Ovulation is the moment the egg leaves the follicle. This time is most favorable for the conception of a child. Doctors use ovulation during the 28-day cycle to calculate gestational age. A woman needs to be able to calculate her own ovulation, preparing for pregnancy.
Female cycle
The female cycle lasts an average of 28 days. The norm is considered to be from 21 to 35 days. When menstrual bleeding occurs, the cycle is not established immediately, but after several months.
During the period of the cycle, the body goes through several phases:
- Menstruation is the beginning of the cycle. Days are counted from the very first day onset of bleeding. This period lasts from 3 to 7 days. The most intense discharge occurs on day 2-3 of the cycle. During these days, the endometrium, which has formed in the last month, is rejected.
- The follicular phase begins after the end of menstruation. During this period, the dominant follicle is determined, in which the egg will mature. The number of eggs in the body can reach 70 thousand, but 1 egg cell matures every month. Two or more eggs rarely mature.
- When the egg leaves the ovary, the ovulation phase occurs. The egg has a lifespan of 24 hours. During this time, when meeting with a sperm, pregnancy occurs. The day of ovulation with a 28-day cycle occurs in the middle of the cycle, but can shift.
- If a fertilized egg has fixed in the uterine cavity, then uterine pregnancy has occurred.
- In the absence of fertilization, the body prepares for endometrial rejection and a new cycle.
Normal menstrual cycle
A normal menstrual cycle lasts an average of 28 days. If you deviate from the norm for more than 7 days, you should consult a gynecologist. Ovulation with a 28-day cycle occurs on the 14th day. The shorter the cycle, the faster ovulation occurs.
In young girls, the duration of the cycle can vary during the first year from the beginning of menstruation. In women in whom bleeding begins every time after a certain number of days, the cycle goes wrong for several reasons:
- changing of the living place;
- climate change;
- diseases
- stress;
- excessive physical activity;
- taking hormones or other medications.
How to calculate ovulation
Gynecologists use a formula to calculate ovulation. 14 days should be subtracted from the cycle length. This method indicates the approximate day of the release of the egg and helps to determine the days on which additional methods should be used to determine the favorable day of conception.
If the girl does not know when ovulation occurs during the 28-day cycle, then the formula should be applied: 28-14 = 14. Therefore, ovulation will occur on the 14th day of the cycle. The error of this method is 2 days. Therefore, ovulation occurs from the 12th to the 16th day of the cycle. In women with a short cycle, favorable days for conception can occur immediately after the end of menstruation.
If the cycle is inconsistent and the period varies slightly, then the average indicator for the last six months is taken as the cycle length. This will help to find out approximate days of ovulation and use additional methods.
Feeling ovulation
You can determine the onset of ovulation if you listen to your feelings. Ovulation with a 28-day cycle occurs on the 12-16th day. Signs that indicate that ovulation has occurred:
- Abundant vaginal discharge. The secret becomes viscous and resembles the protein of a raw egg.
- Drawing pains appear in the abdomen. Mucus appears due to rupture of the follicle and the release of the egg.
- Bloody issues. They are insignificant, sometimes the mucus turns pink. This symptom occurs in 20% of women.
- Chest pain, excessive nipple tenderness.
- Increased sexual desire. Nature provided for the desire of a woman to have sexual intercourse for procreation. Another reason may be the desire of a woman not to miss favorable days for conception.
- Change in taste and smell.
Basal temperature
To determine the period of ovulation with a 28-day cycle, basal temperature should be measured. To find out the temperature norm for the body, it is necessary to take measurements several days before ovulation. To ensure the reliability of the result, manipulations should be performed in the morning, after waking up, at the same time, without getting out of bed. The thermometer is introduced to a depth of 4-5 cm.
When constructing the graph, it will become clear that before ovulation, the temperature drops, and then rise. Ovulation occurs between a decrease and an increase in temperature. Thus, you can find out the exact day for conception.
Data should be plotted and connected by dots. The benefits of the drawing will appear after a few months, when it will be possible to determine the day of ovulation. The graph is a good example of temperature changes and shows that on certain days of the cycle there is a sharp jump. This method requires a lot of time, but it has accuracy.
Tests and ultrasounds for ovulation
Ovulation tests are sold without a prescription to determine the favorable days for conception in a pharmacy. In one package of 5 pieces, the amount is sufficient per cycle. In application, they are similar to pregnancy tests and respond to the appearance of LH hormone in the urine. To determine the period of ovulation on the 28-day cycle, you should start using the test from the 10th day of the cycle. An increase in the amount of the hormone is indicated by the darkening of the second strip of dough. Thus, at home, you can calculate the most favorable days for conception.
Another way to determine when ovulation occurs during a 28-day cycle is ultrasound. The examination begins on the 10th day of the cycle. On the 12th day, the growth of the corpus luteum is determined. On the 14th day, they find out whether or not ovulation has occurred. An additional study is prescribed on the 17th day to confirm the release of the egg. The doctor determines the condition of the ovaries in three ways:
- Transvaginally. What happens to the follicles, the doctor determines through the vagina. Special preparation for this procedure is not required, but it is better to cleanse the intestines first.
- Transabdominally. An external ultrasound that shows the degree of follicular maturation. Before the procedure, you should drink a liquid, because the study is carried out on a full bladder. By the reliability of the result, this method is inferior in comparison with the first.
- Transrectally. Research is rarely used. It causes discomfort.
Causes of Ovulation Failure
Ovulation with a 28-day cycle occurs on the 14th day, but sometimes the process occurs sooner or later. If the failure occurred once, then the cause may be a cold, stress, severe physical exertion, the consequences of an abortion. Permanent ovulation bias is caused by:
- hormonal disorders;
- functional failure of target cells;
- violation of the endocrine system;
- ovarian exhaustion;
- lack of sensitivity of ovarian receptors to hormonal molecules;
- polycystic ovary;
- operations of the uterus or ovaries;
- inflammatory processes of the reproductive system;
- endometriosis;
- a brain tumor;
- hyperthyroidism;
- decrease in sex hormones;
- genetic predisposition;
- taking hormonal and steroid drugs.
Signs of Late Ovulation
The main symptom of late ovulation in the 28-day cycle is the absence of symptoms starting from the 12th to the 16th day. If during this period there is no change in basal temperature, there are no discomfort in the lower abdomen, breast sensitivity does not increase, then an ovulation test should be done to understand the changes in the body.
Find out what caused the late ovulation, you can with a gynecologist. This may be a variant of the norm or a malfunction in the body. To find out, you should visit a gynecologist, take blood and urine tests and undergo an ultrasound scan.
If the cause of late ovulation is a recent abortion or pregnancy, then after a short period of time the cycle will recover. The decision to take drugs to restore the cycle should be made by the doctor.