Calculate the gestational age for late ovulation calculator. Calculation of a personal ovulation calendar

To know exactly when you can conceive a child, and which days are safe, a woman should calculate her personal ovulation calendar. Knowing the features of your cycle will help answer other important questions: when will menstruation begin or end, on what days are swelling or problems with the skin of the face possible, is there any reason to think about possible diseases reproductive system.

Our online calculator ovulation in combination with other methods will help determine the "X day".

Online calendar

Ovulation is the release of a female germ cell ready for fertilization from the ovary. The egg cell does not live long - only about a day, so it is so important to know when this day will come. To calculate the ovulation calendar, fill in the fields and click "send". Our online conception calculator will calculate for free the day the egg is released from the ovary and tell you which days are more likely to conceive a boy and which days a girl.

The question remains: how to calculate the day of ovulation if the cycle is not stable. If the MC fluctuates slightly from month to month: then 28 days, then 30, then 29, this is a variant of the norm. To calculate ovulation online, you need to calculate the arithmetic mean: sum up the length of three cycles and divide by 3. We enter this figure into the calculator. But just in case, you need to back up the readings of the online calendar with ovulation tests, which are sold in a pharmacy.

If the cycle fluctuates greatly from month to month - then it is 25 days, then 31 - then you need to see a doctor. Perhaps he will prescribe folliculometry - several ultrasounds during MC. An ovulation calculator will not help with an irregular cycle.

Making love is often not worth it, one PA in one or two days is enough. But these must be the "correct" ovulation dates. If you are dreaming of a girl, it is better to plan a child 2-3 days before the expected ovulation. If it’s about a boy, try to get into “day X”.

Phases of the female cycle and ovulation

The female menstrual cycle can be of different duration: from 21 to 36 days. All this is the norm if the length of the MC is always the same (plus or minus 1-2 days). The body of all fertile women goes through three stages per cycle.

  1. follicular phase. This stage begins menstruation, it prepares the body for ovulation. Within a few days, rejection of the uterine mucosa occurs due to the fact that pregnancy did not occur in the previous cycle. Estrogens, predominantly controlling the phase, simultaneously begin to increase the thickness of the mucosa and stimulate the growth of several follicles. One of them will become dominant closer to the middle of the cycle and continue to develop. It contains the ovum that is chosen to ensure conception. The level of estrogen gradually rises throughout the first phase, usually lasting about half the cycle. In some women, the follicular stage may be longer or shorter than average.
  2. The ovulatory phase is a favorable period for conception. It occurs at the moment when the luteinizing hormone shows a peak value. So in the middle of the cycle, ovulation occurs. This maximum LH means that within about a day, a mature egg will break the follicle and enter the abdominal cavity. Here she will be captured by the fallopian tube, and she will continue her way under the influence of the flow of fluid and cilia lining the oviduct from the inside. In the tube, the egg must merge with the sperm and form one cell from them with a new set of chromosomes. The day from the moment the egg leaves the ovary to its passage through the widest part of the fallopian tube is the most suitable day for conceiving a child. But not the only one, because spermatozoa live longer - up to 3 days. Therefore, they are able to wait for the egg, if the PA was before.
  3. luteal phase. The body has already done a lot of work to get pregnant. Now all efforts are aimed at ensuring that the previous ovulation process is not in vain. The mucosa, with the participation of hormones, grows to the required thickness so that the fetal egg, which has successfully exited the tube, can firmly gain a foothold in the wall and receive nutrition. If all the necessary conditions are met, the unborn child sends a signal that he is ready to develop, and then menstruation does not occur. If such a signal is not received, the level of progesterone drops, and the mucosa is again rejected, thereby starting the first phase of a new cycle.

Calendar method for calculating the day of ovulation

There are several ways to find out when ovulation occurs. One of them is the calendar method. Knowing the length of the cycle, you can roughly calculate the date when the conception of a child is most likely.

But it is not considered reliable enough. The ovulation calendar should be used if the cycle is stable, one female month differs from another by a maximum of 1-2 days. The method is based on the fact that under this condition, ovulation in women occurs approximately on the same days. Otherwise, it cannot be called reliable, because the duration of the phases will always be different. In this case, it is difficult to predict when the follicle will mature using the calendar method.

The formula is considered the most suitable for calculating ovulation under the following conditions:

  • a stable cycle of medium duration (from 26 to 32 days);
  • outside the period of breastfeeding or exacerbation of the disease, especially gynecological or endocrine;
  • if the period of premenopause has not come;
  • if the cycle is fully restored after childbirth, surgery, in adolescence and etc.;
  • menstruation lasts 2-6 days.

Let's take an example. From the first day of menstruation to the next, 28 days pass. If we subtract 14 from this number, we get 14 - this is the day of the monthly cycle when ovulation is most likely. It turns out that from the 13th day of the cycle, within two to three days, the egg will be ready for fertilization. And the rest of the days are unfavorable for conception. However, doctors warn that this method alone is not suitable for contraception, it will need to be supplemented, for example, with a barrier.

According to basal temperature

Luteinizing hormone, which is sharply released into the blood and reaches a peak value just before ovulation, changes the body temperature in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe internal genital organs. Based on this, to find out that the auspicious time for conceiving a child has come.

In the first phase of the cycle, the temperature consistently decreases from the first day of menstruation from 37.2 - 37.0 to 36.5 - 36.3 degrees Celsius. Just before ovulation, a day or two there is a slight drop to 36.3 - 36.1 degrees.

And when the egg is ready to conceive, the temperature should rise again to 37 or higher. This means that ovulation is coming.

The entire second phase of the cycle, the thermometer should show values ​​​​above 37 degrees. A fall can mean a lack of certain hormones, a health problem. If the temperature continues to persist for more than 2 weeks with a cycle of normal length, this may well mean pregnancy. There are strict rules for measuring basal temperature:

  • conduct research immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed;
  • measurement in the rectum with a mercury thermometer for at least 3-5 minutes;
  • it is necessary to draw up a temperature schedule;
  • against the background of diseases, especially with elevated body temperature, the information cannot be considered reliable.

According to ultrasound

One of the most reliable methods for determining the day when you can get pregnant is an ultrasound scan. The doctor using the calendar method will orient on which day the study will be the most informative. With the help of ultrasound, it will determine the size of the dominant follicle, the readiness to exit the ovary. The maximum size of the follicle indicates that ovulation occurs.

