Tracking your ovulation is crucial if you’re trying to conceive. From monitoring bodily changes to taking ovulation tests, here's how to identify your ovulation patterns.
Ovulation occurs quickly, which makes it challenging to pinpoint when you’re ovulating and leaves only a small window if you’re trying to conceive. That's why it’s helpful to track your ovulation–the part of your menstrual cycle when you’re most fertile and most likely to get pregnant. While ovulation tracking does not prevent STDs and should not be used as a form of contraceptive, knowing when you’re ovulating can help avoid pregnancy as well.
From recording your menstrual cycle to recognizing symptoms and using ovulation tests, there are multiple ways to track and identify your ovulation patterns. Here’s everything you need to know about ovulation tracking.
Understanding ovulation Ovulation is the critical point in your menstrual cycle when one of your ovaries releases a fully mature egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it waits to be fertilized by the sperm. If the egg is fertilized by the sperm, the egg attaches to the uterine lining (endometrium), and you become pregnant. Estrogen and progesterone hormone levels fluctuate and rise to prepare the body for pregnancy by thickening the uterine lining and supporting fetal development.
Once your ovary releases an egg, the egg only survives for 12 to 24 hours. However, sperm can live in your body for 3 to 5 days and fertilize the egg as soon as it’s released. This means your window to conceive is about five days before ovulation and one day after. If you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s best to have sperm already in your body when you ovulate.
>>MORE: Finding Your Fertile Window: What It Is and How to Calculate Yours
Timing of ovulation An average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and ovulation usually occurs around the 14th day, which is about halfway through your cycle (1 ). However, the timing of ovulation can vary depending on the length of your cycle, whether your period is long, short, or irregular . Factors such as aging and menopause, underlying health conditions like PCOS, stress, dramatic weight changes, and certain medications and birth control can influence the timing of ovulation. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine can help regulate your menstrual cycle and ovulation.
If you use an ovulation test to help identify ovulation, it’s suggested to test a few days before you anticipate ovulating.
Ovulation tracking methods There are multiple methods to track ovulation, including menstrual cycle tracking apps, monitoring bodily changes, and ovulation tests.
Recording menstrual cycle: Track your period in a calendar or period-tracking app and record this data over 6 months. The number of days between the first day of each period is the length of your menstrual cycle. You ovulate about 12 to 14 days before your next menstrual cycle. Your fertile window will be five days before ovulation, the day of ovulation, and the day after. However, if you have irregular periods, this method will not be accurate (2 ).
Identifying changes in cervical mucus: Another method to predict ovulation is by tracking the consistency of your cervical mucus. Cervical mucus is a vaginal fluid produced by your cervix and changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Right before ovulation, your cervical mucus will turn from thick, white, and dry to clear and slippery. This texture makes it easier for the sperm to reach the egg.
Tracking basal body temperature: Measuring your basal body temperature can also be used to track ovulation. During ovulation, your basal body temperature increases slightly (about 0.5 to 1 degree). To track ovulation, you’ll need a thermometer that measures basal body temperature. You’ll take your temperature every morning for a couple of months to identify the day of your cycle when your temperature rises.
>>MORE: When Did I Ovulate? Your Guide to Confirming Ovulation
Using Ovulation tests There are two types of ovulation tests that can help identify ovulation.
Traditional ovulation tests : These tests measure the luteinizing hormone (LH) hormone in your urine. If there is a surge in LH, it signals that you’re about to ovulate, usually within the next 36 hours. A positive test result means that you’ve reached peak fertility and have the highest chance of getting pregnant. This is when you should have sex. If you receive a negative result, continue to take ovulation tests once or twice a day as you might ovulate later than expected.
These tests can be 99% accurate but can also result in false positives (3 ). LH can increase without an egg being released. Traditional tests also measure LH based on “standard” hormone ranges, and it’s common if LH levels are outside of the range as a result of fertility medications or reproductive health conditions like PCOS, which can lead to test inaccuracies.
Multi-hormone ovulation tests: These tests measure multiple hormones to track your fertility. Oova is an example of a multi-hormone ovulation test. Oova’s at-home, urine-based hormone test tracks and predicts ovulation for people with consistent menstrual cycles as well as those experiencing reproductive health conditions that cause irregular cycles. It filters out variables such as caffeine, food, drinks, and medications that can interfere with traditional tests. Oova measures LH, estrogen, and progesterone , and analyzes levels according to your baseline to provide more accurate results.
Ovulation tracking: the bottom line Menstrual cycles vary from person to person. Ovulation can change in each cycle, or you may have irregular periods, making it difficult to track and predict ovulation. In these cases, it can be helpful to try multiple methods at the same time and to consult your healthcare professional. Ovulation tracking is important for identifying your ovulation patterns. Utilizing these different methods of tracking can help you understand your reproductive health.
