In this work you can find the answer to the most common question of girls dreaming of having a baby: how to recognize ovulation? There are times that a couple is quite actively engaged in sex, but the long-awaited result does not happen. How to be in this situation? Of course, you can sign up for quite expensive procedures and try to find out the reason there. But maybe the fact is that you have sex just at the wrong time?
As you know, conception is possible only at the time of release of the egg from the follicle. This process is called ovulation. Today we will talk about how to recognize ovulation not only with the help of specialists, but also independently, at home.
When fertilization is possible
Before we consider all the possible methods, we suggest that you get acquainted with the process of egg fertilization and the process of ovulation. It is also important to indicate that the question of how to recognize ovulation also torments those women who seek to avoid pregnancy.
In order to answer the main question, you need to get a little acquainted with female physiology. Ovulation occurs almost every month if the girl is of reproductive age and healthy. As a rule, a high probability of pregnancy is only about two days a month. These days are in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Here are sample calculations:
- 28-day cycle - ovulation occurs on the 12th day;
- The 35-day cycle is on the 17th day.
It should be noted that everyone has an individual body, you need to carefully listen to your body, then you cannot miss the moment of ovulation.
What is it?
Now we will tell you a little about what ovulation is. This concept is very important for girls who dream of becoming pregnant. The ovulation process is of great importance when planning pregnancy. After all, if it did not happen, then pregnancy is impossible.
In short and accessible language, ovulation is the process of getting out of a follicle a fully matured and ready to fertilize an egg. It lasts only a couple of minutes, as soon as a mature egg has entered the abdominal cavity, the ovulation process is considered complete.
Even in prenatal development, girls lay eggs, they number about a million. Before puberty, the eggs are in a sleeping state. However, some of them die without waiting for the moment of exit from the follicle. By the time of the first menstruation, the girl has about 300 thousand follicles. Of this amount, only about 500 ovulate over the entire reproductive period.
In order to answer the question of how to recognize ovulation, it is necessary to clarify the fact that ovulation may not occur every month. However, there are cases when several follicles mature and burst at once. If this happens, then multiple pregnancy is possible.
Methods
From this part of the article you can learn how to recognize ovulation on your own or with the help of specialists. In total, several methods can be distinguished:
- ultrasound diagnostics;
- blood analysis;
- express test;
- listen to the sensations;
- observe vaginal discharge;
- method for plotting basal temperature.
The most accurate result will be confirmed by several methods of recognition of ovulation. However, some of them can hit your wallet hard. For example, if you will go on an ultrasound daily or use rapid tests. The most correct option is to calculate the approximate days of ovulation using the calendar method, confirm or refute your calculations with a test strip.
Ultrasound scan
In this section, you will learn how to recognize ovulation by ultrasound. An ultrasound examination is carried out in a number of cases, starting from finding out the cause of the irregular cycle and ending with the diagnosis of infertility.
An ultrasound to track ovulation can be prescribed by a gynecologist if there are the following problems:
- painful periods;
- their absence;
- with stimulation of egg maturation;
- in the treatment or diagnosis of infertility;
- if a woman is preparing for an IVF procedure;
- with poor test results for hormones;
- if a woman plans a pregnancy after an abortion, miscarriage, and so on;
- for the selection of contraceptives.
Many are interested in the question: how is an ultrasound performed to determine ovulation? There are three methods of examination:
- transvaginal;
- transrectal;
- transabdominal.
The first two ways are internal, the last is external. The most common option is transvaginal. The virgins are examined by the transrectal method, and pregnant women by the transabdominal method.
It has already been mentioned that the transvaginal method is most common. During the procedure, the sensor is inserted directly into the vagina. Ultrasound examination by this method is carried out no more than 30 minutes, a woman does not experience any pain during this.
The advantage of this examination is that you do not need to prepare for it at all. It is necessary to take a shower and empty the bladder. You need to take an ordinary condom with you.
Blood analysis
How does the approaching ovulation manifest itself? How to recognize it using a laboratory method? In this section you will find answers to these questions.
As you know, the menstrual cycle is impossible without the participation of many hormones. The main ones are: FSH, LH, progesterone. We will tell a little more about each of them.
Follicle-stimulating hormone, also called FSH, promotes the maturation of follicles that are in the ovaries. If the hormone content exceeds the maximum norm, then the follicle simply ruptures, thus, the egg is released. At this point, ovulation occurs. Then the concentration gradually decreases.