If the cycle is unstable, the doctor will order several ultrasounds during the two weeks of the first phase to make sure that the follicle is growing. The doctor will be able to accurately determine the day when the egg is ready for conception by ultrasound when he sees a follicle about 20 mm in size (plus or minus 2 mm).

By test strips

Fairly easy to use, fairly reliable ovulation test. It is a strip on which a reagent is applied that reacts to the peak rise in LH in the urine. It is believed that a positive test is soon followed by a period of ovulation in women, and pregnancy can be planned.

In order for the analysis to show exact result, it is important to comply with the conditions:

  • urine should not be the first, morning portion, but formed already during the day;
  • you can not drink a lot before the analysis;

To correctly determine the days for conceiving a child, testing must be done within about a week before the expected period.

By secretions and sensations

In order to do without auxiliary means, it is important to know that the discharge changes immediately before and during ovulation. If on days unfavorable for conception they are cloudy and more scarce, then during the second phase they become viscous (a thread can be formed between the fingers), transparent and more abundant. They are often compared to egg white.

Such secretions contribute to a better promotion of spermatozoa and keeping them alive in the aggressive environment of the vagina.

Saliva study

Some portable tests (for example,) determine the time of conception by saliva, in which hormonal changes also occur, as in blood, mucus and urine. The method is based on the fact that during the period suitable for conception, a pattern similar to a fern leaf is formed on the test glass during the analysis of saliva. On other days, an ordered pattern is not obtained.

For a quick pregnancy, only three things are needed: the presence of active sperm at the time of the release of the egg and their free access to it. Your task is to learn how to calculate ovulation and make love on this day or a day or two earlier, then the chances of pregnancy are highest. The onset of the fertile period, that is, a favorable time for conception, can be recognized by every woman, it is enough to choose one, or rather several methods that are convenient for you.

The methods are listed starting with the most reliable:

  1. Folliculometry.
  2. LH test.
  3. Studying the pattern of dried saliva (fern effect).
  4. Measurement of basal temperature.
  5. Monitoring of cervical fluid.
  6. Determination of the position and density of the cervix.
  7. Introspection.
  8. calendar method.

At the very beginning of planning, it is recommended to try each of the listed methods. So you will be able to determine your individual set of characteristic symptoms of ovulation. Intimacy outside the fetal period (4-5 days before, the day of ovulation and 1 day after it) is practically a 100% way NOT to get pregnant.

Standard 28-day menstrual cycle and its stages

So, a normal female cycle consists of the following phases:

  1. The growth phase of the follicle that contains the egg.
  2. Ovulation.
  3. The phase of the corpus luteum, which is formed after the rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg.

Folliculogenesis (preparation for ovulation)

Occurs - the structural components of the ovaries, special epithelial cocoons with immature eggs. In the classical situation, the stage ends on the 7th-8th day of the cycle with the release of one dominant follicle (less often, several). It contains an egg ready for fertilization.


In the ovary, the dominant follicle matures up to 18-24 mm - the follicular phase of the cycle

Ovulation(possible terms: 12-15 day of the menstrual cycle)

The dominant follicle matures, ruptures and releases the egg. She moves towards the uterus. There comes the most favorable period for its fertilization lasting 36-50 hours.


Ovulation - the release of a mature egg from the follicle

Approximately 6 to 36 hours before ovulation, there is a massive surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrogen. The female body reacts to this with certain physiological changes. Next, consider each of the eight methods for determining ovulation.

luteal phase

The transformation of the "used" follicle into the corpus luteum - a temporary gland that produces the sex hormone progesterone. If conception did not occur, this function gradually decreases, corpus luteum after ovulation degrades and completely resolves in 2-3 months.

You can read in great detail about the menstrual cycle and ovulation in.

The average duration of the menstrual cycle is 28 days, but this figure can vary significantly in either direction. The individual characteristics of the organism also affect the course of each stage. Therefore, when the question of the most favorable days for conception is raised, one needs accuracy in determining the period of ovulation.

Ultrasound of the follicles - folliculometry

This is the most reliable (100%) way to find out the date of release of the egg. The procedure is somewhat time-consuming, since several visits to the ultrasound room are required, and the cost of one session is approximately 1000 rubles.

The essence of the method is as follows: during the cycle, the formation and growth of a dominant follicle (or several) in the ovaries is monitored. On average, the first visit occurs at the 7th–10th DC. Further screening is repeated every two (sometimes three) days until the fact of ovulation is established.

Note(!) The day of the first visit is scheduled approximately 6 days before the expected ovulation. For most women, it occurs 14 days before the onset of menstruation. Thus, with a 30-day cycle: 30-14-6 \u003d 10 DC. If the cycle is irregular, you need to count from the shortest. For example, the total duration was: 35, 42, 31, 36, then we take 31 days as a basis: 31-14-6 \u003d 11 DC.

How to set the date of release of the egg using folliculometry?

During the first two or three visits, the sonographer will determine how fast the dominant follicle is growing. It will rupture when it reaches approximately 18–24 mm. If at the last appointment the follicle reached 18 mm, and the average rate was 2 mm / day, then most likely there will be ovulation in the next three days and you can start actively planning.

Advice: When you knew that a mature egg would be released soon, pay attention to how you feel. Are there any signs of the beginning of a period of high fertility. Try some more methods below. Tracking such patterns, in the future you will be able to calculate the day of your ovulation without expensive ultrasound and tests.

Confirmation of the fact with ultrasound

So, after the release of the oocyte (egg), there is no longer a dominant follicle in the ovary, and in its place a corpus luteum is visualized, in addition there is often free fluid in the abdominal cavity. This suggests that from tomorrow you can stop active planning.

If there is a dominant follicle (by the time of the visit it will be approximately 24 mm), then ovulation is today. Ultrasound monitoring continues until a corpus luteum appears.


Folliculometry is a 100% method for determining ovulation. dominant follicle

Advice: If the last PA took place the day before, you can skip today and repeat tomorrow. Thanks to this break, more actively motile spermatozoa with good fertilizing ability are formed. You can read about when is the best time to have sex to get pregnant.

Test for luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine

I advise everyone to start with tests for LH. This is the most reliable home method for detecting the period when your chances of pregnancy are highest. The essence of testing is to detect the moment when the level of LH in the urine reaches a certain level (for different manufacturers, 20-30 mIU / ml). After such a sharp jump, ovulation will occur in the next two days.

