Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from one of the ovaries and travels down the fallopian tubes ready to be fertilized.
When does ovulation occur?
Ovulation usually occurs on the 14th day of your cycle but this varies from women to women therefore it would be ideal to use a ovulation predictor to determine the exact time of ovulation.
How long does ovulation last?
Ovulation last between 12 and 24 hours but the mail sperm can last up to 72 hours in perfect conditions. It’s always recommended to have intercourse every other day leading up to ovulation as well as on the day of ovulation when trying to conceive.
Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation
Ovulation signs and symptoms vary from person to person with some being very prominent to others not having any. Hormonal changes can cause various changes including breast sensitivity, cervical mucus increase, moodiness, headaches and even an increase in your libido. Knowing what to look for will help you pin point the exact time of ovulation.
During each cycle couples not taking any form of contraceptive have around a 20% chance of conceiving but this could be lower when fertility issues come into play.
There are a few tell tale signs of ovulation, some obvious and others you would need a bit of checking to confirm:
Your basal body temperature rises and stays higher till your next period and for this you would need a Basal thermometer as well as a BBT chart to keep track.
Breast tenderness, some women experience excruciating pain before and during ovulation me being one of them.
Excessive cervical mucus or CM, closer to ovulation your body produces more estrogen causing cervical mucus to become clear and stretchy resembling egg white. To test this you can insert your finger into your vagina and using your index finger and your thumb you can stretch the mucus, if it’s very stretchy and clear you are in your fertile phase.
Your sex drive may increase and could be the perfect time to take advantage of the task at hand.
Lower abdomen pain or bloating are experienced by some women sometimes very light and just on one side that only lasts for a few minutes while others have extreme pain that could last a few hours and even cause nausea.
Brown discharge or spotting is normal and even common during ovulation and occurs when the follicle surrounding the egg matures and ruptures resulting in a tiny amount of bleeding.
Your cervix position changes, during ovulation your cervix is higher and opens up.
These are only a few signs and symptoms and vary from women to women so try and get to know your body by keeping track, making notes in your diary and even getting a ovulation kit to help you pin point your exact day. For some couples it only takes one round but for some of us it takes a while, whatever the situation just remember to keep on trying and keep it fun.
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