Every woman childbearing age monitors her menstrual cycles. After all, the stability of this indicator indicates that with women's health Everything is fine. Ovulation is the shortest period of the cycle in which you can conceive a child. Therefore, women planning their pregnancy need to know exact time ovulation. Today the pharmaceutical market offers tests to determine the beginning of this period, we will tell you how you can calculate your ovulation period yourself without the use of external devices.

The main thing in the article

The concept of ovulation and its cycle

Physiologically, every representative of the fair half of humanity has about a million eggs in her body from birth, which “live” in the follicles located in the ovaries. When girls reach puberty, the surviving eggs (by this age there are about half of the original number left) begin to ovulate. Over the entire period of life, on average, women mature up to approximately 500 eggs prepared for fertilization. How does this happen?

It happens that during ovulation two or three eggs dominate. In such cases, after fertilization, a multiple pregnancy results.

The cyclicity of the arrival of menstruation is normal if it occurs stably with a gap of 22–34 days. The discharge itself lasts from 3 to 7 days. The first year or two after the start of menstruation, the cycle may be unstable, as the body adapts to new living conditions. After this period, menstrual cycles should be the same. If there are any malfunctions, this may indicate gynecological or sexual diseases/deviations.

Conventionally, cycles can be divided into 3 phases:

• follicular– when the egg matures inside the follicle;
• ovulation– the very process of the release of the egg from the follicle house and its movement, followed by waiting in the uterus;
• luteal– it starts counting immediately after the end of ovulation and lasts until the first day of the next menstruation.

When does ovulation occur after menstruation?

According to medical canons, ovulation usually occurs on days 10–16 of the menstrual cycle. Why such a discrepancy? The fact is that everything is very individual and directly depends on the menstrual cycle.

• So, in women who have a 21-day “break,” the egg matures +/- on the 10th day.
• For those whose “break” exceeds 30 days, maturation can occur even after the 15th day from the start date of the previous menstruation.
• On average, an egg is considered ready for fertilization approximately halfway through the menstrual period.

Such figures are indicative of stable menstrual cycles without failures. For those who have abnormalities (menstruation does not come on time), it is quite difficult to determine the range of egg maturation.

It should be noted that in women with 12 cycles per year, in two of them the egg does not mature. This ovulation period is called “single”. With age, such idle periods become more and more frequent.

Methods for calculating ovulation at home

With stable menstrual cycles, every woman can calculate the ovulation period herself. There are many ways, but we will consider the most popular and most truthful. These include:

• Calendar method.
• External symptoms and well-being of a woman.
• Tests (one-time or electronic) for ovulation.
• Method for measuring basal temperature.
• An innovative method of detection using saliva.

How to determine ovulation by its signs without tests and analyses?

It is conventionally accepted that signs of ovulation exist. They are divided into objective and subjective. TO objective include:

• change in basal temperature;
• vaginal discharge.

We'll talk about them in more detail below.
TO subjective can be attributed:

• weak pain syndrome(tingling in the lower abdomen) when the follicle bursts;
• increased sexual desire.

How a woman feels during ovulation

In addition to the aforementioned possible tingling pain in the lower abdomen, the following symptoms may be present:

• headaches;
• swelling of the mammary glands;
• increased emotional stress;
• noticeable irritability;
• tearfulness;
• some have swelling;
• The sense of smell and taste may become more acute.

Determining ovulation after menstruation using the calendar method

This method is suitable for women with a stable menstrual cycle, since the calculation will be based on the days of menstruation and the break between them. As already noted, the cycle has from 25 to 36 days (break + days of menstruation). On average, it is generally accepted that Ovulation occurs 2 weeks before the start of the next cycle . Therefore, based on these 14 days, the ovulation period is calculated as follows.

If the cycle period is 30 days, then subtracting 14 days from them, we get 16. In other words, ovulation should occur on the 15th, 16th, 17th day after the end of menstruation.

When calculating the days of ovulation, if you are planning to conceive, keep in mind that sperm in the female genital organs can live up to 4 days.

How to calculate ovulation using an online calculator?