Decoding(!) Testing should be repeated daily until a positive result is obtained, when the test band is the same or even brighter than the control. Negative - There is only one control band or a control band brighter than the test.


The LH ovulation test is the second most reliable way to determine ovulation

Advice for beginners: In order not to bother with the brightness of the stripes, use modern electronic devices, which, in case of a positive result, will show you a smiley. This, for example,clear blueDigitaland its improved versionclear blueDigital Advanced, which defines 34 days before ovulation (blinking smiley). The latter, for example, is convenient for planning a girl.

When to start doing ovulation tests?

34-17=17 DC

With an irregular cycle, you need to build on the shortest duration. For example, over the past three months, menstruation came after 28, 31 and 32 days. You need to start testing from 11 DC and continue until a positive result is obtained.

Why is this method not suitable for you?

  1. Ovulation tests are expensive. A pack of the cheapest pharmacy tests costs about 150 rubles, but in general the price is much higher - from 250 rubles, inkjet or cassette tests from 400 rubles. To track ovulation in one cycle, you need at least 5 test strips (about three days before the release of the hormone and a day or two after). This is assuming your cycle is stable. Now imagine how many test strips you need with an irregular cycle.

Here's what can be done: you need to order cheap tests from China (more on this below).

  1. Many drugs can affect the result. For example, some hormonal, diuretic, hypertension and others.
  2. Some diseases can affect the reliability of the result. With ovarian dysfunction, early menopause, neoplasms, etc. Before testing, you should consult a gynecologist and tell about your chronic diseases.

Indispensable conditions for proper testing

  • You need to conduct a study every day, at about the same time (for a more objective assessment).
  • Do not drink a lot of fluids, do not take diuretics and refrain from urinating for 3-4 hours (to maximize the concentration of LH).
  • Open and use the test and urine immediately, do not store.
  • Do not forget to accurately withstand the time recommended by the manufacturer - I described in detail the time of immersion and evaluation of the result, as well as photo instructions for most popular tests in the article.

Instructions for using ovulation test strips

All test strips have similar instructions, the difference is only in the number of seconds or minutes of waiting:

  1. Take out the test and dip it into the container with urine to the maximum level, not higher than the line marked with arrows;
  2. Wait for the number of seconds specified by the manufacturer;
  3. Lay on a dry horizontal surface;
  4. After a few minutes (depending on the name) evaluate the result.

Which manufacturer is better?

The brand of the ovulation test and the place of purchase does not matter. Both cheap and expensive manufacturers are quite capable of showing ovulation. The only thing is that the test surface in the expensive ones is a little wider and therefore it is more convenient to evaluate, plus there are additional chips in the composition - urine containers, calendars, etc.

Over the years of planning, I tried a huge number of different test strips and eventually settled on the usual budget option (

Jet or cassette systems only differ in that they have a more modern design, and they do not require urine collection. All stripes are the same. Electronic "things" were invented for girls who do not want to bother with comparison and immediately give an accurate result - yes or no.

How not to lose when ordering tests from China

Ovulation tests can be bought online and are much cheaper. For example, the price of this test from Aliexpress.com is much cheaper than in a pharmacy (I myself had a very irregular cycle before my first pregnancy and 10-20 tests were stable every month).

Here are some tips on how I chose goods from China for myself so as not to fall for an unscrupulous seller:

  • the seller must have a positive history, 99% positive feedback;
  • product rating of at least 4.5 stars;
  • more than 100 pieces sold;
  • more than 30 reviews published;
  • Be sure to indicate the availability of information guaranteed return.

When to start planning?

If the ovulation test gave a positive result, a mature and ready-to-fertilize egg will be released in the next day or two. This means that in order to get pregnant sooner, it will be great to make love today if the last sex was the day before yesterday or tomorrow if the PA was yesterday. You can also read more about which days are best for active planning to conceive or.

Study of crystallization of saliva (or cervical mucus)

The essence of the test is to take a daily sample of clean saliva so that it dries naturally within 15-30 minutes. After that, in a special microscope (an increase of about 100 times), it will be possible to see the formed crystals. The more estrogen in the biomaterial, the more fern effect is manifested. The process when saliva or CF crystallizes in the form of fern leaves is called arborization. The more intense the leaf appears, the closer ovulation is.

A positive result looks like this:


There are many different patterns of dried saliva throughout the cycle. They can even diagnose various disorders of the reproductive system. Saliva crystallization is a great self-diagnostic tool that allows you to catch subtle but important problems.require a doctor's consultation.

A few tips for proper testing:

  • use clean saliva under the tongue;
  • the best time is right after sleep, before eating, drinking and brushing your teeth. Or one or two hours should pass after eating or drinking;
  • the volume of biomaterial for analysis is one drop, without air bubbles.

What is the correct crystallization during the cycle

Normally, the first, non-fertile days of the cycle, when estrogen is at a small amount, you will see only grains or grains. Gradually, on the 7-9th day (with a cycle of 28 days), small branches will begin to appear. On the 10th–12th DC, the first leaves are indistinct. A positive test becomes when the fern can be seen very clearly.

Nuance(!) The test is informative only in dynamics. Without a preliminary study of your crystallization during at least one cycle, it is very difficult to understand right off the bat - two days before the release of the egg or four. I advise this type of testing to born researchers who have been fond of biology since childhood.

Advice(!) choose an instrument that includes slides, so you can save the sample and compare as needed (for example, ARBOR). You can also order an additional set of glasses.

When is the best time to choose something else?

The device is rarely found in pharmacies - mostly women order it via the Internet. The test microscope is difficult to get - this is the first point worth paying attention to. Secondly, it is not cheap, the price starts from 1500 rubles. Here are the most popular brands: OvuPred, Ovatel, Ovu, Arbor, Vesta-tester and others.

Here's another reason to think about whether you want to test daily, remember, store, compare and evaluate the results? If not, this fertility test is definitely not for you. Better choose tests for LH or folliculometry.

What if there is no fern effect at all?

In this case, observe the crystallization of saliva for another cycle. It is likely that the ovaries "rest" in this and there was no dominant follicle, as well as ovulation itself. This is normal, two or three cycles a year for a woman. After 35, the number of such periods of rest increases significantly.

