How to calculate ovulation and finally get pregnant

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker studied popular calculation methods and figured out which ones are accurate and which ones are not very accurate.

The average woman produces only one egg per cycle. The moment when the cell leaves the ovary is called ovulation. Ovulation is short: the egg is viable. Getting pregnant for only 12-24 hours. If during this time she does not meet with sperm, conception will not occur. That is, you have to wait for the next cycle.

The situation is slightly simplified by the fact that sperm are able to wait for their egg for 3-4 days. This means that the so-called fertility window - the period when sex is likely to lead to pregnancy - expands to 4-5 days a month.

It remains only to understand when ovulation will occur.

How to calculate ovulation in a calendar way

Accuracy: below average

This method works only if you keep a calendar of the menstrual cycle and know exactly the timing and duration of your period.

According to generally accepted medical concepts, ovulation occurs 14 days before the start of the next period. With an average 28-day cycle, this date falls on the 14th day of the cycle. That is, the window of fertility, taking into account the viability of sperm, is the 10-14th day of the cycle.

But there is an opinion The timing of the “fertile window” in the menstrual cycle: day specific estimates from a prospective study that in many women ovulation floats and can occur on any date between the 10th and 22nd days of the menstrual cycle. Only 221 women participated in the study, so it's probably not worth extrapolating the results to all of them.

However, if you are having trouble getting pregnant during the "standard" fertility period, try expanding it to reflect the new data.

An important note: the calendar method does not take into account individual characteristics and lifestyle. Do not rely on the Rhythm method for natural family planning calculations if you:

1. Have an irregular monthly cycle.
2. Became a mother a few months ago.
3. Continue breastfeeding.
4. Approaching menopause (this process, as a rule, starts Are We There Yet? Navigate Now with Our Guided Menopause Tour at 40-50 years old).
5. Recently stopped taking birth control pills or other hormonal contraceptives.

How to calculate ovulation online

Accuracy: below average

Most web services are built on the same assumption that ovulation occurs 14 days before the start of the next menstrual cycle. Therefore, they have the same disadvantages as the actual calendar method. Nevertheless, these services can still help determine the most fertile period.

To calculate online, you can use the ovulation calendar provided, for example, by the reputable medical site WebMD. The service will ask you for:

1. The start date of the previous period.
2. Cycle duration. If in doubt, the service will ask you to enter the start dates for several previous monthly periods and, based on them, will calculate the cycle itself.

As a result of the calculations, you will receive:

1. Fertile Window.
2. The estimated date of ovulation (Approximate Ovulation).
3. Estimated date of the next period (Next Period).
4. The date when the pregnancy test will give an unambiguous result: conception has occurred or not (Pregnancy Test Day).

Calculate ovulation on WebMD →

How to calculate ovulation using apps

Accuracy: Medium

Such utilities are not limited to using a purely calendar method. Month after month, they study your individual cycle, well-being, emotional state, help track possible disruptions in the monthly process, and also predict the onset of ovulation and menstruation. The more data you enter into such an application, the more accurate the predictions will be.

Here is a small selection of popular women's calendars.

1. Ovia

This application allows you to fully monitor your health status. It takes into account not only the monthly cycle, but also your individual characteristics: age, height, weight, sleep quality, amount of exercise, stress level, mood swings during the day, and so on. As a result, the date of ovulation is predicted quite accurately.

2. Period calendar

Russian-language application with elements of artificial intelligence. The "monthly calendar" not only tracks the individual characteristics of the body and lifestyle, but also learns in the process, remembering exactly how your body reacts to certain life circumstances (stress, travel and flights, increase or decrease in load, and so on). This allows the accuracy of forecasts to be increased over time.

3. OvuView

The utility uses a wide range of fertility assessment: 4 symptomatic methods, 5 methods based on the assessment of secretions, 3 temperature and 2 calendar methods. The results are presented in the form of a visual and as easy-to-understand diagram as possible, where both fertile and relatively safe days are indicated.

5 Best Free Menstrual Cycle Tracker Apps →

How to calculate ovulation in a physiological way

Accuracy: Medium

The task is to track the symptoms of Signs of Ovulation, which most often accompany ovulation. Here they are:

1. Changes in the amount, color and density of secretions: they become similar to raw egg whites. This is one of the first obvious signs of hormonal changes in the body associated with ovulation. Immediately after the completion of the ovulation process, the amount of discharge decreases, they become less noticeable.
2. Increase in basal (at rest) body temperature - by 0.5–1 ° С. To track this, make it a habit to take your temperature every morning.
3. Breast swelling and soreness.
4. Mild bloating.
5. Pulling sensations in the lower abdomen.

It is most effective to combine the physiological method with the calendar. In this case, you will know at what period of the cycle it is important to listen to yourself especially carefully.

How to calculate ovulation by instrumental method

Accuracy: high

Ovulation tests are available in pharmacies. They work in much the same way as pregnancy tests, and help to accurately determine whether the hormonal background is consistent with what triggers the release of an egg from the ovaries.

An option for perfectionists is Ultrasound scanning of ovaries to detect ovulation in women. With the help of an ultrasound machine, the specialist will determine the size of the follicle (the "bubble" in which the egg matures) and will suggest the most likely time for the egg to leave the ovary. You will have to go through 2 or 3 sessions during a monthly cycle:

1. On the 7-10th day of the cycle. It allows you to determine the dominant follicle - the one in which a viable egg matures, and also to fix its size.
2. After 3 days. The Uzist will assess the dynamics of follicle growth and give an opinion on when ovulation is expected.
3. 1 day before or immediately on the day of expected ovulation, to confirm the start of the process.

Instrumental studies, unlike other methods, have a high accuracy - more than 80%.