Online calculators that can be found on the Internet are based on the calendar method, according to which 14 days are subtracted from the main cycle and the day of ovulation is displayed. Typically, to calculate indicators, the following data is entered that you should know:

• the days of menstruation itself, how long they last;
• duration of the entire cycle;
• date of the first day of menstruation, which was the last time.

After entering these parameters, the online calculator will calculate possible days ovulation period for the period of time that you set (3 months, six months).

Measuring basal temperature to determine ovulation

To draw conclusions about the days of the ovulation period, it is necessary to measure the temperature of at least three menstrual cycles in a row.

It should be measured in the morning, without getting out of bed - record the thermometer readings and make a graph. It looks something like this.


If you look at the graph, you will immediately notice how the basal temperature changes in different periods cycle. The upper indicator of the graph (over 37°C) is the beginning of ovulation.

This method of observation is considered more effective, in contrast to calendar calculations. By making 3 or more temperature graphs by cycle, you can derive a pattern - on which day ovulation occurs individually for you.

Visual determination of ovulation (evaluation of discharge)

After the end of menstruation, estrogen levels are low, which contributes to the absence of discharge. This period is conventionally called dry. This happens because cervical mucus is very thick. It closes the cervix, forming a kind of plug.

As the day of ovulation approaches, estrogen levels increase, which changes the consistency of cervical mucus. It becomes thinner, more sticky, sticky. The color becomes creamy, the discharge has the following characteristics:

• jelly-like consistency;
• come out in small quantities;
• have no smell.

When the egg matures, the cervical mucus thins. During the rupture of the follicle, a discharge similar to the white of an egg is observed: transparent, viscous and a lot of it.

Saliva analysis to calculate ovulation: a non-standard method

Modern medicine does not stand still and today, whether ovulation has occurred can be determined by saliva.

The method is based on physiological characteristics female body, namely: with an increase in estrogen levels, the salts contained in saliva crystallize.

According to the cycle, you can observe:

• in the follicular period - a picture in the form of dotted lines;
• during ovulation – you can see the shape of a fern leaf in the crystallizing salts;
• during the luteal phase, transverse lines are added to the dotted lines.

Salt crystals are examined using special modern instruments.


For home use The following options are suitable:

1. "Your Cycle"– the device performs the functions of a microscope. For diagnosis, saliva is applied to a glass slide and examined with a magnifying glass.
2. "Maybe-MOM"– microscope small size. According to manufacturers, it determines the period of ovulation with an accuracy of up to 98%. Saliva is examined in the morning before brushing your teeth.
3. "EVA-TEST D"– the device is equipped with a computer data processor that examines saliva and displays the readings on the screen. This device resembles a small home laboratory.
4. "OVU - test"- a universal device that can determine the ovulation period both from saliva and secretions.

Such devices are considered accurate and easy to use. The advantages include the possibility of their reusable use. The devices are ideal for women with irregular cycles who find it difficult to calculate the time of ovulation using the calendar method or the method of monitoring basal temperature.

Determining ovulation using a one-time test

Today at the pharmacy it is quite possible to purchase special tests that show the beginning of the ovulation period. Externally and according to the principle of operation, they resemble pregnancy tests. These are paper strips sold in packs of 5.

You should start doing tests depending on your cycle. So, with a 28-day break, the first test should be done on the 11th–12th day after menstruation. The result is compared with control strip available on the test:

• if it matches the control in color, then ovulation will occur in the next 12–36 hours;
• if the result is paler than the control, then the test must be repeated the next day.

Reusable tests to determine ovulation

Multi-use ovulation tests are also available at most pharmacies. Their principle of operation is the same as that of disposable ones. They determine the increase in luteinizing hormone on the eve of follicle rupture.

The test is a sensitive device that displays the answer on the screen. Unlike disposable strips, there is no need to compare color to a reference value. The microcomputer processes the information, producing a positive or negative result.

Reusable ovulation tests are considered a new generation of ultra-precise devices.

The most accurate way to calculate ovulation

The most in an exact way definitions of ovulation can be called folliculometry. It is carried out using ultrasound. The patient comes for the first time to observe the growth of follicles on the 10th day after the end of menstruation. Afterwards, he visits the ultrasound room once every two days until a diagnosis is made - ovulation.