Here are some changes in the pattern of crystallized saliva that require evaluation by your gynecologist:

  • throughout the cycle, no distinct fern leaves were observed;
  • the effect manifested itself several times, in waves;
  • the distinct effect of the fern lasted for several days in a row or throughout the entire cycle.

When to start planning?

Your fertile period, when you are most likely to get pregnant, occurs when estrogen begins to rise in the body - about 3-4 days before ovulation. Under a microscope, you will see formed, but rare, indistinctly outlined fern leaves. This is the average characteristic of the beginning of favorable days for conception.

Advice: For your first cycle of working with a test microscope, I recommend arming yourself with additional methods for determining ovulation (LH tests or basal thermometry, for example). Thus, you will be sure of the correct decoding of saliva crystallization tests. Further, with the acquisition of practice, you will be able to use only one, the most convenient method for yourself.

Basal thermometry

Basal (or basic) is the body temperature at rest. It should be measured immediately after sleep, before any activity - in the mouth, rectally or vaginally.

The principle of this method is as follows: measure BBT daily during the cycle and enter the indicators on the graph. Each dot corresponds to a cycle day. Next, you need to connect all the points together and get the basal curve.

What are the norms of BBT before and after ovulation?

In the first half of the cycle, while the egg matures, estrogen predominates in the body. It ensures the development of the dominant follicle and the growth of the uterine endometrium. BBT during this period is low, on average from 36.2 to 36.8 °C.


Method for measuring basal temperature - how to understand ovulation according to the schedule

After the rupture of the follicle (ovulation), a corpus luteum forms in its place, which begins the active production of progesterone, the hormone of pregnancy. This hormone increases the average BBT by 0.3-0.5 °C. If you notice that the indicators have crept up, above the usual norms of the first phase of the cycle, then the egg has already been released.

What is the basal temperature before ovulation

Here is the only sign by which it can be assumed that in the next 6-36 hours there will be a rupture of the follicle - BT drops by 0.2-0.3 ° C compared to the average values ​​​​of the first phase. This is called a pre-ovulatory drop in basal temperature. This is how it looks on the chart:

Note(!) It is on this day that ovulation tests will give a bright second strip. At first, while you are mastering the method, if you doubt whether this is really a retraction before ovulation, take an LH test or pay attention to the nature of the cervical mucus (there should be a consistency like raw egg white). Read more about determining ovulation by BT in.

What is the disadvantage of the method?

It often happens that there is no preovulatory fall in BBT. The numbers just stay at their usual low levels. In this case, you will not be able to predict the imminent onset of ovulation in any way ( except for the lucky ones with a regular day-to-day cycle, I will talk about this in the last chapter.).

Thus, it turns out that it is only possible to confirm the fact that ovulation has occurred, because progesterone growth and an increase in BBT have begun.

There is no drop in basal temperature on this graph, it is possible to understand that an egg was released at the DC only by the growth of indicators from the next day, that is, in fact.

Who should not start measuring BBT

To maintain a basal temperature chart, you need to get enough sleep (3-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep). In addition, you need to get up in the morning at the same time (± 30 min.). Basal thermometry will not suit you at all if your life is connected with this:

  • on duty;
  • regular nighttime activity;
  • or you usually get up several times a night to go to the bathroom.

Second, if you have Small child and you cannot sleep soundly or for a long time - this will also be displayed on the BT indicators.

Third, if you accept any hormonal preparations, it makes no sense to take measurements, the basal temperature changes under the influence of any hormones.

Remember(!) Regularity and compliance with the same measurement conditions are very important for the correct construction of the schedule. Then the schedule will be indicative and it will be easier for you to catch ovulation.

Mandatory conditions for measuring BBT

To take accurate indicators that are not distorted by external factors, it is necessary:

  1. Waking up at the same time every day after 3-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
  2. In the evening, shake the thermometer, prepare it near the bed with a mobile phone (to keep track of time and highlight the scale). Try to move as little as possible - excessive activity heats up the body and distorts the actual performance.
  3. If you chose the measurement in the mouth, then you need to keep it under the tongue for 8 minutes. With the rectal or vaginal method - 5 minutes. Read about the pros and cons of each of these methods.
  4. Always use the same thermometer (electronic or mercury). Advantages and disadvantages are described in detail in.
  5. After the procedure, write down the readings immediately, as everything is easily forgotten when you wake up.

And finally, if something went wrong and somewhere there were deviations in the measurement - make a note in the chart like: “didn’t sleep well”, “woke up an hour late”, “SARS”, etc. Very basal temperature. You need to know them and take them into account when deciphering the graph, sharp jumps in BT are quite likely and your notes and observations will help to explain them perfectly.

Why mark additional parameters in the BT chart?

If you look at several options for online charts, you will probably notice the empty additional marks at the bottom:

  • medicines;
  • discharge;
  • pain;
  • disease;
  • ovulation test;
  • pregnancy test;
  • chest pain;
  • alcohol, etc.

Some notes are for discovering what could potentially skew BBT higher, and others to trace patterns before, during, and after ovulation.

For example, every month you notice pain in the lower abdomen, egg white discharge during ovulation, or chest pain immediately after it. In the future, even when you stop measuring BBT, familiar symptoms and observations will tell you about the onset of the most favorable period for conception.

Determination of ovulation by cervical mucus

By the special nature of the discharge, it is highly likely that you can find out about the beginning of the most favorable period for conceiving a child. After the end of menstruation, the cervical fluid is cloudy, viscous and sticky, sometimes creamy. 5-6 days before the release of the egg, it begins to change: it gradually becomes more rarefied, viscous. In about a day or two, cervical mucus reaches the consistency of a raw chicken egg.

A simple test(!) Pinch some of the mucus between your thumb and forefinger and try to stretch it. Preovulatory CL stretches well for 4 cm - this means that the fertile period has come.


If sexual intercourse takes place today / tomorrow, then with a high degree of probability, by the time the mature egg is released, the spermatozoa will already have time to get to the fallopian tubes and “meet” it.

Why is the structure of crude protein conducive to pregnancy?

The main task of cervical mucus is to prevent infection from passing through the cervical canal into the uterus.. That is why for a longer cycle time it is sticky, thick and viscous, and the environment is acidic. If open contact occurs during this non-fertile period, after 1 hour all spermatozoa will die, stuck in mucus, without passing through the cervical barrier.

