If you want to become pregnant now or later in life, you should learn everything you can about ovulation. Misinformation about ovulation might make it more difficult to conceive.
What evidence do we have for this? Researchers polled 1,000 women between the ages of 18 and 40. They quizzed them on the fundamentals of female reproduction. More than half of the women polled said they were unsure or didn’t have all of the knowledge they needed about getting pregnant and female fertility.
If you’re unsure about ovulation and conception, don’t worry. Instead, continue reading so you can make educated decisions about starting a family.
What is Ovulation?
During a menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs when an egg is released from one of the ovaries. The egg goes down the fallopian tubes, and the womb prepares for embryo implantation (fertilised egg).
The egg is reabsorbed into the body if you do not get pregnant, and the uterine lining comes away and exits your body as a period. After an egg is released, it takes 10 to 16 days for a period to begin.
Every month, ovulation does not occur for every woman. Endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome are two disorders that might cause ovulation problems. Try not to be concerned, but if you don’t have a monthly period and are trying to conceive, Dr Bankers suggests it’s a good idea to seek medical help.
All Eggs Are Present at Birth
You ovulate one egg once a month. However, these eggs are not produced on a monthly basis. You are born with all of the eggs you will ever need. The quantity of eggs in the ovaries diminishes throughout time.
A newborn has roughly 2 million eggs when he or she is born. This number has dropped to roughly 500,000 by the time she enters adolescence. The genetic stability of the eggs decreases as you get older. This is why, after 35, women are more prone to:
- having a miscarriage
- having a kid who suffers from a hereditary illness
- infertility
Some cancer therapies might induce lifelong infertility since you are born with all of your eggs. You won’t be able to generate fresh eggs if the cancer therapies damage the eggs in your ovaries.
For women undergoing cancer treatment, egg freezing may be a viable option for preserving fertility.
What Happens When You Are Ovulating?
One of your ovaries will release a mature egg once a month, which will travel through one of your fallopian tubes. If the egg is fertilised, the lining of your uterus thickens. If it is fertilised, it goes down to the uterus and settles in the rich lining. The egg has a 12-to-24-hour lifetime. You lose your uterine lining if it isn’t fertilised (that is, you get your period).
Signs of Ovulation
When you’re most fertile and ovulation is nearing, how can you tell? Here are a few ways to tell whether you’re about to ovulate.
Vaginal Discharge:
If you’re on the verge of ovulation, pay attention to your vaginal discharge. The production of cervical mucus increases as oestrogen levels rise. Cervical mucus also changes texture, becoming stickier and clumpier and resembling raw egg whites.
Check Your Cervical Opening:
Yes, you may examine your cervix on your own! Throughout your cycle, the opening of your cervical canal fluctuates. The cervix rises higher, gets softer to the touch, and opens slightly as ovulation approaches. The cervix is lower, firmer, and closed when you’re not fertile.
Body Temperature:
Use a fertility charting app to track your basal body temperature. Taking your basal body temperature each month might help you figure out when you ovulated. Fertility charting software will forecast your fertile days based on prior months if you input your temps. This is only effective if you have regular menstruation.
Regular Cycle Length:
Based on prior cycle durations, estimate (or make an informed guess). To estimate your most fertile dates, check an ovulation calendar or calculator online. These function by taking into account your usual cycle length and predicting when you’ll ovulate based on past months. This is far from precise, but if you have regular cycles, the results are acceptable.
When Are You Most Fertile?
From approximately 7 days before you ovulate until about 2 days thereafter, you’re at your most fertile, especially the day before and the day after you ovulate. This is because sperm can remain in a woman’s body for up to 5 days, so if you have intercourse in the days leading up to ovulation, the sperm can ‘wait’ for the egg to be released. The ‘fertile window’ refers to the days leading up to and immediately following the egg’s release.
What is Fertile Window?
Finding out about your reproductive window might be a time-consuming effort when you’re trying to conceive.
Even if you have regular cycles, it might be difficult to anticipate when you will reach your viable window since some women reach their fertile window earlier or later in their cycle.
You are more likely to become pregnant if you have regular, unprotected intercourse (sex every 2 to 3 days without contraception). If they have frequent, unprotected intercourse, more than 8 out of 10 couples with a woman under 40 years of age will become pregnant within a year. However, having intercourse every other day might be problematic for a variety of reasons, particularly if pregnancy does not occur promptly.
Is It Normal to Have Pain During Ovulation?
The term “mittelschmerz” is derived from the German terms “middle” and “pain.” It’s a very common ailment that might manifest as a dull pain or an acute pang that lasts anywhere from minutes to 24 hours. It’s typically minor and may be managed with over-the-counter pain medicines, but some women experience more severe discomfort that may necessitate a visit to the doctor.
There is no conclusive explanation for why the pain arises. Some believe the pain is caused by the growth of the egg before its release, while others feel it is caused by the constant bleeding that a woman experiences in her ovary during ovulation.
Final Words-
It is crucial that you empower yourself with the tools you need to understand your own body and go to the doctor as soon as you feel something is wrong, as well as adhere to some fundamental rules for optimising your and your partner’s health during pregnancy. If you’re under 35 and have been trying for a year or more, see your doctor to begin some basic testing; if you’re 35 or older, don’t wait more than 6 months to see your doctor.