What to do if ovulation does not occur?

As mentioned above, ovulation does not occur in every cycle, and this is normal. But if the absence of ovulation is recorded for several cycles in a row, then this is considered a problem that needs to be solved.

If ovulation is absent or occurs very rarely, then stimulation will come to the rescue. It is performed provided that the woman has tubal patency, since stimulation in case of obstruction fallopian tubes can lead to ectopic pregnancy.

This procedure is carried out by a doctor, taking into account the woman’s age, as well as test results and possible diseases leading to lack of ovulation. Hormone therapy is usually carried out - discharged hormonal drugs. As you take it, the growth of follicles is monitored by ultrasound. When the dominant follicle is clearly identified, a drug is used to induce ovulation.

Stimulation using medications It is considered one of the most effective ways to get rid of infertility.
Stimulation can also be carried out using traditional methods. These include:

• taking a decoction of sage or red brush. These herbs promote the growth of the endometrium and stimulate the maturation of the egg. You need to drink them in the first half of the cycle;
• then take a decoction of boron uterus (second half of the cycle). It promotes the production of progesterone, which is necessary to maintain pregnancy.

Before inducing ovulation folk ways, you should consult a doctor, as self-medication can lead to hormonal imbalance, which will harm women's health.

Ovulation refers to certain days when female body most predisposed to fertilization. That is why everyone who dreams of long-awaited pregnancy, it is very important to know all the features of this natural process, and also be able to calculate the day of ovulation.

Ovulation and conception calendar online

Online ovulation calculation is one of the fastest, most accurate and effective ways determine fertile (favorable for conception) days yourself. To do this, a conception calculator is used, which calculates and displays fertile days over a period of four months.

To calculate ovulation online, you must enter the following data:

• First day menstrual bleeding cycle you are interested in (if you are interested in the days of ovulation in this and the next three months, then you must enter the first day last menstrual period; if you want to find out on which days of previous cycles you ovulated, you must enter the first day of menstruation of the corresponding cycle);
• Average duration of menstruation;
• Duration of a regular cycle. If the cycle irregular, it is necessary to first analyze the duration of the cycle over the last 6 months, and determine the minimum and maximum quantity days of the cycle. We tick the “irregular cycle” box, enter the minimum number of days of the cycle in the left window, and the maximum in the right window that appears;
• Phase duration corpus luteum, which is usually determined laboratory method according to the level of the hormone progesterone, on average it is 12-16 days (by default the duration in the program is 14 days).

After this, you just need to click the “Calculate” button, after which the program will display an exact calendar, which will indicate the days of expected ovulation (with percentage probability), as well as the days of safe and conditionally safe sex. Ovulation online using such a calculator is calculated with fairly high accuracy.

How does ovulation occur?

Normally, a woman's menstrual cycle, which is counted from the first day of bleeding to the first day of the next period, lasts from 28 to 35 days.

On average favorable days for conception (they are also called fertile) occur in the middle of the cycle, and include 1-2 days before ovulation, the ovulation period itself and 1 day after ovulation. Average duration Fertility state is 7 days.

That is, the fertile period begins at the moment of a jump in LH levels. If during this time the sperm does not fertilize the egg, it simply dies, and a new one matures only in the next cycle.

Corpus luteum phase (luteal phase)

After the end of ovulation (follicular phase), the maturation period begins corpus luteum - luteal phase, which is characterized by a decrease in the level of the hormone LH and an increase in the production of progesterone. The corpus luteum is responsible for the production of hormones necessary to maintain the normal course of pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum dies, progesterone levels decrease, which provokes the onset of menstruation.

Normally, the duration of the luteal phase ranges from 12-16 days. Insufficiency of the corpus luteum phase (duration of 10 days or less) or its duration of more than 16 days is said to be hormonal disorders, the consequence of which may be early pregnancy loss.

Let us remember that the corpus luteum phase begins the day after the end of ovulation and lasts until the onset of menstruation. That is, to calculate the duration of the corpus luteum phase, you need to know the duration of your menstrual cycle, the middle part of which falls on ovulation, and the days following it - on the luteal phase.

