What is ovulation, and when does ovulation start?
For mothers and husbands who are planning to have children, it is mandatory to know information about what ovulation is so that they can get pregnant quickly.
So, what is ovulation and how important is a woman’s ovulation to the success of a pregnancy program ?
Mom, here we explain complete information regarding what a woman’s ovulation day or period is, the ovulation process, characteristics, and even ovulation tests that you can do yourself at home using special tools.
Don’t forget, tips for having sex during ovulation to increase the chances of pregnancy.
What is Ovulation Period?
Get to know a woman’s ovulation period for a smooth pregnancy program.
Ovulation is the process by which a mature egg is released from one of the ovaries – the beginning of the follicular phase.
During the follicular phase, the body will release follicle – stimulating hormone (FSH) which helps the egg cells in the ovaries mature and prepare to be released.
After the egg matures, the body will release a surge of luteinizing hormone ( LH ) which triggers the release of the egg.
This ovulation usually occurs around day 14, within 28 to 36 hours after the LH surge. It is part of the menstrual cycle and plays a major role in pregnancy.
Benefits of Knowing the Fertile Period
Understanding how ovulation occurs and when it occurs can help you achieve or prevent pregnancy. It can also help you diagnose certain medical conditions.
Ovulation Process
After knowing the explanation of what ovulation is, now you have to understand what the process is like.
Once released, the egg moves to the fallopian tube and stays there for 12 to 24 hours, where it can be fertilized.
Sperm can live in the female reproductive tract for 5 days after sexual intercourse under the right conditions – only if you and your partner have sex regularly in the 5 days before and on the day of ovulation.
This is when the chances of getting pregnant are very high – also known asfertile window(or “fertile window”- which is when sperm are present and alive in the fallopian tubes during ovulation.
Sperm may wait for several days in the fallopian tubes after sex, ready to fertilize the egg once it is finally released.
Once the egg is in the fallopian tube, it lives for about 24 hours before it can no longer be fertilized, thus ending the fertile period .
If fertilized, the egg can travel to the uterus and implant to develop into a pregnancy.
If left unfertilized, the egg will disintegrate and the uterine lining will be shed during menstruation.
When Does Ovulation Occur?
The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, with ovulation occurring approximately 14 days before the start of the next menstrual period.
However, each woman’s cycle length is generally different, and the time between ovulation and the start of the next menstrual period can vary as well.
Characteristics of Ovulation
There are various signs of ovulation that women usually experience. Do you feel them too, Mom?
Outside of the menstrual calendar, according to the Mayo Clinic website , several signs of ovulation or the fertile period are explained as follows:
1. Cervical Mucus Condition
One sign of ovulation is a change in vaginal secretions (cervical mucus). Just before ovulation, you may experience an increase in vaginal discharge that is clear, wet and slimy like raw egg white.
Right after ovulation, cervical mucus decreases and becomes thicker, cloudy and less visible. Some people call it vaginal discharge.
2. Changes in Basal Body Temperature
Basal body temperature is your body temperature when it is at rest. It will increase slightly during ovulation.
You can measure it with a special thermometer to predict when you ovulate.
3. Stomach Pain
Pain in the ovaries characterized by discomfort or pain on one side of the abdomen – left or right lower abdomen, depending on which ovary released the egg.
This condition is quite common, experienced by up to 40 percent of women. This condition is also known ascold–which means “middle pain” in German.
The pain level ranges from mild to severe, and may include aches and cramps.
Check with your doctor to make sure this pain is caused by ovulation and not endometriosis, abdominal scarring, or a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
4. Spots
Experiencing light bleeding or spotting during ovulation is also experienced by some women. However, how do you distinguish it from menstrual blood?
Spotting during ovulation is usually pink or brownish. This is caused by high levels of the hormone estrogen in a woman.
5. Breasts are more sensitive
In some women, the breasts feel tender and painful during ovulation due to the production of estrogen and luteinizing hormones (LH).
