregular cycle you can't
According to the ovulation test. The first problem with this method is that it is difficult to guess on what day to take the test. The second problem is that the test may show false positive result. This is explained by the fact that cycle failure often indicates hormonal problems in the body. And if hormones are not produced according to norms, then the production of the hormone in large quantities, than it should be, can provoke false reaction test

According to symptoms. This method also works for irregular cycles. More information about the method can be found below.

Ultrasound. You can do an ultrasound, but with a 45-day cycle, you will have to attend many ultrasounds, tracking the dynamics of follicle growth. And this will cost you a pretty penny

Measuring basal temperature is a fairly effective method for irregular cycles. But you should first make a chart of your basal temperature for 3 months, noting the exact readings every day. This will allow you to understand what temperature jump occurs during ovulation in your body. Read more about basal temperature during ovulation and conception below and in the article

How to calculate your ovulation cycle?

To create an ovulation cycle, you should record your cycle duration for 6 months. Based on the results, make the following calculations:

Subtract 11 from the longest cycle
Subtract 18 from the shortest cycle
The period between the received days and will be the most likely for the onset of ovulation

Example.

The longest cycle was 36 days. Do simple calculations: 36-11=25 day of the cycle.

Most short cycle was 28 days. 28-18=10 day of the menstrual cycle.

This means that the most likely period for the onset of ovulation and conception in a particular woman is the interval between the 10th and 26th day of the cycle. That is, there are 16 probable days for it.

Ovulation test

Detailed information about ovulation tests is presented in the article

Basal temperature during ovulation

Basal temperature readings are one of the methods for determining the onset of ovulation. But one measurement will not be enough for you, since each woman will have her own indicators:

In order for the information to be reliable, you need to make a graph of basal temperature for the last three months
You need to measure your temperature every day at the same time (read how to measure basal temperature correctly in the next section)
After 3 months, make a chart from the first day of the cycle to the last for each month
During the first phase of the cycle, the basal temperature will be below 37 C
Then you will see a decrease of several degrees (you may not notice this short period)
After which there will be a sharp jump
This will be a signal about the onset of ovulation
This temperature is elevated and will remain until the onset of the next cycle or will increase during pregnancy.

When the system may fail:

Woman taking hormonal drugs
Woman taking other strong medications
The woman drank alcohol
Disorders in the body: failure hormonal system, women's problems
The rules for measuring basal temperature were violated (read more about them in the next section of this article)
Climate change

IMPORTANT: If in any month the temperature does not rise above 37 C, do not worry. This can happen 1-2 times a year. This is called the anovulatory cycle, i.e. cycle without ovulation

Signals to see a doctor:

Anovulatory cycle occurred more than twice
Basal temperature rises only towards the end of the cycle, and not during the expected period of ovulation
The temperature rises and falls throughout the cycle
If after the onset of menstruation the temperature has not returned to the lower levels, but continues to remain high

IMPORTANT: All information provided will be valid only if the basal temperature is correctly measured (read more below)

Measuring basal temperature to determine ovulation

In order for temperature measurement to be practical, you must comply clearly and strictly rules for measuring temperature:

Take measurements rectally
Take your temperature early in the morning while lying in bed. Best time— 7 am
Use a mercury thermometer
5 hours before the measurement you should sleep peacefully
Place the thermometer next to you so as not to make any body movements. You shouldn’t even shake off the thermometer, prepare it in advance
Take the measurement for 5-10 minutes
Take out the thermometer, holding it by its tip. Otherwise you may affect the temperature
If you make a schedule, then measurements should be carried out at the same time, plus or minus a maximum of 30 minutes

Pain before ovulation

Pain before ovulation can be:

In the chest area
In the abdominal area

Chest pain.

Breast pain before ovulation is triggered by a surge of hormones as the body prepares for conception. Pain does not occur often; discomfort occurs more often. This is not a reason to go to the doctor unless they continue long time.

Stomach ache.

The pain is concentrated in the area of the ovary, in which the cell matures and comes out. Every month you may feel pain with different sides. The pain should not be severe. If they are so strong that it is difficult for you to walk or you lose consciousness, consult a doctor immediately. If the pain is not severe, tolerable and only continues during the ovulation period, then there is nothing to worry about, because this is a normal physiological process.

IMPORTANT: Not every woman feels pain. But if you feel severe pain, or increase in temperature, headache, vomiting, dizziness, or if the pain continues for a long time - consult a doctor

Discharge before ovulation

Discharge before ovulation increases significantly. This is explained physiologically and should not scare you.

In addition to the increase in quantity, you may also notice a change in the consistency of the discharge:

As a rule, discharge before ovulation has the appearance and consistency of raw egg white
Color can be white, yellow, pink

IMPORTANT: Discharge cannot be one sign of ovulation. Compare this sign with other more accurate ones

How many days does ovulation last?

Ovulation lasts, according to various sources, from 12 to 48 hours. That is, this is the period when the egg is viable and ready for fertilization.

If you have set yourself the goal of determining when ovulation occurs in your body, then you should choose the most precise methods, or a set of less accurate ones.

Video: How to determine the day of ovulation?

