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/
Hi..my last period is DEC.23 2015, until now I’m delayed. I took a pt.. Its negative. am I pregnant?
Hi,Take another pregnancy test in the morning when you just wake up. if it’s still negative visit a doctor.
I started menstruating on the 1st of January, and it lasted for 7 days and my next mensuration started on the 6th of February, please how long is my cycle and how do I calculate it.
It seems your cycle is around 28/30 days. A suggestion I have is get a period calculator app on your phone. You can put in your period duration, and beginnning/end times, and it will calculate your next period, ovulation, etc 🙂
My period has been regular 28 days cycle. But I have trying for a baby for 6years now and I have done hormonal profile which the result says that am ovulating. I don’t know what seems to be the problem. Does ovulation look watery?
Yes ovulation can actually look watery! There are four cycles of ovulation and fertility. Watery (sign of fertility), EggWhite (This looks much like the white of an egg, which is a sign of extreme fertility), Opaque (NOT fertile), and cloudy (least fertile). From the sounds of it, your ovulation should be okay! I would see a professional if you keep having these issues 🙂
I had my last menstruation on 16th December 2015, I’m now seeing another one on 23rd January 2016, please what’s my average cycle? I’m not getting it at all, help please.
The menstrual cycle starts on day one of the bleeding, which in your case is December 16. On average, the menstrual cycle lasts for 28 days, but it’s normal to have it longer or shorter. So if one period started on December 16 and the next one started on January 23, then you would have a 38 days cycle. Simply count the days from December 16 (this would be day 1) to January 22; you would get 38 days. January 23 would now be day 1 for this new period. If your periods are regular, then if you count 38 days from January 23 – the two subsequent periods would come on March 1 and April 8.
Thanks so much.
Hi. I had my period on Dec 11th 2015 and again on the 25th. My period has never come twice in 1 month- I normally have a 27/28 day cycle and last about 5 days. I did the test and my harmony is normal. I’m not sure why this would be. Any thoughts ladies. I also took a pregnancy test and its negative…not even sure when to expect my next period 🙁
Thanks
Hi, I got my period on the 14th September which lasted till the 18th September (a day before my wedding) – I guess the wedding stress effected me badly because I didn’t see my period till the 19th of December which ended on the 27th December. I then went on Fertomid for 5 days 100mg. I finished them on the 8th January. What happens now? Please advise me when is the best time to try for a baby according to the information provided ….
Hi,most women will usually ovulate 5-9 days after the last dose.
Hi my name is erica my last period was on December 13 on January the 9th , 10th and 11th i spend with my husband. till now i haven’t gotten my period i went to a clinic and took a pee test it came out negative. i’d want to do but i be feeling cramps
Period came on dec 15 last 7 days when should it come back on in January ? It is now January 11th
Hi,If you have a normal 28 day period your next period is expected to start January 12, 2016.
I’m so sad and dissapointed, last month my periods where suppose to come on the 25th of December but never did so I skipped a month and was excited that its a sign that I’m pregnant finally! but on the 3rd of January my periods came, this made me so emotional.
The same thing happened to me! I was 7 days late, then started out of nowhere. I was also sad.
I have unprotected sex days before my midpoint and have it on my midpoint my cycle takes 30 days then i after i see my ovulation i have sex on that day was three weeks before my period and continue having sex a lot in order to receive now today i supposed to get my period but nothing happen and this week my breast was felling pain i even have moods sometime vomit or feel like i am going to. i really need help me and my partner we really need a child
Hi, Those symptoms are signs of pregnancy, Take a pregnancy test to find out good luck! 🙂
I had my period on the 12-16 of Nov, I then had unprotected sex on the 19th and got an emergency contraceptive 10 hours after since that’s when the pharmacy would open. That said, on the 24th I started having brown spotting which eventually turned red with little cramps and clots and went on until the 27th. I was suppose to ovulate on the 26th according to my calendar. The problem is i am due to have my period until the 10th of december. Is it that i might be pregnant or was it the pill working or implantation bleeding. I am so worried
What if I didn’t menstruate in September but lastly saw my menses on the 19th October and in August I menstruated on the 27th. My menses from that time has been irregular. I had sex on the 25th, 26th and 27th October. Could I be pregnant because I haven’t menstruated yet.
Missing a period may not always mean that you’re pregnant. The best way to identify if you conceived is to wait at least one week after missing your period and then take the test then. 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.
I started my period on the 26th but don’t know how to calculate my ovulation period and my next period, besides now I’m having breast tenderness. Does that mean I’m ovulating?
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. Read here http://womanjunction.com/menstrual-cycle-calculating-manually/ for more information.
Typically, the menstrual cycle will last for 28 days, which is calculated from day one of a menstrual period to day one of the next cycle. Ovulation typically occurs 14 days before the start of your menstrual period. If your cycle lasts for 28 days, you can ovulate on the 14th day like the average female.
Hi ..i have my period on nov 1-5 and on nov 4 and nov 9 we have unprotected sex with my boyfriend and his using withdrawal method…i have mentrual cycle more or less 30 days..do i have the possibility of getting pregnant ?..most of the time it takes 30days..
The possibility of being pregnant would be low.
Thank u steff..but last nov 17 we had unprotective sex using withdrawal method again and i experienced this past three days of slight abdominal pain..is there possibility to be pregnant.
hi my period changed after I had my son 5 years ago …my period used to last for 5 days now is 3 , I want to know if am still in my 28 days or
Hello,No i don’t think your cycle length is the same try calculating the length of your period by counting from your first period to when you have the next.
Hi..the first day of my last period is October 28, when will be my fertile days and when is my expected menstruation?
We cannot determine when you will be fertile based on the information provided. Refer to the sections under question one of our FAQ link http://womanjunction.com/faq-frequently-asked-questions-menstrual-cycle-pregnancy-ovulation-abortion/
My 1st day was Nov 1 and end Nov. 4. What day’s my fertility and ovulation? I wanna to be pregnant.
You must be able to confirm the number of days in your menstrual cycle for your ovulation and fertile days can be determined. Please refer to sections under question in our FAQ link http://womanjunction.com/faq-frequently-asked-questions-menstrual-cycle-pregnancy-ovulation-abortion/
I have 28 days cycle.. my last period end at nov.4