The ovulatory phase is one of the three key phases of your menstrual cycle. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this crucial phase.
Your menstrual cycle is made up of different phases, one of which is called the ovulatory phase.
What is the ovulatory phase? You’ve come to the right place!
Here, we’ll answer all your questions about the ovulatory phase, including what the ovulatory phase is, when it occurs, how to tell if you’re in this phase, and how long the ovulatory phase lasts.
What is the ovulatory phase? The ovulatory phase is the phase of your menstrual cycle when ovulation occurs.
During the ovulatory phase, your ovaries release a mature egg (which started growing at the beginning of the cycle). From there, the egg starts moving down the fallopian tubes, where it hangs around for about 12 to 24 hours .
The egg has two possible paths during the ovulatory phase: fertilization or no fertilization.
If the egg runs into sperm during its 24-hour period of viability, it may become fertilized . Then, the fertilized egg travels to the uterus, implants in the uterine lining, and can become an embryo. If all this occurs, you can get a positive pregnancy test about two weeks later—also known as 14 DPO (days past ovulation) .
If no fertilization occurs, the egg reaches the end of its viability around one day after ovulation. From there, the ovulatory phase ends, the egg disintegrates and is reabsorbed back into your body, and you get your next period about two weeks later.
It’s even possible for your body to work overtime and release two eggs during the ovulatory phase. This phenomenon, known as hyperovulation , is perfectly safe, and you likely won’t be aware that it happened. If you get pregnant in a hyperovulation cycle, you may have fraternal twins.
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Why does the ovulatory phase happen? Activity in key reproductive hormones causes the ovulatory phase to begin and triggers ovulation.
At the very beginning of your cycle, well before the ovulatory phase, rising levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) tell your ovaries to start producing follicles (the structures that house immature eggs, or oocytes).
Soon, one follicle and the immature egg it houses become dominant. As that egg grows in your ovaries, it releases estrogen , making estrogen levels rise overall.
Rising estrogen makes luteinizing hormone (LH) levels start to increase. When LH hits its peak (the “LH surge ”), it triggers the release of the now-mature egg from your ovaries.
Then, rising progesterone levels signal that ovulation has occurred, and the ovulatory phase is coming to an end.
When is the ovulatory phase? The menstrual cycle is made up of three distinct phases:
Follicular phase Ovulatory phase : you ovulate and your ovaries release the mature eggLuteal phase The ovulatory phase comes second. It’s the transitory phase between the follicular and luteal phases, marking the turning point from the first half of your cycle to the second half.
When in your cycle is the ovulatory phase? You generally start the ovulatory phase and ovulate around the midpoint of your cycle .
Where the middle of your cycle falls depends on your body and your hormones. In a 22-day cycle, for example, you might start the ovulatory phase and ovulate around day 11, whereas you may ovulate closer to day 16 in a 32-day cycle.
In other words, the exact timing of the ovulatory phase is all up to you!
It’s also possible—and common—to experience slight variation in ovulatory phase timing from cycle to cycle. Some cycles may even skip the ovulatory phase altogether without you knowing (anovulation ), although if this happens regularly it may be a sign of an underlying issue.
If you have irregular cycles , your ovulatory phase timing may vary more.
>>MORE: How to Track Ovulation With Irregular Periods
How long does the ovulatory phase last? While the follicular phase and the luteal phase each last anywhere from around 10 to 16 days on average, the ovulatory phase is quite short. It’s more a moment in time than anything else.
The ovulatory phase lasts as long as ovulation lasts . Remember: the egg that you ovulate is viable for only about 12 to 24 hours post-ovulation. That means that the ovulatory phase lasts about one day.
When does the ovulatory phase end? The ovulatory phase ends once the egg gets fertilized and starts its journey to the uterus, or once it reaches the end of its viability. After that, your body enters the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle.
The ovulatory phase is bookended by hormonal events: the LH surge signals that you’re about to ovulate; then, rising progesterone confirms that you’ve ovulated and you’ve reached the end of the ovulatory phase.
Are you fertile during the ovulatory phase? The ovulatory phase is key to pregnancy, because this is the phase in your cycle when you’re fertile and can conceive.
Do you have to have sex during the ovulatory phase to get pregnant? Not exactly. You have to have sex around ovulation, but you don’t need to have sex precisely during the 24-hour phase.
This is because you’re also fertile and able to conceive in the days leading up to the ovulatory phase. This period of time is known as your fertile window . It lasts 6 days total : the 5 days before the ovulatory phase, plus the 1 day of the ovulatory phase.
If you’re trying to conceive, you should have sex every day or every other day during your fertile window. This maximizes the chances of sperm meeting up with the egg during the ovulatory phase.
How to tell if you’re in the ovulatory phase Knowing when you’re in the ovulatory phase and when you’re ovulating is an important part of understanding your health, regardless of whether you’re trying for a baby.
There are a few different ways to tell if you’re in the ovulatory phase, ranging from looking for the signs of ovulation to using ovulation tracking tools.
Certain physical signs and symptoms may indicate that the ovulatory phase is near, including:
To more reliably track your ovulation and know when you’re in the ovulatory phase, you can also try using an ovulation predictor kit (OPK) , or, better yet, a multi-hormone ovulation test kit.
Multi-hormone ovulation test kits like the Oova fertility kit measure your unique hormone levels to capture the changes that indicate you’re in the ovulatory phase.
What is the ovulatory phase? The bottom line The ovulatory phase is the moment in your menstrual cycle when you ovulate and your ovaries release an egg.
The ovulatory phase is the second phase of your menstrual cycle, occurring around the cycle midpoint and lasting about one day.
You’re fertile during the ovulatory phase, so for those trying to conceive, this is the time to have sex. But regardless of pregnancy plans, understanding ovulation is part of knowing your body and monitoring your health.
If you’re interested in understanding more about your ovulatory phase, consider using a multi-hormone ovulation kit to track your cycle across all phases.
