Trying to conceive is an exciting time in life, but it’s one that can also be confusing and stressful for a couple. There are many factors that play into the chances of getting pregnant in any given month and trying to keep track of all of them can add an extra and unnecessary burden to hopeful mothers.
With a little bit of knowledge and practice, you can learn to calculate the estimated dates for ovulation based on your menstrual cycle.
Understanding your menstrual cycle is one of the most important steps to conceiving because it will tell you when you’re most fertile in a month. This time period is roughly six days out of the month, so it’s important to get the timing right. To calculate this important date range, you first need to understand a few facts about your cycle:
Length
You’ll need to know the length of your average menstrual cycle. This varies from woman to woman, but it’s usually around 28 days, although it can be as short as 24 or as long as 34! Your cycle begins on the first day of your period. [1]
Phases
Your menstrual cycle is broken into three phases. It’s important that you understand what happens during each phase so you can have the best chance of getting pregnant.
Follicular Phase
The follicular phase starts on the first day of your menstruation. During this phase, the follicles inside your ovaries start to grow in size under the influence of hormones from pituitary gland. Each follicle contains an egg that will be released during next phase.
During late days of this phase, your ovaries are also working hard to prepare a place to house the egg. This phase lasts around 15 days and continues right until ovulation.
Ovulation
The 2nd phase of your cycle is one of the most important parts when it comes to conception. The exact day of ovulation depends on the length of your personal cycle, but it usually happens about halfway through your full cycle.
During ovulation, an egg is released from mature follicle inside the ovary and is picked up into fallopian tube, where it waits to be fertilized by a sperm.
Luteal Phase
The last phase of menstrual cycle is the luteal phase. After the release of egg, the ruptured follicle is converted into corpus luteum; hence the name luteal phase. The corpus luteum starts secreting progesterone to stimulate secretions from endometrium and fallopian tubes.
If the egg is not fertilized, the corpus luteum undergoes degeneration which results in shedding of endometrium and start of a new cycle.
After Ovulation (if fertilized) – IThe egg has to be fertilized by a sperm within 12-24 hours of its release, so the sperm has to be in place in order to make it happen. An embryo is formed after fertilization, which then travels to the uterus to implant itself into the uterine wall where it will grow for the next nine months!
Menstrual Cycle Diagram
As mentioned before, determining the timing of your ovulation is critical when you’re trying to conceive. One way to determine this is by using an online calculator like the one found here. However, if you’re concerned about the reliability of those results, you can also calculate your dates manually.
Manually Calculating Ovulation Days
Calendar
The easiest way to calculate what days you’ll be ovulating is by counting days on a calendar to get a good starting point. The first day of your cycle begins on the first day of your period, so that’s Day One.
The last day of your cycle begins the night before you start your next day period. The number of days in that period gives you the length of your cycle. For this example, let’s say you have a 28-day cycle.
You ovulate roughly midway through your cycle, so if your cycle is 28 days long, you can estimate the ovulation date on Day 14 of your cycle.
If your cycles are closer to 35 days, your ovulation day would be around day 21, so your most fertile days would be days 19-21.
If your cycle is closer to 21 days, your ovulation day would be around day 7 and your most fertile days would be days 5-7 [2]. It’s best to have sex every other day starting five days before your ovulation date, as sperm can live up to five days.
Body Temperature
Another way to manually determine if you’re ovulating is by taking your body temperature. This method is much more accurate than looking at a calendar, but you will need a basal temperature thermometer, which you can get at any pharmacy.
Take your temperature every day starting on the first day of your period and plot it on a graph or in your calendar. Before long, you’ll spot a .4F rise in your temperature over three consecutive days.
This occurs about five days before your ovulation date and continues for three days after it. That time period is your best chance of getting pregnant.
Detecting Signs
Another way to know that you’re ovulating is to be familiar with the signs and in touch with your body. Our bodies give out signals when ovulation is nearing, and when it’s passed, all we have to do is be aware of them.