In a healthy woman, ovulation occurs every month (and sometimes twice), but there are two to three months a year when the egg does not mature - such cycles are called anovulatory, and they are also considered a variant of the norm.

Read more about the ovulation process

Having determined favorable days for conception, calculating the optimal number of sexual intercourses during this period will be quite simple, and the chances of getting pregnant will increase significantly. It should be noted that the ovulation chart will also be useful for those who want to prevent unwanted pregnancy, because it is often used as a method of contraception.

How to calculate the ovulation calendar?

Physiological signs of ovulation

Gynecologists say that every woman can notice the signs of ovulation and calculate conception - to do this, you just need to carefully monitor your body.

• Features of discharge. Vaginal discharge is a constant occurrence in every woman, but in different phases menstrual cycle they have different character. So, before ovulation they become transparent and liquid, or viscous, and resemble protein in consistency chicken egg. In addition, during this period, some women observe brownish or spotting(the so-called daub). If ovulation has not occurred, the discharge is sticky, creamy or completely absent.
• Discomfort in the lower abdomen. The release of the egg may be accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the area of ​​the ovary in which the dominant follicle matured. They can last from a few minutes to several days, and resemble the “stretching” of the abdomen before menstruation.
• Swelling and pain in the mammary glands. Due to the influence of hormones, many women's breasts may become sensitive or sore before the release of an egg.
• Increased libido. Scientists have proven that it is in the run-up to ovulation that women experience the greatest sexual desire- this is explained by the natural instinct of reproduction (in this way the body tries to increase the chances of pregnancy).
• General changes in health. Such signs are individual for each woman - this may be an exacerbation of taste and olfactory sensations, increased performance, or, conversely, irritability and increased emotionality.

Calendar method

First of all, it should be noted that each woman has an individual conception calendar, which can be calculated based on the characteristics of the body.

At regular cycle, if your periods literally go by the clock, the question of how to calculate ovulation is usually not an issue big problem, because for this you will have to carry out the simplest calculations. For example, if a woman’s cycle lasts 28 days, you can simply divide this figure by two: 28/2 = 14. That is, in this case, days starting from the 12th will be considered fertile.

However, this method cannot be called extremely accurate. Very often, for a number of reasons, the menstrual cycle can be shortened or lengthened; accordingly, the timing of the release of the egg also shifts, and when it is completely ineffective. That is, it is best not to rely on own calculations, but use a more convenient online calculator ovulation or measure basal temperature.

Basal temperature

Measuring basal temperature (BT) is one of the most effective methods, which is best for women with irregular periods. To understand how to calculate the day of ovulation in this way, you should know some features of the female body.

During the menstrual cycle, basal temperature changes several times - this occurs under the influence of hormones. At the beginning of the cycle it is quite low, and during ovulation it increases significantly, reaching 37-37.3 C, and remains at this level until the next menstruation. True, for precise definition days of conception it is very important to follow a number of rules:

• You need to take your temperature in the morning at the same time, after a full night's sleep (at least 6 hours), without getting out of bed.
• Use the same thermometer, preferably mercury.
• The thermometer is inserted into anus, vagina or placed under the tongue, after which you need to lie quietly for 5 minutes.
• To obtain accurate results, BT should be measured over at least two cycles and the results recorded.

It should be noted that in this way you can calculate ovulation online. There are special resources and programs on the Internet that calculate fertile days automatically (a woman only needs to enter her BT indicators there every day).

Read more about measuring basal temperature in the section.

Ovulation test

Ovulation tests are special strips similar to those used to detect pregnancy. True, the marker in this case is the hormone LH, and not hCG. Measurements are carried out in a similar way (immersing strips in urine), and should begin 2-3 days before expected ovulation.

The instructions for the test indicate which day of the cycle is best to start measuring, depending on the length of the cycle, but with irregular periods it is almost impossible to determine this time.

Read about instrumental and instrumental methods for determining ovulation

Laboratory methods

One of the ways to create an ovulation calendar, calculate fertile days and get pregnant quickly is to get tested for basic female hormones. These include:

• FSH - given on the 3-5th day of the menstrual cycle;
• LH - on days 3-8 or 21-23;
• Prolactin - on days 3-5 or 19-21;
• Estradiol - on days 4-7 and 6-10;
• Progesterone - 6-8 days.