This is interesting(!) The structure of chicken protein is more alkaline and is like tubules, through which it is easy for spermatozoa to slide. In such an environment, sperm quickly overcome the distance (at a speed of up to 4 mm/min) from the vagina, through the cervical canal and further to the uterus. After that, they can easily stay in the female body for up to three to five days.

What is cervical fluid after ovulation

With the onset of active production of progesterone, the level of estrogen drops sharply and, accordingly, the nature of the CL changes. She again becomes viscous and sticky. This is a signal that the period of high fertility is over.

I recommend repeating sexual intercourse today, just in case (the egg lives for a day and, perhaps, some nimble sperm will still be able to get through the cervix). This way you can increase your chances of pregnancy!

Official statistics(!) According to medical data, it began after intercourse the day after the rupture of the follicle. You may also be one of them.

Bloody issues

There is nothing wrong with a slight spotting during ovulation. If the blood capillary is damaged, blood in the CL is possible. Usually such a daub is limited to one time or one day - nothing more.

If about two weeks before the expected period you notice a pink or brown spot, this is a very likely sign of ovulation that has occurred and you still have time for open intercourse while the egg lives. You can read more about the calculation method for cervical fluid in.

When the Method Doesn't Work

Some women, due to their individual characteristics, do not feel moisture. Characteristic of the period of early ovulation. Perhaps the CL is slightly secreted, or vice versa, mucous inclusions are regularly visible on paper or a damp napkin. In this case, use additional methods for calculating the favorable period, while continuing to monitor the discharge.

Over time, you will learn to catch the slightest difference and correctly, only the nature of the cervical fluid, determine high fertility.

Method for monitoring the cervix

Attention(!) Self-diagnosis of the cervix requires mandatory compliance with hygiene standards. My gynecologist has a negative attitude towards this method of determining ovulation. Agree, it is not good to catch an infection and inflammation in the planning process. Always use disposable sterile gloves.

And now about self-diagnosis

It is necessary to feel the cervix daily during the cycle. This is done in order to determine the difference in the position and structure of the body. The best position is squatting or on the toilet. Do not change body position and quickly evaluate:

  • the height of its location;
  • density;
  • openness ( does not work for most women who have given birth).

How does the cervix change before ovulation?

On the eve or on the day of the release of the egg, it is located high, since the length of the cervical canal is shortened and can be easily reached only with a fingertip. In softness, it resembles lips or an earlobe. In its very center, there is a small hole, a deepening (this is the cervical canal is open).


Note(!) After natural childbirth in women, the cervix is ​​​​often ajar. In addition, the method may be absolutely not indicative after ruptures during childbirth, abortion, cleaning and other mechanical manipulations with the neck (when there is cicatricial deformity).

After the end of the fertile period, the cervix again becomes dense and unyielding (like the tip of the nose). It is located low and it is easy to reach it with the middle of the fingertip. The cervical canal is tightly closed and only a click is felt. The same characteristics persist for almost the entire first half of the cycle until ovulation.

Self-monitoring - pain during ovulation

You can learn to independently determine the release of the egg, based only on subjective sensations (you feel pain, but you do not see it with your eyes). The fact is that shortly before ovulation, the follicular vesicle with the egg inside increases in volume (up to 18-24 mm). It literally presses and bursts - hence the pain, tingling on the right or left side, depending on which ovary the follicle is maturing.

Further, after the rupture and release of the oocyte, follicular fluid is poured into the abdominal cavity. It irritates the peritoneum and vertebral nerve roots, causing aching and pressing, arching pain in the lower abdomen, lower back or rectal area.

From experience(!) After dozens of times determining ovulation by BT, tests, by the nature of the CL, I tried to carefully listen to my feelings. What I feel before and immediately after the release of the egg. So I learned to literally determine ovulation up to an hour. Most often it occurs in the afternoon, in the evening. By tension and distension in the lower abdomen and pain in the rectum, it is immediately clear that the follicle has burst. The day before, I felt high humidity and I wanted closeness - everything coincides!

If you feel a bursting pain in the lower abdomen, then engage in active planning as soon as possible. If the previous PA was more than three days ago, most likely you will have a boy.

Pain after ovulation usually subsides within one to two days with the end of the fertile period.

If you don't feel anything

It is possible that you have a high pain threshold and you will not feel anything at the time the egg is released. It's not scary, there are many other inexpensive options. Don't stop trying to listen to yourself - with practice it will come. If not, use the temperature method or saliva or LH crystallization tests. It will be possible to check the correctness of your calculations after about 14 days from the beginning of menstruation.

calendar method

Unfortunately he only suitable for women with regular cycles(± 1 day). The calculation of the day of ovulation is as follows: you need to subtract the duration of your second phase from the length of the cycle. The average length is 14 days, but sometimes it is from 12 to 16 days.

For example, if menstruation comes every 30 days, then: 30 - 14 = 16 DC. If the length of the corpus luteum phase is 15 days, then: 30 - 15 = 15 DC. The release of the egg will occur on the 15th day of the cycle. Thus, the fertile period is three days before. during and one day after ovulation. The best PA time for an early pregnancy is the 13th and 15th DC, or the 12th, 14th and 15th DC.


The calendar method for determining ovulation is only suitable for a regular cycle. To calculate the day of ovulation, you need to subtract the length of the second phase from the length of the cycle. Yellow - ovulation, green - period of high fertility, red - menstruation.

Important(!) The duration of the luteal phase (corpus luteum phase) is a constant value for the same woman (tolerance is 1 day). Only the duration changes.I phase. This rule applies to all women of reproductive age.

How to find out your luteal phase length?

To do this, you need two or three cycles determine the exact date of ovulation. How many days will pass after it until the first day of menstruation, such is your duration of the luteal phase. Why determine several cycles if phase II is constant? This is necessary to confirm the correctness of your calculations. There are 2 ways to do this:

  1. Folliculometry. By ultrasound, the doctor will determine the exact date when ovulation will occur and after it will confirm the correctness of the calculation.
  2. temperature method. The day after the release of the egg, the basal temperature will begin to rise due to the action of progesterone.

When is the best time to make love to have a boy or a girl?

