Written by: Cally Worden
Ovulation is the critical time of the month when you are trying for a baby. Unfortunately most ovaries haven’t read the text book and although some adhere to the average ‘Day-14’ rule when popping out their monthly egg, there are many that don’t. This, naturally, plays havoc with conception planning. The most fertile time for women is in the two-three days immediately prior to ovulation, so knowing when the crucial event is about to take place is the key to conception success.
Count the days
This can only really work for women whose periods are reasonably regular, as it relies on ovulation occurring at around the same time every menstrual cycle. To give it a try, work out the date you think your next period is due. Then count back 12 days from that date, and then a further 4 days. It is in this 5-day window from 12-16 days back that you are most likely to ovulate and so be at your most fertile.
Watch your Temperature
When you start to think about trying for a baby, it is useful to note the changes your body goes through in each monthly cycle. Take your temperature using a Basal Body Temperature (BBT) thermometer every morning. Immediately following ovulation your body will experience a temperature rise of 0.4-1.0 degrees.
Get Familiar with your Discharge
Make a note of the texture and varying amounts of any discharge you may have throughout the month. As your monthly cycle progresses, oestrogen promotes an increase in the production of cervical mucus, which peaks around ovulation. You are at your most fertile when your discharge is slippery, clear and stretchy. Some women never identify these outward signals from their bodies, but for others a recognisable pattern can quickly emerge.
Note Abdominal Twinges
Around 20% of women actually feel something when their ovaries release an egg, a condition known as ‘mittelschmerz’. The sensation can be anything from a slight twinge in the lower abdomen, to a general aching.
Ovulation Predictor Kits
These are now available over the counter at the chemist, or online. They work much like a pregnancy test kit, by testing you urine. They are designed to react to a spike in luteinising hormone (or LH) that occurs just before ovulation. As an early indicator of ovulation this is about as good as it gets, but they are not foolproof – the body experiences LH surges for reasons other than the release of an egg.
When you are trying for a baby the monthly guessing game that you play with your fertility can soon wear thin. Sex can become functional as you seek to perform within that narrow window of opportunity. Anything that helps to pinpoint ovulation is helpful, but it’s important to remember that being relaxed helps too. Easy to say when you’re playing the waiting game I know.
With baby no. 2 my cycle was so irregular that any predictions on ovulation dates were wildly inaccurate. A friend suggested the Ovulation Predictor Kits to me, and within a month I was pregnant. The reason? I was ovulating on day 10, and had been targeting an approximate window between days 12 and 16. The kits don’t work for everyone, but I’m happy to give them a personal recommendation for anyone whose cycle is irregular. Definitely worth a try!