- Track your periods: A bit of misinformation going around is that; Ovulation occurs exactly 14 days after your period. This is incorrect as there are so many factors that can affect the time of ovulation, and it can differ from month to month as well. Tracking your period will help you determine how long your cycles are. Generally, a menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, but as mentioned before, it’s different for each one of us. Ovulation can occur anytime between day 11 and day 21 of your cycle.
- Ovulation symptoms are common. Understand your symptoms to be able to track when you ovulate next. Common symptoms of ovulation are spotting, increased sexual drive, cramps, ovary pain (occurs on a particular side of the abdomen), tender or painful breasts. Remember, this is not 100% accurate as not everyone experiences these symptoms. Another probable symptom is the release of mucus/discharge. You might have noticed; your vagina releases wetter and clearer mucus before your period. This happens around the time of ovulation.
- Measure your body temperature. Usually, there’s a slight rise in temperature right after ovulation. This can be measured using a thermometer.
- Ovulation predictor kits - Nowadays, there are a lot of kits available in the market that help you detect ovulation by tracking the hormones released. Levels of hormone increase around the time of ovulation and this can be measured through the urine.
7 Answers To The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Ovulation
IN THIS ARTICLE
Learning about ovulation is the key to understanding how the menstrual cycle functions. Ovulation is the process of a mature egg being released from the ovary, pushed down through the fallopian tube and ready for fertilization. If the egg is fertilized by a sperm, it may travel to the uterus and develop into a pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilized, it disintegrates and sheds the uterus lining every month during your period.
Understanding how and when ovulation happens is important if you are trying to achieve or prevent pregnancy. It also helps you keep track of your menstrual health and diagnose any irregular behavior.
We all know that each menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, so ovulation happens every 28 days/month. It usually happens around (four days before or after) mid-cycle, day 14. However, this can differ from person to person since everyone’s cycle is not exactly 28 days.
The process begins when your body releases follicle-stimulating hormone, also commonly called the FSH. This normally happens between day 6 and day 14 for your monthly cycle. FSH helps the egg matures in the ovary so it can prepare to release it later. This the first phase of ovulation, and it’s the follicular phase. Once the egg has been matured, your body now releases a hormone called Luteinizing hormone or known as LH. This hormone is responsible for triggering the release of the mature egg from the ovary. This process usually takes place about 28-36 hours after the release of the LH. This is the second phase of ovulation, and it’s called the luteal phase.
The length of your menstrual cycle depends on which day ovulation takes place in your body. There are many questions you might have regarding ovulation and how it affects your body.
Below we answer 7 most frequently asked questions regarding ovulation!
Q1. How do I know when I’m ovulating?
The time of ovulation is not easy to calculate, as there are several factors that can impact the occurrence of it. However, the process of ovulation can be determined by understanding the symptoms of it. All of our bodies function differently and, therefore, could react in a different way, but you can figure out when you’re ovulating through a variety of methods. Using a combination of all these would give you more accurate results.
Q2. Is it possible for your body to ovulate more than once per cycle?
Though not common at all, it is possible. A research conducted in 2003 showed that some women have the potential to ovulate 2 or 3 times a month/cycle. But this study was conducted with a small sample size, and therefore, the results cannot be confirmed. Another study conducted also showed that about 10% of the subjects released 2 eggs per cycle.
Your body can also release multiple eggs as a result of reproductive assistance. If two or three eggs are fertilized at the same time, it can lead to the birth of fraternal multiples, such as twins and triplets.
However, in general, your body can only ovulate one during each cycle. Your body carefully balances the hormones and their levels, which leads to the release of a mature egg—indicating that you cannot get pregnant twice in one cycle.
Q3. Can I get pregnant during my period?
Technically speaking, a woman can get pregnant at any time during her cycle, even during her period; however, it is much less likely.
Conception cannot take place during pregnancy; however, if sexual intercourse takes place during the period, pregnancy can occur. If a woman ovulates immediately after her period, this could result in conception as sperm can live inside the body for unto 5-6 days.
The chances of a woman getting pregnant increases as she gets closer to the ovulation day. She is most likely to get pregnant if intercourse takes place 3 days prior to ovulation, and She is least likely to get pregnant right after her period. A person typically starts ovulating approximately a week after their period is over
However, these are all just assumption, and the 3 main determining factors are:
- The length of the menstrual cycle
- The difference in time of ovulation each month
- How long the sperm can stay alive once it’s inside the female body
Q4. Can changes in my daily life affect ovulation?
There are a lot of things that come in play when it’s about your “Women parts”. A lot of factors can affect your menstrual cycle, and it’s timings.
Stress is one of the most common factors that can have an impact on your ovulation. When you’re stressed, your body releases a hormone known as cortisol; it can impact the hormones necessary for ovulation.
So your daily activities can affect the tine of ovulation, and therefore, ovulation becomes harder to track.
Q5. What are the common ovulation disorders to look out for?
Ovulation disorder basically affects your fertility by causing your body to ovulate infrequently or not ovulate at all. Ovulation disorders are a common cause of infertility in couples. Most of the disorders are caused by problems in the reproductive hormones or in the ovary.
Some of the most common disorders that you should probably get checked for are:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome: Also commonly known as PCOS, causes an imbalance of hormones in the body that can affect ovulation. It is commonly related to obesity, acne, and improper growth of body hair. It is also one of the most common causes of female infertility. Visit your fertility doctor and get a blood test done to check the levels of reproductive hormones; progesterone, FSH, LH, thyroid, and prolactin.
- Primary ovarian insufficiency: This occurs when your ovaries fail prematurely, no longer produce eggs, and lowers the production of estrogen. This is usually caused by an autoimmune response or because of genetics (it is also a side effect of chemotherapy).
- Excess prolactin: A damaged pituitary gland can produce excess prolactin, a reproductive hormone, this leads to reduced estrogen production and could cause infertility—a common side effect of a few other medications.
Q6. Can I ovulate during my period?
By definition, the answer is clearly no. Ovulation and menstruation are two completely different parts of the menstrual cycle. Technically speaking, the completion of ovulation triggers the initiation of menstruation, because it takes place if the egg is not fertilized during ovulation.
However, you might experience slight bleeding or spotting as it is known to be one of the common symptoms of ovulation.
Try using ovulation tracking methods if you experience irregular periods and you are planning to conceive. Irregular periods can confuse you and make it harder to track your ovulation.
Q7. What ovulation kits are available in the market?
Ovulation kits are similar to pregnancy tests, and they help you predict when you will ovulate next. These function by detecting the LH in your body as it is the major trigger for ovulation.
There are 3 commonly available tests in the market:
- Ovulation strip tests: The measure the LH in the urine and display results on a multicolored band. They look identical to a pregnancy test and are one of the cheapest ones available in the market.
- Digital ovulation tests: These are comparatively a little pricier than the strips, but they are easier to use and understand.
- Fertility monitors: These are the most expensive and the most advanced ones out of all the three, but it also helps track your entire menstrual cycle.
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