How To Figure Out Your Ovulation Date (original) (raw)

The most fertile time during your menstrual cycle is ovulation, which is when the ovaries release a mature egg that travels through the fallopian tubes. The egg stays in the reproductive tract for about 12 to 24 hours, and if it becomes fertilized with sperm during that time, you can become pregnant.

Learning how to calculate ovulation can be useful for people who are to conceive so they can time sex or fertility treatments like artificial insemination during their fertile window. As it turns out, there are several methods for calculating ovulation, including using ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) and monitoring cervical mucus.

We turned to the experts to learn more about determining when you're most fertile to maximize your chances of getting pregnant.

Ovulation and Your Fertile Window

Even though an egg survives for about 12 to 24 hours in the reproductive tract, sperm can live from three to five days, says Staci Pollack, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN for the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at Montefiore Health System. This means that you can potentially conceive from unprotected sex during the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation, and even the day after (a period otherwise known as the fertile window).

The potentially tricky part is identifying when this fertile window begins and ends each cycle, especially if you have irregular periods.

How To Calculate Ovulation Dates

Although every person who menstruates should learn to track their cycle, including ovulation windows, you can also identify your ovulation date with other methods. Here are a few to discover.

Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs)

The most accurate way to know when you're ovulating is to use an ovulation predictor kit (OPK). These work by detecting a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), which your body starts releasing about 36 hours before ovulation. Because these kits give you the most advanced warning, they're your best bet for knowing when to time sex to coincide with ovulation and your fertile window.

Basal body temperature (BBT)

Your basal body temperature (BBT)—your body's temperature first thing in the morning—increases slightly (about 0.5 to 1 degree) just after ovulation. Because this spike is so small, you need a special basal body thermometer to measure it. A BBT thermometer is more sensitive than a regular thermometer and can detect temperature changes as slight as tenths of a degree.

Vaginal discharge

Your cervical mucus can help predict your ovulation date as well. Most people have a clear and somewhat elastic, raw egg white-like discharge in the days leading up to ovulation.

Ovulation symptoms

Some physical symptoms may accompany ovulation, but they're subtle enough that not everyone can spot them. About 40% of people who menstruate experience ovulation pain (also known as mittelschmerz) in the lower abdomen during ovulation. Breast tenderness is also a common sign of ovulation.

Ovulation calculator

You can also try an online ovulation calculator, like the one below, to predict ovulation and your fertile window. Keep in mind that results are just an estimate, but they can help you time baby-making sex when trying to conceive.

Health care provider visit

With blood tests and pelvic ultrasounds, a health care provider can monitor your ovulation cycle, says Jingwen Hou, MD, an OB-GYN specializing in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii. A trip to a health care provider's office can also help answer any questions about conceiving, including concerns about infertility, irregular menstrual cycles, and more.

When Is My Ovulation Date?

Most people of child-bearing age ovulate about halfway through their menstrual cycle, says Sharifa Menon, MD, FACOG, an OB-GYN at Westchester Medical Center, the flagship of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). But that rule of thumb assumes a 28-day cycle (and a 14-day luteal phase). While the average cycle is 28 days, there's a wide variation of normal, which complicates this calculation.

For a rough estimate of your next ovulation date, you can subtract 14 days from the date you expect your next period to begin. With "day one" of a cycle being the first day of your period, here are some examples of how this ovulation calculation works:

While this is a handy and simple calculation, it's important to note that its accuracy depends heavily on the length and regularity of your menstrual cycle—and the method doesn't work if your cycle length varies from month to month. For a more accurate estimate, try using this ovulation calculation method in conjunction with another method, like OPKs or cervical mucus tracking.