So you want to get pregnant, but you don't want it to take the
6-12 months it is supposed to take on average? Well, while there are
never any guarantees in the game of fertility, you can improve your
chances by learning to recognise the signs of ovulation and calculate
your fertile window.
There are several different ways of monitoring and calculating ovulation. From the rhythm method to taking your basal body temperature each morning to using ovulation tests they all have their place, and in fact work better together than alone.
To begin with the basics, most women ovulate approximately 14 days before their next period. In a 'standard' 28 day cycle, this puts ovulation on day 14. However there are many variations to this rule.
The 'luteal phase' is the name of the phase of your menstrual cycle that runs from ovulation until the first day of menstruation. For most women this is about 14 days long, but it can be anything from 12 to 16 days without being considered unusual. Then again, the average menstrual cycle is 28 days, but it can be shorter or longer, and many women have irregular cycles, be they a day or two different each time, or weeks different.
Testing for ovulation
You can buy in stream ovulation predictor kits which test for a surge in luteinizing hormone in the urine. This surge usually comes shortly before ovulation. These can quite good for use for one or two months for one or more of the methods below to help assess the accuracy of your results, but over the long term they can get quite expensive as you have to test every day for seven days or longer each month.
However, if you use over the counter tests for one or two cycles in conjunction with other methods of fertility monitoring, they can give you a better idea of how to read the symptoms of ovulation your body is displaying.
How to calculate probably fertile periods using the rhythm method
The rhythm method is notoriously unreliable, because it depends on past cycles rather than observing symptoms in the current one, and it is also far less precise than other methods of determining ovulation. However, it does have its part to play especially while you are learning to recognise symptoms of ovulation.
This method works best for women with regular cycles without a wide variation in length. It depends on having a record of your recent menstruation cycles, preferably for the last twelve months.
To calculate the earliest day for probable ovulation, subtract 15 days from your shortest recorded cycle (16 days before the first day of menstruation). To calculate the latest probably day for ovulation, subtract 11 days from the longest cycle (12 days from the first day of menstruation). Your possible fertile period of course begins a few days before the earliest day of ovulation.
Please note that if you were trying to avoid conception, you would need to use other methods of birth control for a longer period than this method will indicate, as sperm has been known to survive for up to five days (though this is unusual). In fact, on its own the rhythm method is not a satisfactory birth control technique at all.
Other methods for determining ovulation
Used in conjunction with other natural methods, such as recording your basal body temperature and monitoring cervical mucus, the rhythm method becomes far more useful.
To calculate the best time for conception you should ideally use some combination of these three methods with or without the assistance of over the counter ovulation tests.
There are several different ways of monitoring and calculating ovulation. From the rhythm method to taking your basal body temperature each morning to using ovulation tests they all have their place, and in fact work better together than alone.
To begin with the basics, most women ovulate approximately 14 days before their next period. In a 'standard' 28 day cycle, this puts ovulation on day 14. However there are many variations to this rule.
The 'luteal phase' is the name of the phase of your menstrual cycle that runs from ovulation until the first day of menstruation. For most women this is about 14 days long, but it can be anything from 12 to 16 days without being considered unusual. Then again, the average menstrual cycle is 28 days, but it can be shorter or longer, and many women have irregular cycles, be they a day or two different each time, or weeks different.
Testing for ovulation
You can buy in stream ovulation predictor kits which test for a surge in luteinizing hormone in the urine. This surge usually comes shortly before ovulation. These can quite good for use for one or two months for one or more of the methods below to help assess the accuracy of your results, but over the long term they can get quite expensive as you have to test every day for seven days or longer each month.
However, if you use over the counter tests for one or two cycles in conjunction with other methods of fertility monitoring, they can give you a better idea of how to read the symptoms of ovulation your body is displaying.
How to calculate probably fertile periods using the rhythm method
The rhythm method is notoriously unreliable, because it depends on past cycles rather than observing symptoms in the current one, and it is also far less precise than other methods of determining ovulation. However, it does have its part to play especially while you are learning to recognise symptoms of ovulation.
This method works best for women with regular cycles without a wide variation in length. It depends on having a record of your recent menstruation cycles, preferably for the last twelve months.
To calculate the earliest day for probable ovulation, subtract 15 days from your shortest recorded cycle (16 days before the first day of menstruation). To calculate the latest probably day for ovulation, subtract 11 days from the longest cycle (12 days from the first day of menstruation). Your possible fertile period of course begins a few days before the earliest day of ovulation.
Please note that if you were trying to avoid conception, you would need to use other methods of birth control for a longer period than this method will indicate, as sperm has been known to survive for up to five days (though this is unusual). In fact, on its own the rhythm method is not a satisfactory birth control technique at all.
Other methods for determining ovulation
Used in conjunction with other natural methods, such as recording your basal body temperature and monitoring cervical mucus, the rhythm method becomes far more useful.
To calculate the best time for conception you should ideally use some combination of these three methods with or without the assistance of over the counter ovulation tests.
You can also take note of how your body reacts to ovulation in
other ways, and learn to recognise the symptoms of ovulation. For more
information on how to track your ovulation you can read about ovulation symptoms and fertility tests for women and about the 21 day progesterone test and desirable progesterone levels.
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