Safe Period Calculator Or Menstrual Cycle Calculator
Cycle calculators are accurate in most cases. However, many people find these calculators and apps very complex. Also, most of the information that they ask to calculate the infertile period, for example, months of data about body temperature, cervical mucus and dates of menstruation may not be readily available with every woman. Put simply, to use these calculators, you would need data about your periods as well as body temperature handy. Therefore, many people prefer using simpler period calculators like the ones below, which do not ask for months of data but still give accurate results.
How Do I Know Im Ovulating
Pinpointing ovulation can be tricky. There are several methods people use to track their menstrual cycle and estimate when ovulation occurs. Since each method has its drawbacks, its always best to use more than one for the most accurate answer.
Menstrual cycle
Ovulation happens at around the midpoint of your cycle if you have a 28-day cycle . However, a normal cycle is anything between 21 and 35 days, so this means ovulation is unique to your menstrual cycle. Keep track of your cycle on paper or on an app on your phone for several months. Take note of any unusual symptoms. Most people ovulate 14 days before their period begins, regardless of cycle length.
Calendar method
People using the calendar method to predict ovulation, analyze six months of menstrual cycles to determine when theyre fertile. To calculate when you may be ovulating, you find your shortest cycle and your longest cycle in a six month period. You subtract 18 days from your shortest cycle and 11 days from your longest cycle. These two numbers give you the days in your cycle youre most fertile. For example, if your cycle lengths are 31 and 18, your fertile time is day 10 to 20 of your cycle.
Cervical mucus
Basal body temperature
Ovulation kits
Ovulation kits work similarly to at-home pregnancy tests because you pee on an indicator strip in the comfort of your own home. They work by detecting LH in your pee. LH is the hormone that surges before ovulation. A positive result means youre about to ovulate .
How Do I Use The Ovulation Calculator
To find out your next fertile dates, you just need to select the date of the first day of your last period, adjust your average cycle length and click ‘submit. Your cycle length is the number of days between your periods, counting the first day of your period until the day before your next period starts.
You will then receive your upcoming fertile dates over the next 4 months. This is just a guide to help you understand when you may be most fertile.
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Do You Ovulate Before Or After Your Period
Ovulation does not occur in relation to the previous period, but rather to the next period. You will ovulate 14 days prior to the start of your next menstrual cycle. This means, then, that if you have a 28-day cycle, you will ovulate roughly 14 days after your period, and 14 days prior to the start of your next period.
Using An Ovulation Test
If you get your period on the same day every month , you can use an over-the-counter ovulation kit, which works by detecting the hormone LH in your urine. As LH levels spike, or surge, you are about to ovulate. To predict ovulation, count 17-18 days backwards from when you would get a period in your shortest cycles. Then use an ovulation kit to test your LH levels beginning on that day. For example, if you usually have a 30-day cycle, start testing day 12 or 13, and test once a day, around the same time, until your kit shows a positive. A good rule of thumb is to purchase the most affordable kit with the least bells and whistlesno need to overcomplicate the process.
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What To Expect At Your Appointment
During your first visit with a fertility specialist, your doctor will ask a lot of questions about your history, to try to understand factors that may be making it harder to become pregnant. They may order some blood tests to try to understand any irregularities that might be keeping you from getting pregnant, and to make sure you are in the best possible health to become pregnant. Theyll also order a on your partner though this wont be performed on the day of your initial appointment. Depending on your medical history, you might also plan an ultrasound and additional imaging to further explore. If you arent ovulating, your doctor may prescribe medications, including ones that can help induce ovulation. The best choice is very personal and your doctor will help you understand all of your options.
Wherever you are on your fertility journey, remember that approximately 85% of healthy women will get pregnant within a year of trying. For those who struggle to conceive, you can increase your chances by mixing love with science and seeing a doctor who specializes in fertility.
We want our patients to feel as comfortable as possible during this emotional and sometimes stressful time. Our team is committed to providing the most caring, compassionate, and leading-edge fertility care available.
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Pregnancy Tests At Your Doctor Or Local Chemist
Some pharmacists offer pregnancy tests for free, or you may be charged a small fee.
Your GP may offer you a pregnancy test as part of a consultation. For example, if you are not getting your periods but any pregnancy tests youve taken at home are negative.
You will need to take a sample of your urine in a clean, soap-free container. If you are going to your GP, you can get pots to put your sample in from the surgery.