The concentration of these hormones varies depending on the phase of the cycle, so based on the test results, you can accurately determine the day for conception.

If you ask specialists the question of how to determine ovulation most effectively, as in any cycle, the answer will be clear - control of follicle growth using ultrasound examination.

To do this, it is necessary to carry out several ultrasound procedures: the first - on the 7-8th day, the second - on the 10-12th, the third - at the request of the woman or the doctor’s recommendation. A sign of ovulation is usually size dominant follicle, which is 18-21 mm. In addition, you can subsequently check whether the follicle has ruptured - if a corpus luteum has formed in its place, it means that ovulation was normal.

Ovulation- the period when the egg, ripe for fertilization by sperm, is released from the follicle. This is the only day in the month when conception can occur. Therefore, many women who are planning a pregnancy or do not want to become pregnant try to calculate the day of ovulation.

Today there are many methods of calculation. But, unfortunately, they cannot give an exact guarantee that on this very day the egg will be released from the follicle, because this process can be affected by many factors (various diets, medications, irregular menstrual cycle, illness, hormonal imbalance etc.). Therefore, protect yourself in this way from unwanted pregnancy under no circumstances is it possible.

According to the calendar method

Apply this method possible only with regular menstrual cycle, lasting 28 days. In this case, the release of the egg occurs 2 weeks before the start of the next period. To make the calculation, you need to add 28 days (the duration of the menstrual cycle) to the first day of the last menstruation, then count 14 days ago from the resulting date.

We offer to calculate ovulation online:

(calculation will take a few seconds)

It is important to note that under the influence of certain factors, ovulation may occur 1-2 days earlier or later, and sperm can live on average about 3 days, it is recommended to plan conception 5 days before the calculated date of ovulation.

Calculation of ovulation by basal temperature

Basal temperature (BT) is the lowest body temperature observed during sleep. By measuring it, it is possible to easily determine ovulation, since it causes an increase in indicators by 0.25-0.5 ° C.

Female hormonal background at different periods of the menstrual cycle has different temperature indicators. In the first phase, BT under the influence of the hormone estrogen remains at a low level. This ideal conditions to mature the egg and prepare it for fertilization. Average temperatures in the first phase are 36.3-36.5 °C. It may increase slightly or decrease by 0.1 °C. During ovulation, BT increases significantly and averages 37.1-37.3 °C. These indicators will remain until the onset of menstruation. If menstruation does not occur, and the temperature continues to remain at 37.1-37.3 ° C for more than 18 days after the delay, then pregnancy can be judged.

To calculate ovulation as accurately as possible, you should adhere to clear rules when measuring basal temperature:

• Measurements are taken daily at the same time after sleep.
• The same ones apply mercury thermometer, which should always be near the bed, since it is impossible to make sudden movements or get out of bed before measuring basal temperature.
• To measure, the thermometer should be inserted into the anus and lie quietly for 5 minutes. After the time has expired, enter the indicator into the chart.

To obtain the most accurate readings, basal temperature should be measured only after a long night's sleep, lasting at least 6 hours. Any violations of the rules during measurement and many other factors (illness, evening sex, taking medications, overwork, drinking alcohol) can affect the indicators. These factors are also indicated on the graph.

A chart drawn up according to all the rules can show the onset of ovulation or its absence. When planning pregnancy, basal temperature is measured over 3-4 menstrual cycles. In this way, it is possible to calculate the day of ovulation as accurately as possible.

Using ultrasound (ultrasound examination), it is possible to calculate the release of the egg from the follicle as accurately as possible. This method is also suitable for women with irregular menstrual cycles. Thanks to the procedure, it is possible to track the development of the follicle and the moment the egg leaves it. With a regular menstrual cycle, ultrasound examinations begin 3-4 days before the expected date of ovulation. With an irregular cycle, monitoring the follicle begins 4-5 days after menstruation every 2-3 days.

Calculating ovulation using test strips

It is possible to determine a favorable day for conception using special tests, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. Test strips react to the content of luteinizing hormone in urine, which appears in it 24-36 hours before the rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg.