For pregnancy, the best period is considered to be the middle of menstruation, but sometimes unexpected deviations from the natural schedule occur. The main one is considered premature ovulation. The symptoms of this period largely depend on the characteristics of the body and the influence external factors. Such ovulation is quite difficult to calculate, since it sometimes is temporary.

No need to worry, if there is a single failure of ovulation. If this phenomenon begins to recur, difficulties may arise with conception.

Is it possible adjust or restore the cycle?

It should be immediately noted that it is impossible to normalize the timing of ovulation on your own. Appropriate therapy is necessary, but before determining the direction of treatment, the cause of this problem must be discovered.

When does ovulation occur? 5 days (or more) before the due date, treatment is required. Often the phenomenon disappears if the dysfunction of the organs that caused this deviation is eliminated.

When present hormonal disorders , therapy is carried out using drugs that contain hormones. The abdominal area is injected. During treatment, it is necessary to constantly monitor hormone levels.

If the follicles ripen prematurely, then the woman needs to follow certain preventive measures:

Minimize the occurrence of stressful situations.
Adjust your daily routine.
Eliminate bad habits.
Provide a healthy diet.
Avoid weakening the immune system.
It is advisable to take vitamin complexes.

Every woman may be observed early ovulation(regardless of cycle length). The episodic nature of this phenomenon drug therapy does not require.

Is it possible conceive and how does it affect pregnancy?

Many women are concerned about the question of whether it is possible during early ovulation.

Most doctors believe that the possibility of conception during premature ovulation is relatively high.

Possibility of pregnancy about 35%.

Important! A woman must know that premature ovulation is not a pathology.

With such a phenomenon An immature egg is released from the follicle. It is not always fertilized and cannot develop further. It is difficult for it to implant into the wall of the uterus. Even if pregnancy occurs, it is quickly terminated.

Premature onset of ovulation is a sign of a violation functioning of the ovaries. The more serious they are, the faster the egg is released from the follicle.

Can be an obstacle to pregnancy a simple error in determining the date. All attempts to conceive will be unsuccessful.

How increase chance of fertilization?

Early release of the egg will not affect conception if the spouses take into account the following factors:

It is necessary to have an active sex life. Sperm remain active for up to a week, so fertilization can occur even if there has been no ovulatory phase.
Pregnancy will definitely occur if there are no diseases of the genital organs and inflammation in the body.

As a last resort, you can always resort to medications.

Early onset of the ovulatory phase counts physiological phenomenon which can happen to any woman. To prevent such a situation from occurring, it is advisable to reconsider your lifestyle. Many factors violate normal work female body, even banal stress can provoke the release of an egg from the follicle. To avoid trouble, expectant mother must get rid of bad habits and visit your doctor regularly.

And how to identify it using various techniques. A certain standard is considered to be the duration of the menstrual cycle of 28 days. Let's look at how to find out when ovulation occurs with a regular 28-day cycle.

Features of determining ovulation

Ovulation is a natural process that is one of the periods of the menstrual cycle. It lasts approximately 1.5-2 days and is characterized by the release of a mature egg from the ovary. After which she fallopian tube moves towards the sperm for fertilization.

To track your feelings, you need to calculate when ovulation begins, if the cycle is 28 days

Each woman's cycle length varies. If the cycle is 28 days, when ovulation occurs, it is easiest to calculate. In this case, it is the middle of the period. Determining this day helps a girl get pregnant, protect herself from unwanted fertilization and simply monitor the work of her body.

How to understand when ovulation

Define favorable period possible using various observations and methods. Let's take a closer look:

At home, a woman needs to listen to her feelings. The release of the egg disrupts the ovary, forming a small wound measuring 1-2 centimeters, which is accompanied by minor nagging pain, and at this moment the breasts slightly enlarge and become painful.
Make a temperature graph: mark degrees at the top, days at the bottom. It is measured in the rectum from the first day of menstruation every morning. The thermometer is inserted to a depth of 3-5 cm without getting out of bed. The result will show that the readings go almost exactly, and approximately in the middle, before the start of ovulation, the temperature will drop slightly, but after the release of luteinizing hormone when the vesicle in which the egg matures ruptures, it will rise slightly again and will remain at this level until the day of menstruation .

Carry out a series of ovulation tests, which are sold at the pharmacy. It is necessary to start from 11-12 days and carry out analysis until a clearly defined line is obtained on the test. It reacts to the content of luteinizing hormone in the urine.
Ultrasound was and remains the most reliable method; with its help, you can track the process of egg development at each stage.

Calculation of the day of ovulation for a 28 day cycle

Every woman has her own menstrual cycle. Its length is very extensive: from 21 to 35 days. Numerous observations and studies have shown that the most common is 28 days, which is considered the norm.

It is known that the luteal phase lasts 14 days. This is the period from the moment the luteinizing hormone is released until the day of menstruation. Knowing the duration of the cycle, in this case, 28 days, subtract 14 from this number, we get 14. This means that from the first day it is necessary to count the 14th, which will occur at the time of ovulation.

By keeping track with an ovulation calendar and knowing how to calculate the day of ovulation, a woman can manage her life wisely. In particular, choose the optimal day for conception. In this case, it is easiest to understand when ovulation occurs in a 28-day cycle.