To plan a child of a certain gender, use the rule: the closer the PA is to the release of the egg, the greater the likelihood of conceiving a boy. In other words, if sex takes place 6–12 hours before ovulation or 12 hours after it, XY spermatozoa will reach it first. But they do not live long, up to about 24-36 hours. It follows that open contact 36 or more hours before ovulation will certainly ensure the birth of a girl. You can learn more about planning the gender of the child.

So, you have learned about all the most reliable ways to determine the best time to plan a child. I advise you to start with the most accurate ones - folliculometry, LH tests plus BBT measurements and gradually add and test other options.

When you know for sure that ovulation is approaching, watch the cervical mucus, is there a fern effect, is there pain in the lower abdomen. In a word, find which of the listed methods work in your case. In the future, you can stop at one, the simplest, indicative and convenient. Have a speedy pregnancy!

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Obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Pryadukhina

Obstetrician-gynecologist, doctor of ultrasound diagnostics.
Certified operating doctor obstetrician-gynecologist.
Book author :"How to Get Pregnant Fast"
Participant in research studies related to pregnancy complications. Has a number of publications in scientific journals.

youtube-channel of Olga Pryadukhina


Women's physiology is designed in such a way that the ability to get pregnant is only 1-2 days per month. This most favorable period for conception in every woman is called ovulation. All internal genital organs are involved in this process, therefore, with various pathological disorders and malfunctions of the menstrual cycle, ovulation may be absent.

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The concept of ovulation

Ovulation includes a number of processes that occur in a woman's body in a certain sequence:

  • the formation of a follicle in the ovary (this is repeated every month), in which the egg is surrounded by a special fluid;
  • maturation of the follicle to the desired size by the middle of the menstrual cycle;
  • opening the follicle and leaving it outside, into the abdominal cavity, and then into the lumen of the fallopian tube, the egg.

To be more precise, ovulation is exactly the moment when the egg, already ripe and ready for fertilization, leaves the follicle. Life cycle egg, when it is ready for fertilization - 24 hours.
Ovulation occurs against the background of certain hormonal changes in the body of a woman - 2 phases of the menstrual cycle:

  • follicular - maturation of the follicle;
  • luteal - the time from ovulation to the onset of the next menstruation.

Before ovulation, namely 24 hours before it, there is a maximum level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the body. Its peak is provided by an increase in the concentration of another female sex hormone - estradiol to a certain limit. The latter is produced by the follicle that grows in the ovary. With an increase in the concentration of estradiol, the endometrium also grows. After ovulation occurs and the follicle opens, a corpus luteum forms in its place. It is already beginning to secrete progesterone, which prepares the endometrium for a future pregnancy. At the peak of estradiol, basal temperature (measured in the rectum) decreases, and when progesterone secretion begins, it rises.

The ability to fertilize the egg remains only for 12-24 hours, and for sperm from 2 to 4 days. Given this fact, on the days of ovulation, the probability conception the maximum and equals 33%, in the following days after ovulation and 6 days before its onset, this probability is 0%, 3-4 days before - 15%, 2 days - 25%, 1 day - 31%.

Ovulation symptoms

Given that this process is hidden from the human eye, the signs of ovulation are subjective, that is, those that only the woman herself can observe and feel. Objective symptoms of ovulation are laboratory and instrumental methods for its study. The subjective definition of ovulation is based on the following changes in the body that allow a woman to determine it on her own:

  • Vaginal discharge. In a few days, they become more than usual, and they have a lower viscosity, due to the influence of estrogen during this period. Discharge after ovulation sharply decreases in volume and takes the form of thick mucus.
  • Pain during ovulation. A woman can feel a sudden sharp pain of a tingling nature that occurs in the lower abdomen on the right or left. This occurs precisely during ovulation, when the follicle bursts. This symptom is not typical for all women.
  • sexual attraction. It may increase 1 or 2 days before ovulation.
  • Bleeding. At the time of ovulation, very small (several milliliters) bleeding is possible, which does not affect the process of conception in any way.

All these symptoms of ovulation are observed on the 11-16th day of the cycle, depending on its length. note: how many days ovulation lasts can only be found out using instrumental diagnostic methods, but there are other methods that are less reliable, but more accessible.

How to determine ovulation: the most effective ways

The need to calculate ovulation appears in a woman when she, or vice versa, tries to avoid this in order to calculate “safe” days. Today, there are enough ways to determine this moment as accurately as possible. If this cannot be done independently at home, then there are a sufficient number of laboratory and instrumental methods. In particular, today such methods of diagnostics are used ovulation:

  • basal temperature;
  • ovulation test;
  • laboratory tests;
  • ovulation calculator
  • Ultrasound monitoring of the ovaries, endometrium;
  • ovulation calendar;
  • endometrial biopsy.

Basal temperature

It is measured exclusively in the morning after sleep. Without getting out of bed, insert the thermometer into the rectum for 5 minutes. The data is recorded daily and a basal temperature graph is built on their basis.
In the days before ovulation, there is a decrease in basal temperature, and immediately at the time of its onset, a sharp increase by 0.5 - 0.6 divisions of the thermometer.

Ovulation test

It is designed for home use. To determine the exact day of ovulation, the test will have to be repeated more than once. It has the form of a test strip, which can be purchased at every pharmacy. Such a test responds to an increase in luteinizing hormone in the urine. The peak of its concentration during a normal menstrual cycle is observed 24 hours before the onset of ovulation itself. Such a test should be performed 2 times a day, daily, starting a few days before the expected date. 2 strips on an ovulation test indicate that on this moment the body of a woman is as ready as possible for conception. One line indicates that the test is workable, and the second reflects the level of luteinizing hormone.
note
: if the second strip on the ovulation test is paler than the control (repeated during each cycle), then this may be a symptom of the absence ovulation due to the presence of pathology in the body (often hormonal). It should also be taken into account that normally 1-3 cycles per year can be anovulatory, and the older the woman, the more they become and this is not a pathology. If ovulation does not occur regularly, then this requires medical intervention, a full examination and treatment.

The ovulation test is not suitable for women who have the following conditions:

  • irregular cycle;
  • diseases of the endocrine system;
  • chronic stress, against which LH levels are often elevated, which can give a false positive test;
  • polycystic ovary syndrome.

Laboratory tests

Gynecologists in their work use some functional tests in order to calculate the day of ovulation. They are inexpensive and affordable, but require a woman to visit the gynecologist for several days in a row, which can be problematic. These tests are based on the study of the characteristics of secretions fromvagina.