You may have to wait up to a few days for the result. But if your urine sample is tested on the spot, you will probably be given the result after just a few minutes.
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Basal Body Temperature Method
Also called the temperature method, you take your temperature each morning as soon as you wake up . You use a basal body thermometer, which may go in your mouth or your rectum. A basal thermometer is more sensitive than a regular thermometer. It measures body temperature to a tenth of a degree.
A womans basal body temperature rises slightly during ovulation . If you track your temperatures leading up to ovulation, you should see a sustained rise in your basal body temperature after ovulation.
To help you plan, write your body temperature down each day on a tracking sheet. You should track your temperature for at least three months before using this method for family planning.
However, its important to note that the basal body temperature method is not good at predicting your ovulation when trying to conceive. Once you identify the rise in your temperature, youve already ovulated. However, this method is a good tool to monitor your pattern of ovulation.
How Long Does Ovulation Last
After the egg is released, it generally remains in the fallopian tube, where it can be fertilized for between 12 and 24 hours. Ovulation happens just once in a monthly menstrual cycle.
However, the fertile window is longer than the period during which the egg is in the fallopian tube. This is due to the fact that sperm can live in the female reproductive tract for as long as five days.
Its estimated that, on average, there are about six days in the menstrual cycle during which pregnancy can occur. This window typically includes the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself, though the timing of the window can vary from individual to individual.
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Understanding How Ovulation Works Can Be A Powerful Tool For Your Health
Itâs common that people are introduced to the topic only after they have trouble becoming pregnant. But having a grasp on the process can give you insight into more than fertility. Youâll better understand any hormonally-influenced changes to your body around that time, and learn what factors might affect the timing of your ovulation , and why.
Research has found that in the global north, we ovulate roughly 400 times throughout our lifespan . This number is influenced by the use of contraceptives , time spent pregnant and breastfeeding, and any behaviors or health conditions that affect the reproductive hormones . Prehistorically, women would have ovulated less than half as often .
Preparing For The Next Period
As the empty follicle shrinks, if the egg is not fertilized, levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease. Without the high levels of hormones to help maintain it, the thick womb lining that has been built up starts to break down, and your body sheds the lining. This is the start of your period and the beginning of your next menstrual cycle.
As the empty follicle shrinks, if the fertilized egg has not implanted into the womb, your level of progesterone decreases. The womb no longer needs to maintain an environment to support a baby so your body needs to reset ready for the next cycle. Any PMT symptoms that you have will start to decrease. Without the high levels of hormones to help maintain it, the thick womb lining which has built up starts to breakdown and your body will shed this. This is the start of your period and the beginning of your next cycle. For illustration purposes only
If the egg has been fertilized and implanted into the womb, the empty follicle is maintained by the increasing level of pregnancy hormone . It continues to produce estrogen and progesterone for much longer until the placenta is mature enough to support the developing embryo. For illustration purposes only
If the egg has been fertilized, it may successfully implant itself into the womb lining. This usually takes place about a week after fertilization.
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Should I Have Sex Before During Or After Ovulation
For the best chances of pregnancy, you should have sex every day or every other day during the:
- Five days leading up to ovulation
- Day of ovulation
- Day after ovulation
Theres a lot of information about methods for having sex that could increase your chances of getting pregnant. Theres no specific sex position that increases your odds of conceiving. Some lubricants may negatively affect sperm and prevent them from reaching the egg. Talk to your health care provider about which lubricants to avoid.
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Your Chances Vs Your Reality
For those trying to conceive, it’s important to understand that it can take time to get pregnanteven if you get the timing just right. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , menstruating individuals in their 20s and early 30s have a 20-30% chance of getting pregnant while trying during the average cycle. If you’re in your 40s, that number changes to one in 10.
Research indicates that most people aiming to get pregnant will successfully conceive within the first year of trying. However, many different factors are involved in getting pregnant, from age to medical conditions to fertility issues with either partner. If you have concerns, consult a health care provider or fertility specialist, who can talk to you about your individual situation and work on optimizing your chances of getting pregnant.
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Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant On Your Period
Menstruation is triggered after an egg has been released and has not been fertilized, occurring after ovulation somewhere between day 21 and 35 in most people who menstruate.
During menstruation, the inner membrane of the uterus is shed. By the third day of your cycle, levels of progesterone and estrogen are rising and working to rebuild your endometrium. Around day four, follicle ripening begins to increase as the ovaries start preparing an egg for release.