When estrogen levels are highest and ovulation is coming, you’ll notice a stretchy cervical fluid that’s similar to egg whites [3] and your cervix will be high, soft and open.
You can also check your urine for high levels of estrogen using an ovulation predictor kit. Some women even experience ovulation cramping similar to period cramps.
Chances of Getting Pregnant
Tracking ovulation helps in both getting pregnant or in avoiding it. If you want to get pregnant, your fertile window is when you should be having sex. This period reflects the lifespan of sperm, which is 5 days, and the lifespan of the ovum, which is 24 hours.
Having sex six days before you ovulate gives you basically zero chance of getting pregnant. However, if you have sex five days before, your chance rises to 10%.
This percentage will increase the closer you get to ovulation and will then decrease once again after the end of the fertile period. During your fertile days, you should be having sex every 2 to 3 days to increase your chances of conception.
References
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1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menstrual-cycle/art-20047186
2. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-an-irregular-period-1959924
3. https://www.parents.com/getting-pregnant/ovulation/fertile-days/what-cervical-mucus-looks-like-at-every-point-in-your-cycle/
I have a 28-day cycle my first day of my last period was October 21, so when would I be most fertile?
Thank you
You would be fertile from November 02 to 06, 2015.
Hi, my last period started on the 30 sept 2015. I haven’t received my Oct period yet. Could I be pregnant?
When is your October period due? Your chances of being pregnant depend on whether you were fertile on or around the date that you had sex. It is important to know the number of days in your menstrual cycle. This information is needed to provide you with the most accurate response.
1st day of my last period is on oct. 9. I have 25 day cycle. Had unprotected sex on Oct. 21. What are my chances? Can i get pregnant? I think my ovulation is on Oct. 19.
The chances of pregnancy would be high since you were ovulating from October 18 to 22.
Hi. My last period has started 01 -06 October 2015, please when is my next period coming, my cycle is 30 days. Please tell me cause I’m trying to get pregnant.
Hello, your next period is due on October 31st.
Hi,
I can hardly say whether my period last 28 or 29 days. I’m extremely confused because I don’t know if the first day of spotting can be counted as the beginning of the period or not. That is my problem. And secondly when it comes over night, that is I wake up the next morning to find that I am bleeding.when can I state as the first day. Is it the day of the night or the day I woke up? please help me to answer this
Confused!
Hi Rosie, Your period begins the first day you flow blood not when you spot, so anytime you start bleeding thats the first day of your period.
Hi there. My July period is from 27th to 31st, August period is from 25th to 29th & September period is from 22nd to 28th. I just want to reassure if my menses cycle length is around 31 days. And I want to know when does ovulation normally occurs according to my cycle length as I had sex on 4th October.
Based on the dates provided, you have a 28 to 29 days cycle. This means that in October you were fertile from October 4 to 9, 2015. You can use our calculator via this link http://womanjunction.com/ – simply enter the first day of your last menstrual period and the usual number of days in your cycle then press calculate.
When should I take pregnancy test? Because I’m not sexually active… and my period suppose to come around 23rd of October…
You can get the most accurate result if you wait at least one week after missing your period. In addition, the result might be even more accurate if the test is done first in the morning as the urine is far more concentrated at this time. The urine-based home pregnancy tests offer great accuracy.
If base on my period cycle, how can I calculate my ovulation & fertile period? Coz my period normally comes around 1-2 days later den actual date. I’m actually still lil confused how to calculate ovulation & fertile period.
My last period was on 21St September. When will be the next one?
Hello! I just want to ask something cause I’m very confused. I had my first period last september 13, 2015 I just want to know when will my next menstruation will come? Because I’m very confused and I don’t know how long is my menstrual cycle please answer my question.
The menstrual cycle starts on day one of the bleeding to day one of the next. On average, the cycle lasts for 28 days, but it’s normal to have it longer or shorter. Since this is your first period, your cycle may be unpredictable for a little while. You may have a few more periods before your cycle becomes regular. You will have to wait until your next period comes to see to be able to determine your cycle. Ensure that you keep a record of the date that each period starts. Count the days between the start of one period to the start of the other. So if one period started on July 10 and the next one started on August 5, then you would have a 26 days cycle; that is the amount of days between July 10 and August 5.