  • fern symptom. The doctor takes mucus from the cervix and places it on a glass slide. Due to a significant increase in potassium and sodium salts in it before ovulation, after the smear dries, the mucus crystallizes, forming a pattern in the form of a fern leaf.
  • Distensibility of cervical mucus. A couple of days before ovulation, the discharge is white and stretches for about 1 cm, on the day of ovulation they take on the appearance of egg white and stretch for several centimeters. After ovulation, they become sticky, thick and there are very few of them.
  • Symptom "pupil". During the examination, the doctor notes the ajar cervical canal.

The reliability of such tests in reality does not exceed 50%.

Ovulation calculator

Today there is a special program that helps to determine the least and most favorable days for conception - an ovulation calculator. With it, you can calculate ovulation for each woman individually, provided that she has a physiologically normal menstrual cycle (28 days). In order to use the calculator, you must enter 2 numbers: the date of the last menstruation (its first day) and the duration of the cycle itself. The program will give you the results. The reliability of this method of determining ovulation is relative.

ovarian ultrasound

This method is considered the most informative and allows you to get the following information:

  • the state of the endometrium;
  • dominant follicle growth;
  • detection of the corpus luteum, which is formed at the site of the former follicle, and parallel changes in the structure of the endometrium.

Ultrasound monitoring allows the doctor to accurately record the moment when the follicle enlarges and ruptures, that is, the very moment of ovulation. At the same time, the gynecologist always advises to simultaneously keep a graph of basal temperature and take functional tests. For a cycle, 2 ultrasounds are enough to determine on which day ovulation occurs.

The first ultrasound is carried out in time as close as possible to the expected day of ovulation, where the presence and size of the dominant follicle are determined. The second study is carried out on the basis of the approximate day of ovulation based on the growth rate of the follicle. On average, it grows by 2 mm per day and reaches a maximum of 20-24 mm. In parallel, laboratory tests are prescribed for the level of progesterone and estradiol. Ultrasound is also often used as a diagnostic after ovulation stimulation to determine its exact date of onset.

Ovulation calendar

This is an individual scheme. every woman's menstrual cycle. It marks the date of the beginning, end of menstruation and ovulation. Also, in such a calendar, the sexual acts that have occurred are recorded. Drawing up such a calendar will be useful, not only for those who want to conceive a child, but also for those who do not yet have motherhood in their plans (calculate “safe days”). This calendar is similar to the ovulation calculator, but it is compiled manually. With its help, a woman can independently learn, over several cycles, to determine the moment of ovulation, taking into account the characteristics of her body. It is necessary to fix the data in the calendar for at least 6 months before calculating ovulation.

note: the individual fertile period is calculated in this way: 11 is subtracted from the longest cycle, and 18 is subtracted from the short one. For example, 28-11 \u003d 17 is the last day of a woman's fertility (where 28 is the longest cycle), fertile day, where 26 is the shortest cycle. As a result, from the 8th to the 17th day of the cycle is the most favorable period for conception, since it is in this interval that ovulation occurs. Most women have a regular cycle of 28 days, in which ovulation occurs on the 14-15th day. An example of an ovulation calendar with a cycle duration of 32 days:

Biopsy of the endometrium

This is an instrumental method for diagnosing ovulation. It is rarely used, only if other technologies are uninformative. During ovulation, namely in the middle of the luteal phase, the endometrium is transformed, that is, its secretory transformation occurs, and its presence is a sign of the maturation of the follicle.

Ovulation and conception

The menstrual cycle of a woman consists of 3 periods regarding the likelihood of conception:


Fertilization, released from the follicle, the egg is possible only during ovulation. For this, the woman's body is specially prepared:

  • increased secretion of cervical mucus to facilitate the passage of spermatozoa;

How long does ovulation last?

Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube as a result of the rupture of a mature follicle. Ovulation occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, i.e. In a 28 day cycle, ovulation occurs on day 14. After leaving the follicle, the egg remains viable for an average of 24 hours. Remember that these are just averages, deviations are quite common.

Signs of ovulation

  • Increase in basal body temperature, usually 0.5 to 1 degree
  • Increased levels of luteinizing hormone (LH)
  • Cervical mucus or vaginal discharge may appear clearer, thinner, and more elastic, such as raw egg whites
  • Soreness of the mammary glands
  • Bloating

Pregnancy Tips

Calculate the days of ovulation

The day of ovulation can be calculated using the special Ovulation Calendar. However, even in women with a regular cycle, deviations are possible. To better understand when you are ovulating, keep an eye on your basal body temperature and the consistency and color of your cervical mucus.

Have sex on fertile days

If you are planning a pregnancy, you need to consider that the egg "lives" for 24 hours after ovulation. Since sperm can remain mobile in a woman's body for 2-3 days, the chance of getting pregnant increases if you have sex 1-2 days before ovulation or 24 hours after it.

After intercourse, you need to lie down for 15 minutes. Myth or reality?

For a long time, it was believed that you should stay in bed for at least 15 minutes after sex to give the sperm a chance to get to the egg. However, recent research refutes this theory.

Maintain a healthy weight

Research shows that being overweight or underweight can disrupt ovulation and affect the production of key hormones. The body mass index should normally be between 18.5 and 24.9. Also, avoid strenuous exercise, which can affect hormone production and lead to problems with conception.

BMI = body weight / height squared

Those. if your height = 1.70 m, and body weight = 63 kg, then BMI = 63 / (1.7 * 1.7) = 21.8

Down with stress!

Research shows that stress can make it harder to get pregnant. Yoga, meditation and walks fresh air help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.

Take care of men's health

There is an opinion that the cause of infertility is only women's health. But studies show that more than 33% of problems with conceiving a child are associated only with a man, and another 33% are associated with both partners. Like women, men can improve their reproductive health by quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and eating healthy.

Do you want to conceive a boy or a girl?

Several theories claim that you can influence your baby's gender by having sex at certain times of the month or in certain positions. However, there is no exact method for influencing the sex of your baby at conception.

Problems with conception are quite common today, and this also applies to absolutely healthy young couples.

This can be facilitated by stress, strong mental unrest, a sedentary lifestyle, bad habits, excess weight and many other factors.