6. Increased Sexual Drive
During ovulation, women will be more passionate about having sex. This is because the estrogen levels in a woman’s body are at their highest.
In fact, a study revealed that during ovulation some women feel more attractive than on normal days.
Generally, this increase in sexual desire begins 3 days before luteinizing hormone levels peak.
7. More sensitive sense of smell
One of the signs of ovulation that some women experience is an increased sensitivity to the sense of smell.
So, some women are more sensitive to smelling certain smells or aromas around them.
8. Mood Swings
During ovulation, the body will produce more of the hormone estrogen.
This increase causes women to experience mood swings and become more sensitive to some people.
Actually, not all women experience ovulation symptoms as written above.
Therefore, these signs are considered secondary in tracking fertility.
Causes of Stopped Ovulation
Some women do not ovulate regularly, usually because the ovaries do not receive the right signal at the right time to mature and release eggs.
The pituitary gland, at the base of the brain, produces hormones that control the ovaries, namely follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
If ovulation does not occur at regular times, it is likely that the ovaries and pituitary gland are not communicating properly.
Ovulation disorders are generally divided into two groups, namely anovulation (where there is no ovulation at all), and oligo-ovulation (where ovulation occurs infrequently or irregularly).
Certain health conditions or life events can affect ovulation or cause you to stop ovulating. Some of these include:
- Breastfeeding ( chestfeeding ) or hyperprolactinemia.
- Menopause.
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
- Primary ovarian insufficiency.
Amenorrhea from things like high or low body fat, excessive stress or fatigue or excessive exercise.
If your periods are irregular or you haven’t had a period for months, you may not be ovulating.
Contact a healthcare provider if this is the case so they can rule out any serious conditions.
How to Know Your Ovulation Period Independently?
You can find out your body’s ovulation period by doing a self-check. Here’s how:
- Use a menstrual calendar . If your menstrual cycle is not like most women’s (28 days), create a menstrual calendar so you can determine the length of your cycle and when you are most likely to ovulate.
- Take your basal body temperature every morning before you get out of bed using a thermometer designed specifically for measuring basal body temperature. Record the results and look for patterns to emerge. You will be most fertile for 2-3 days before your temperature rises. Your temperature will rise slightly for a few days after ovulation, about 0.5 to 1.3°F (0.3 to 0.7°C).
Ovulation Test
Mothers can do ovulation tests independently at home using special tools.
Although the most accurate way to confirm ovulation is with an ultrasound or hormonal blood test, you can also track ovulation yourself at home, namely by using an ovulation meter or over-the-counter (OTC) option.
This is an over-the-counter ovulation predictor and fertility monitor to help you identify when you are most likely to ovulate.
This is done by measuring the hormone levels in the urine that occur before ovulation. Ovulation occurs about 36 hours after a positive result.
According to the Healthline website, here are 2 types of OTC tools that are recommended for performing ovulation tests:
- Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs). These OTCs are sold in some drug stores. Their job is to detect the presence of LH in urine.
- Fertility monitors. These OTCs are also available in drug stores, where they track two hormones, estrogen and LH, to identify fertile periods. These monitors are generally more expensive than OPKs because they can detect 4 or more fertile days each month with 99 percent accuracy.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging to ensure proper home tracking.
Ovulation While Using Contraceptives
In fact, if you use the Pill or other hormonal contraceptives as directed, it will stop ovulation.
These birth control hormones work by stopping ovulation and thickening cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to swim.
No ovulation means there are no eggs for sperm to fertilize, so pregnancy cannot occur.
However, keep in mind, this only happens if you use the pill, implant, injection, patch , IUD, or other hormonal contraceptive according to the instructions provided.
Oral contraceptives contain the hormones progestin and estrogen which stop ovulation.
If you use it perfectly, it is a great way to prevent pregnancy, with an effectiveness rate of 99.7%.
But in reality, many women forget to take it every day, so the average effectiveness is only 91%.