My menstrual cycle length use to be 28 days but all of a sudden it changed to 26 days is everything alright and how do I calculate my ovulation?
Hi Kenny,There are things your doctor can prescribe to let you get back the right length of your period.Work out the length of your average menstrual cycle. Day one is the first day of the menstrual period and the last day is the day before the next period begins. Ovulation happens about two weeks before the next expected period.
My last menstrual was July 24th. I haven’t had a menstrual cycle. September 18-24th I had light brown discharge. I took a pregnancy test October 12th after 3pm. Could I be pregnant?
What were the results of the test that you took on October 12? It should indicate whether or not you are pregnant.
No it was negative. When I found I was pregnant with my first child the first test I took were negative. I remember using about 4 different test .
hi. me and my husband are ttc.I had my period on 21st of august then 1st of october.(thought I was pregnant coz I haven’t had my period on sept.) does that mean my menstruation cycle is 40 days? thanks so much for those who can answer 🙂
Hi Queenie, has this ever happened to you before? This could also mean your cycle has changed
Hi I need help please I had my periods on the 13 of September 2015. I find it hard to calculate and I’m scared I might be pregnant, my periods take up to 5 days.
You first need to confirm the start dates for your July and August periods. This information would be used to determine the number of says in your menstrual. The menstrual cycle starts on day one of the bleeding to day one of the next. On average, the cycle lasts for 28 days, but it’s normal to have it longer or shorter. So if one period started on July 10 and the next one started on August 5, then you would have a 26 days cycle. If your periods are regular, then the two subsequent ones would come on August 31 and September 26. You can also read this post http://womanjunction.com/menstrual-cycle-calculating-manually/
My last period has started 2 September 2015. Pls when is my next period coming, because I am trying to get pregnant?
Hi Zeba, How long is your cycle? you will have to provide that information for me to check it correctly.
I need to get pregnant and I don’t know how to calculate it. I saw my period on the 7th of September and have seen it on the 2nd of October. Please help me. When is my ovulation time? It’s urgent please. Thanks.
Hi. It seems you have a 25 days cycle (this is calculated by counting the number of days from the September 7 to October 1). You will ovulate during October 11 to 15, 2015 and your next menstrual period is expected to start on October 27, 2015, if you did not get pregnant. Be sure to read sections 1 and 4 from our FAQ link http://womanjunction.com/faq-frequently-asked-questions-menstrual-cycle-pregnancy-ovulation-abortion/
Please i need help in trying to calculate my ovulation properly and how and to know my average cycle .
Below is for the last 4 months:
June 12(it lasted for 4 days)
July 10(lasted for 5days)
August 6(last for 4 days)
September 5(last for 4 days)
and now what is even worrying me the more is my expepcted period based on the app i use on my phone says October 4th but i started seeing it today been October 2. What may be wrong?
I am very worried as i want to be pregnant. I will be 33 years this October.
Please help me.
The menstrual cycle starts on day one of the bleeding to day one of the next. Based on the information you provided, Day 1 of your June period is the 12th. Day 1 of your July period is the 10th. The number of days in that cycle would be 28 because you would count 28 days from June 12 to July 9. The new period would start on July 10.The same principle would apply for the July to August cycle. Your cycle varied over the four months; June to July was 28 days, July to August was 27 days, August to September was 30 days and September to October 27 days. Your average cycle was 28 days.
Use the menstrual calculator at http://womanjunction.com/ to help you. Put the first day of your last menstrual period and the usual number of days in your cycle and the calculator will compute your fertile days and the date of your next period.
My girlfriend’s menses starts at the end or start of every new month and she came to me on 27th and we had sex 27 and 28 and today is 2nd and no menses is she pregnant??? Pls help me because she is a virgin and that was her first time pls I’m worried.
Please confirm the first day of her last menstrual period and the usual number of days in her cycle. This is needed to provide the most accurate response.