Most people will ovulate well after their period ends, somewhere around day 14 for the average 28-day cyclethough as we know, cycle length and ovulation can vary widely from person to person and even cycle to cycle. Because an egg is needed in order for pregnancy to occur and its unlikely that an egg will be released during or soon after your period, theres little chance that sperm introduced during your period will result in a pregnancy.
However, it is possible to get pregnant if you have sex near the very end of your period and you ovulate very soon after your period ends. Remember: Sperm can live up to five days, so if your period ends on day seven, for instance, and you go on to ovulate on day 10, it is possible to get pregnant from sex as early as day five of that cycle.
Know How Many Days After Period Is Safe To Avoid Your Pregnancy
To calculate the safe days, you need to track your menstrual cycle first. If you have a longer cycle of 28 days or 30 days, then having sex right after your period wont affect much. But if you have a short cycle of 21 days or 25 days then, yes, there are chances of getting pregnant.
Ovulation occurs before 2 weeks of the period. So the women with short cycle generally ovulate within 5-6 days after period. Now if you have intercourse during your period, the sperm can stay alive in your vaginal canal for 5-6 days. Hence, there are probabilities of conceiving just after .5-6 days of your period. Its better to have safe sex at the time of period or after the period.
The women with long menstrual cycle generally ovulate after 12-15 days of the period. If you also have a long cycle, then you can go for sex during your periods or just after you stop bleeding. The risk of getting pregnant is almost nonexistent at this time.
However, we can say that there are low chances of conceiving while on period, but the likelihood is not null at all!
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How Can A Woman Become More Fertile
How to get pregnant: Step-by-step instructions Record menstrual cycle frequency. Monitor ovulation. Have sex every other day during the fertile window. Strive for a healthy body weight. Take a prenatal vitamin. Eat healthy foods. Cut back on strenuous workouts. Be aware of age-related fertility declines.
How Can I Tell When I’m Ovulating
Ovulation is when an egg is released from one of your ovaries.
If you want to work out when you ovulate, there are a number of things you can use:
- the length of your menstrual cycle ovulation usually occurs around 12 to 16 days before your period starts, so you may be able to work out when you’re likely to ovulate if you have a regular cycle
- your cervical mucus you may notice wetter, clearer and more slippery mucus around the time of ovulation
- your body temperature there’s a small rise in body temperature after ovulation takes place, which you may be able to detect with a thermometer
- ovulation predictor kits hormone levels increase around the time of ovulation and this can be detected using ovulation predictor kits that measure the level of hormones in your pee
Using a combination of these methods is likely to be most accurate.
Some women may experience other symptoms when they’re ovulating, including breast tenderness, bloating and mild tummy pain, but these are not a reliable way of predicting ovulation.
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Discharge Before And After Ovulation
Discharge during period lasts 5-7 days. Menstruation is replaced by so-called dry days .
Day 12-13. Watery secretion appears. It is sticky and not abundant .
Day 14. Mucus increases in volume and dilutes.
Day 15. Vaginal discharge becomes similar to the egg white: it is colorless and can stretch between the fingers. You may note the blood streaks.
Day 16. Secretion is still abundant like snot.
Day 17. Secretion becomes denser. It thickens and becomes cloudy .
Day 20-28. Discharge is absent.
These data are approximate and dont reflect the course of menstrual cycle in all women.
Symptoms After Ovulation If Youre Not Pregnant
The symptoms you may experience during your menstrual cycle after ovulation can look very similar to those of early pregnancy. Some of the symptoms you may experience if youre not pregnant include breast pain and cramping.
Breast Pain
This familiar pregnancy symptom can be confusing since it also happens for many women in the weeks leading up to your period. Breast swelling and tenderness can occur in the days past ovulation as estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate. Estrogen causes breast ducts to enlarge and progesterone contributes by causing the milk glands to swell. So, as these hormones increase in the second half of your menstrual cycle, your breasts may start to feel sore.
Leading up to your period, you may experience a dull, heavy pain accompanied by tenderness or feelings of fullness. But since these symptoms are tied to hormone levels, the pain usually improves during your period or right after as progesterone levels go back down.
Cramping
Cramping of any kind in the abdominal region can be uncomfortable, but many women experience this every month with their menstrual cycle making it hard to tell whether this is a sign of pregnancy or another period. As confusing as they can be, there are subtle differences between the two. In most women, period cramps originate in the uterus and can range from mild to intense or severe while implantation cramps are usually described as milder and less intense.
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