Even if you’re using the progestin-only minipill, you may still ovulate.
Meanwhile, if you and your partner decide to use contraception in the form of condoms, this can actually prevent pregnancy, but it does not prevent ovulation.
Especially if you have an irregular menstrual cycle, it will be difficult to predict the day of ovulation accurately.
To be safe, you should still use a condom every time you have sex.
A person with a vulva can only get pregnant during ovulation, which is when their ovaries release an egg. An egg can be fertilized 24 to 48 hours after ovulation occurs.
If your partner uses a condom perfectly every time they have sex, it is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy.
But in real life, condoms are about 87% effective. That means about 13 out of 100 people who use condoms as their only method of birth control will get pregnant each year.
Chances of Pregnancy with Sex During Ovulation
What are the chances of pregnancy when you and your partner have sex during ovulation?
How often should you have sex if you want to get pregnant?
In fact, you only need to have sex once during your fertile period to achieve pregnancy.
If you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, have sex every day during your fertile period.
The best time to have sex is in the 2 days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation.
If you are confused about determining the time of ovulation, consult a doctor. The doctor will help you find out your ovulation period.
Treatment to Stimulate Ovulation
There are fertility drugs to induce ovulation. Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms and goals, such as whether you want to get pregnant. They can help you decide on the best treatment for your condition.
However, as reported on the pageNatural Womanhood,There are 5 simple ways to help your body ovulate naturally, including:
1. Manage Body Weight
First, determine your body mass index (BMI). If it is low, then gradually increase your calorie intake to achieve a slightly higher body mass.
On the other hand, if the results indicate obesity or overweight, immediately consult a nutritionist.
2. Swap Low Carbs for Slow Carbs
If you’ve been low on grains, fruits and starchy vegetables, gradually add back some tasty grains, fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes and peas, which contain sugars that are released slowly into the bloodstream.
These foods are not only healthy, but can help relieve stress.
3. Add Some Good Fats
Many people believe that animal fat is one of the causes of fertility hormone imbalance. However, that is just a myth.
You may consume animal fat as long as it is within normal limits.
Especially if you consume red meat (beef) that is more often grass-fed, so that the fatty acid profile is optimal.
Also, keep eating avocados, oily fish, nuts, and seeds.
4. Improve Sleep Patterns
It’s not just the length of time, but also the quality of rest.
Easy changes to do this include making the bedroom darker (or using a sleep mask), having regular bedtimes and wake times, and adjusting the room temperature.
Also, avoid or reduce caffeine or smoking intake at least six hours before bedtime.
Add a bedtime routine that includes meditation or prayer time, good reading, and no digital screen time for at least an hour before bed.
5. Balances Hormones Naturally
There are several ways to balance hormones naturally and improve the quality of ovulation.
Seed cycling involves eating certain types of seeds during certain phases of your cycle to improve hormonal balance.
Evidence is limited, but some studies have suggested a link between consumption of foods high in lignans (such as flaxseed) and effects on sex steroid action.
You can also make simple lifestyle changes to naturally increase progesterone and improve ovulation.
For example, there are several foods that can help increase progesterone production, including broccoli, spinach, beans, and pumpkin. Sometimes, herbal supplements or prescription medications can help.
If you are interested in any of these options, it is recommended that you consult a doctor.
These are just some general suggestions to support a healthy, regular cycle, and to help induce ovulation naturally through food and lifestyle choices.
If you have made these changes effectively and your cycle is still not functioning normally, you need to consult a doctor who can understand the unique patterns of your cycle and hormone levels and diagnose the root cause of the problem.
Using contraception to regulate your cycle can reduce symptoms and hide the dysfunction, but it will not eliminate it.
***
This is an explanation of what ovulation is, the process, characteristics, how to do an ovulation test independently, and several treatment options to stimulate ovulation.
Hopefully this can help you and your partner to ensure the pregnancy program you are currently undergoing runs smoothly.
***
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