With a regular cycle, tests begin 17 days before the start of the next menstruation. But with an irregular cycle, finding out the day of ovulation using a test will be problematic, since it is impossible to determine the right time for testing. In this case, it is better to turn to ultrasound monitoring.

Calculate the day of ovulation based on discharge and sensations

Some women can calculate the day of ovulation without any calculations. All they have to do is listen to own body. During the period of ovulation, a woman may experience short-term aching pain in the lower abdomen, there is swelling of the breasts, changes in mood, increased sexual desire, the nature of vaginal discharge changes (they become abundant and viscous).

Perhaps all this may be quite difficult to believe, but doctors say that it is a fact. Namely, they say that in the whole month there is only one single day on which full-fledged absolutely healthy woman reproductive age can successfully become pregnant. And in some exceptional cases, such a day can occur twice directly during one single menstrual cycle. However, in the overwhelming majority of all existing cases, this very “hour X”, favorable for a full-fledged conception, lasts only one day, and these same days are called, as you probably already guessed, ovulation.

Directly on the day of full ovulation, which we will now teach you how to correctly calculate, a planned release of an already fully mature egg occurs directly from its house or follicle, which at the same time ruptures. And within 24 hours, this most mature egg, released from the follicle, will await its fertilization, and, unfortunately, if it turns out to be simply unclaimed, it will subsequently die, as it was intended this process mother nature. Horror, really, only 24 hours in a whole month, and even then all this is in the most favorable best case scenario. Sometimes it happens that full ovulation does not occur at all. It should be noted that with a completely regular menstrual cycle and with the absolute health of the woman herself, on average, young women who never experience any gynecological or reproductive problems, only ten such ovulations occur per year, we can say that this does not happen monthly at all.

We will immediately try to warn those young and not entirely experienced girls who immediately decided to calculate their day of full ovulation for the sole purpose of protection, not everything is so simple. Remember, pregnancy will be very likely and quite possible if literally a few days before the onset of full ovulation you had poorly protected or even unprotected sexual intercourse. This may happen precisely because male sperm, unlike female egg, are always more tenacious, and they can retain their ability to fully fertilize even for several days, or rather up to one week.

In the same case, if you are trying to calculate exactly the opposite, then you, of course, should definitely know how to correctly calculate the day of your full ovulation.

How to correctly calculate your own ovulation?

Today there is a fairly simple, but quite effective formula that allows you to correctly calculate the day of full ovulation. Moreover, it is quite possible to do this even at home and without any additional equipment. Although, by the way, today there are already ready-made specially created calculators for calculating the onset of full-fledged ovulation online, which, of course, really simplify this task, but strictly speaking, there is absolutely nothing complicated or inaccessible in such manual calculations.

So, scientists have long established that the onset of full ovulation in any woman of reproductive age with almost any length of her menstrual cycle should occur exactly fourteen days before the first day of her next period. It should be noted that the duration of the very first phase of the menstrual cycle may well change somewhat, but the period after the onset of full ovulation is a completely constant value. And if, for example, your menstruation occurs quite regularly, as they say “number to number,” then, of course, calculating your day of full ovulation will be simply as simple as shelling pears.

Namely:

Your day of full ovulation will be equal to the date of your next period, from which you will need to subtract exactly fourteen days.

Let us give you a completely classic example: let’s say that with a woman’s regular and even accepted 28-day menstrual cycle, the onset of full ovulation usually occurs exactly on the fourteenth day of such a cycle. And if, for example, this month your period began on the third day, then in the same full 28-day menstrual cycle you will need to wait for the onset of full ovulation exactly on the seventeenth day, namely exactly fourteen days before the start of your next period. In the event that your specific cycle is slightly longer or shorter than accepted norm, then directly to the first day of your last menstruation you will need to add the duration of your specific cycle (for example, 26 or 30 days). In this simple way you will get your expected date of the next menstruation, from which you will again need to subtract exactly fourteen days, and as a result of this you will get exact date the onset of full ovulation in this particular menstrual cycle.

And in fact, it was precisely on this principle that the so-called calendar method of female contraception was once built.

