Ovulation is when the ovary releases an egg, and sperm can fertilize it. For most women, it happens about halfway through their monthly menstrual cycle. Figuring out when ovulation occurs can increase your odds of getting pregnant because you’ll know the best time to have sex frequently. If a woman’s period comes every 28 days, she’ll ovulate about 14 days after the first day of her period. Everyone is different, and the cycle might be shorter or longer than 28 days. In that case, an at-home ovulation predictor test can help. Ovulation predictor tests work much like pregnancy tests. The stick measures levels of luteinizing hormone in pee. This hormone spikes just before ovulation. Test daily and watch the test line get darker than the control line. Ovulation will typically happen within 48 hours of this peak. Other ways to track ovulation include:
Watching for a change in cervical mucus. In the days just before ovulation, vaginal secretions increase and become clear, slippery, and stretchy, like egg whites. After ovulation, it becomes thicker and cloudier.
Measuring a slight dip in basal body temperature to confirm ovulation happened. Take basal body temperature each day when waking with an extra-sensitive thermometer. Track it for two to three months to notice the temperature pattern.
If ovulation is imminent, plan to have sex at least every other day for your best chance of conceiving. An egg can live up to 24 hours after leaving the ovary. And sperm can live for five to six days in your reproductive tract. That means you can get pregnant if you’ve had sex up to five days before ovulation and for 24 hours afterward. You want the sperm to be present before the egg is released. A woman’s period should come 14 days after ovulation. If it doesn’t, do a pregnancy test.