Even malnutrition can cause a long-awaited pregnancy to never occur. If a man consumes little products containing zinc, selenium and chromium, the activity of his spermatozoa drops sharply, they lose their viability, and the overall quality of sperm deteriorates.

If the spouses are healthy, do not have chronic diseases, then a method for determining ovulation can help in accelerating conception. The definition of the most favorable day for fertilization has long been used in IVF clinics and reproduction centers, but this does not mean that a woman cannot independently calculate the day of ovulation.

Ovulation is the release of mature eggs from the follicle into the cavity fallopian tube. It is here that fertilization occurs if the spermatozoon reaches its goal. It is important to understand that the lifespan of an egg outside the ovaries is no more than 24 hours, so women who want to get pregnant should not miss this opportunity.

Ovulation occurs only once a month, however, there are times when the eggs leave the follicles only 8-10 times a year instead of twelve. Most often this occurs in women with irregular menstrual cycles, as well as disorders in the functioning of the endocrine system.

To all girls and women who are active sexual life and during the year they cannot get pregnant, gynecologists recommend keeping an ovulation calendar, which allows, even with an error, to calculate the day of conception. This will help determine favorable days for conception and prepare for pregnancy in advance (3-4 days before the expected ovulation, you should give up intimacy and follow a special diet).

There are many methods for determining the day of ovulation. All of them have their pros and cons, so you should not dwell on just one. After all, the more accurate the result, the greater the likelihood of pregnancy. So what day does ovulation occur?

How to calculate the day of ovulation if you have a regular cycle

last period method

This method allows you to determine on which day after menstruation ovulation occurs. This is the simplest, but at the same time the most unreliable way to determine ovulation.

The day of the expected menstruation - 14 days = ovulation.

In order to determine the expected day of the onset of menstruation, you need to add the average cycle duration (from 27 to 37 days) to the first day of the last menstruation. Subtract 14 days from the received date - this will be the estimated date of ovulation.

28 days - cycle length

Total: March 15 is the expected day of thinning of the ovarian walls and the release of mature eggs, that is, ovulation.

Calendar method for determining a favorable day for conception

A slightly more accurate way to determine when exactly the period favorable for conception will come. To do this, you need to know all the cyclic dates for the last six months, even better - for a year. Next, you need to make calculations according to the following algorithm:

  • Determine the duration of the longest and shortest cycles.
  • From the shortest, subtract 18. The resulting figure will be the date of the beginning of the fertile (favorable) period.
  • Subtract 11 from the longest. The resulting figure will be the end date of the fertile period.
  • The interval between these values ​​is the period when the probability of conception increases by 50-70%.

The described methods are effective only under one condition - the menstrual cycle is constant, and the woman monitors its duration (she knows the exact dates of the beginning and end of menstruation) for at least 6 months.

If the cycle is unstable, you can determine ovulation using other methods.

With an irregular cycle

Measurement of basal temperature

is the lowest temperature human body, which is measured during rest. You need to measure it in the morning, before you get out of bed. The most optimal is the measurement of temperature in the rectum (anus), although you can enter the thermometer into the oral cavity (under the tongue) or into the vagina.

Measurements must be carried out for at least three months. This is important for the reliability of the obtained data and the accuracy of the graph. The data should be recorded in a special notebook, preferably so that you can visually fix the curve of the rise and fall of values.

The thermometer should be held for at least 5 minutes, and measurements must be started from the 1st day of the cycle.

How to decode the result?

  • During menstruation, the temperature will be quite high, after which it will decline (this usually happens by the middle of the cycle).
  • At the time of ovulation, basal temperature rises sharply by 0.2-0.6 degrees. These values ​​can last up to two weeks.
  • Before the next monthly temperature, the thermometer will drop again.

The lowest temperatures recorded before the next increase will be considered ovulation.

Ovulation tests help you get pregnant

The most popular and fairly reliable method for determining ovulation.

The principle of operation of these tests is similar to similar strips for determining which are used during a delay to confirm or exclude the possibility of pregnancy.

The only difference is that ovulation test strips determine the content of LH (luteinizing hormone) in the urine, which reaches its maximum concentration 24 hours before the eggs leave the follicle cavity.

It is necessary to carry out these tests every day during the fertile period - only in this way the accuracy of the result obtained will be close to 98%.

Saliva study: the "fern" method

At the time of ovulation, there is an increase in female hormones- estrogen. Under their influence, the composition of the salivary secretion changes, in which the level of sodium chloride (salt) almost doubles. If you apply such saliva to the glass on the day of ovulation, then as it dries, you can see a pattern that looks like fern leaves. Small salt crystals form on the surface of the glass - this picture can be observed 72 hours before and after ovulation.

On sale there are special devices for carrying out such testing. They are convenient and easy to use, and the accuracy of the results obtained ranges from 90 to 96-97%.

Ultrasound monitoring

The most reliable method that allows you to accurately calculate the day of ovulation to increase the likelihood of conception. Ultrasound monitoring (folliculogram) is a dynamic observation of the growth and maturation of follicles and the expulsion of eggs.

This study is called monitoring, as it is observed in dynamics. This means that the frequency of examination using a transvaginal sensor is every day for the period necessary to establish a diagnosis or confirm the fact of ovulation.

This method is used in the treatment of infertility and IVF, since only with the help of a sensor it is possible to assess the state of the organs of the female reproductive system and determine whether there is a positive trend in response to ongoing therapy as part of artificial stimulation of ovulation.

Constant monitoring is also necessary for polycystic ovaries, and in some cases, with this disease, the study can be carried out for 3 consecutive months (with two-week breaks).

What can be assessed using ultrasound monitoring:

  • growth and maturation of the dominant follicle on the eve of ovulation;
  • the appearance of free fluid after ovulation;
  • destruction of the walls of the main follicle;
  • the formation of a corpus luteum at the site of maturation of the dominant follicle.

For the first time, the patient should come to the study on the 6th day of the cycle, in the future, the procedure will be repeated every day until the onset of ovulation. The control ultrasound should be carried out no later than 3 days after the date of release of the eggs from the cavity of the dominant follicle.

Among the listed methods for determining ovulation, there are none that would 100% guarantee an accurate result. Even during ultrasound monitoring, small errors are possible, since there is a human factor, and it is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of an error. Nevertheless, using these methods, you can increase the chances of a successful conception by at least half, so you definitely should not neglect them.

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