Such a calculation of the onset of full-fledged ovulation is truly quite simple, but it still has one rather significant BUT. This method may be applicable only for those women who have a strictly regular menstrual cycle. Moreover, of course, one should take into account the full schedule, well, at least for all of the last four or even six menstrual cycles, and therefore for the same number of months.

If, on the contrary, you are carefully trying to get pregnant and with this simple goal you are looking for how to correctly calculate the day of full ovulation, then our next tip. Namely: if you have an insufficiently regular menstrual cycle, say, lasting from twenty-six to thirty days, your chances of a full one increase significantly if you have sexual intercourse regularly and every other day directly from the tenth to the eighteenth days of the menstrual cycle. After all, this is the very time of expected ovulation

The ovulation calculator may be wrong

As you understand, for couples who are actively planning their pregnancy, calculating the time of full ovulation is truly extremely important and necessary. However, it is this method, unfortunately, cannot be considered too highly accurate. The thing is that ovulation itself is a very labile process. And, of course, under the influence of a number of extraneous external or internal factors and even with a fairly regular menstrual cycle, the onset of full ovulation can radically shift in one direction or another. And this, in particular, may well be caused by frequent stress, severe overwork, and even frequent colds, as well as some hormonal imbalances. And even more than that, extremely in rare cases, but still, the onset of full ovulation can occur even twice in one monthly cycle, which women should especially remember if they want to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy.

And, of course, it is not at all possible that in any particular menstrual cycle the onset of full ovulation will not occur at all. In fact, this is precisely why modern experts strongly recommend using possible methods for exactly in the complex. And first of all, in such a complex it will be important to focus on your own feelings, and also be sure to keep a measurement schedule basal temperatures body, and, of course, use a special one. And the most correct and accurate will, of course, be to conduct a timely ultrasound examination, which will definitely be able to determine the time of full ovulation as reliably as possible.

Determining the day of ovulation using a personal calendar is required for those couples who are planning a pregnancy. If conception occurs during the period of ovulation, then the chances of becoming pregnant are high.

Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovary abdominal cavity as a result of a rupture special education in the ovary - follicle. From the follicle, the egg enters the fallopian tube, where fertilization occurs. Biological meaning Ovulation consists of the release of an egg from the follicle for its fertilization and further movement through the reproductive tract.

Ovulation in a woman occurs 14 days before the start of menstruation (with a 28-day cycle - on the 14th day, but deviations from the average are often observed and to a certain extent are normal).

A favorable day for conception is easier to determine for those women who monitor their cycle and ovulation. Using the calendar method, there is no interference with the natural activities of your body. This method is not the best for contraception, but for planning pregnancy it is suitable for every woman.

In addition, it is important to monitor the rhythm of menstruation when observed by a gynecologist.

In addition to the ovulation calendar, there are several methods that can be used to determine the days when conception is most likely, that is, the so-called fertile days.

First of all, you should pay attention to your own feelings. Some women feel ovulation: they feel pain in the lower abdomen in the middle of the cycle, and also note increased sensitivity skin, breasts, increased sexual desire, improved mood, etc.

Ovulation test (determination of hormone levels)

When the egg leaves the follicle, the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) increases.

Special ovulation tests record the level of LH in the urine and help determine the “right” day with an accuracy of 18–40 hours. This test can be purchased at pharmacies, average price 100–150 rubles.

However increased level LH may not be associated with ovulation. High level of this hormone is observed in some gynecological diseases, and is also a signal of early menopause.

Ultrasound monitoring (US monitoring)

This is the most informative method diagnostics of ovulation, which also allows you to evaluate general condition uterus and ovaries; at irregular cycles helps to find out the reasons for the delay, as well as identify some abnormalities (for example, cysts).

With an ideal 28-day cycle, you can start doing ultrasound from day 7–9, and continue every 1–2 days. If ovulation has occurred, then at the site of the follicle it will be possible to see the formation of the corpus luteum and the presence of free fluid.

The procedure can be completed at the state medical institution, V medical centers and private clinics. The cost of one session is 500-800 rubles.

Cervical method

To diagnose the fertile period there is cervical method- examination of cervical fluid in the cervix. A few days before ovulation, women's discharge becomes more abundant and gel-like.