The next on our list was luteinizing hormone. It is he who is trying to identify the rapid test for ovulation. It is important to know that the day before ovulation, the amount of this hormone increases about ten times. If you decide to take a blood test for hormones to determine ovulation, you must also know that it is important not only to have it in the blood, but also the ratio to FSH. This ratio should be something like this: LH: FSH = 1.5: 2.0. With a regular cycle, this analysis must be done on the 3rd-8th and 19-21th days of the cycle. On the same days, the FSH is also surrendered. If the cycle is irregular, then ovulation must be monitored by taking an analysis daily from the 8th to the 18th day of the cycle.
Last we noted progesterone. It is also called the hormone of pregnancy. He got such a name for a reason, the whole point is that progesterone is produced by the corpus luteum and protects the fetus from miscarriage. Its deficiency can cause infertility.
This method of determining ovulation helps not only determine the exact day of its onset, but also to identify hormonal imbalance. A blood test for hormones is best combined with ultrasound, so the result will be more accurate.
Now we propose to identify the pros and cons of this method. This information can be obtained from the table below.
Benefits | disadvantages |
- High accuracy
- Detects hormonal imbalance
| - Analysis Preparation
- Cost
- The need to do re-examinations
|
Test strips
We will now discuss another method. How to recognize ovulation during an irregular cycle? In fact, this is not so simple. You can spend a lot of time and money, go to the clinic for long studies. Regularly undergo an ultrasound examination, take blood tests, and so on. There is a less expensive way.
Girls often use rapid tests to determine pregnancy, but few people know that there are similar test strips to determine ovulation. The advantage of this method is that you can conduct a test at home, on your own and there are no strong material costs.
Prices for these express tests range from 30 rubles to 1.5 thousand. The probability is quite high, about 90%.
Now a little about the method of application. First you need to decide on the day. With a regular cycle, subtract the number "17" from its length, then you will get the day of the cycle on which you want to test. With an irregular cycle, it is necessary to take the length of the shortest for the last half of the year and also subtract 17.
Rules:
- do not drink 4 hours before the test;
- refrain from going to the toilet in 2 hours;
- follow the instructions for your test;
- do not use morning urine;
- for a more accurate result, spend 2-3 times a day (the most suitable time is from 10 am to 10 pm).
Feel
In this section, you will learn how to recognize ovulation by sensation. It is important to understand that you will not be able to feel the process of rupturing the follicle. The reason is that it does not have nerve endings. But the egg begins to move through the fallopian tubes as a result of their contractions, which can affect the physical and emotional state.
So, how to recognize ovulation by sensation? The following symptoms may occur:
- slight pain in the ovary, it can have a different nature (aching, cutting, stitching, cramping, and so on), it lasts for 1-2 days;
- pain after ovulation (this can talk about inflammatory processes, you must make an appointment with a gynecologist);
- the day before ovulation, the girl may be in a very good emotional state;
- increased sexual activity;
- mood improves, self-confidence is felt.
It should be noted here that each organism is individual, the signs can be different. In order to determine ovulation, you must carefully listen to your body.
Discharge
In this section, we will tell you how to recognize ovulation by discharge. It is important for all girls to know that the cervix secretes a special mucus that helps sperm cells survive and move through the genital tract. If a girl is attentive to her body, then she knows how to recognize ovulation by discharge.
The first after menstruation is the so-called dry period. During this period of time, there is practically no discharge, since a small level of estrogen is observed. There may be discharge, but they are very thick, this is necessary for the formation of a cervical cork. It is needed so that no infection and sperm enter the uterus.
Shortly before the day of ovulation, estrogen levels begin to increase, cervical mucus becomes more fluid and sticky. After that, it acquires a creamy texture. Such discharge is considered normal if certain conditions are met:
- the discharge resembles jelly, have a transparent color;
- they are observed in a small amount;
- have no smell;
- do not have a bad effect on the skin;
- no itching;
- no pain;
- no elevated body temperature.
As the egg ripens, the nature of the cervical secretions changes. For a day and up to 2 days after ovulation, they acquire a consistency similar to raw egg white. Do not worry if the discharge has become very plentiful, this is considered the norm.
It is also necessary to clarify that the nature of the discharge and their duration are all individual.
Calendar method
Now we will share another method of recognizing ovulation without a test. Previously used for this purpose a regular calendar. The essence of the method is as follows: be sure to celebrate every day of menstruation for a long period of time. For a more accurate result, they usually analyze from 6 months to a year.
It is also important to indicate that the probability of determining the exact day of ovulation using the calendar method is very small. How it works? Record the start dates of the last 12 menstruation, then apply the Ogino-Knaus method. The first formula: A = B - 18; the second formula: C = D - 11. A is the beginning of the period favorable for conception, B is the duration of the short cycle, C is the end of the favorable period, D is the duration of the longest cycle.
Basal temperature measurement
In this part of the article you will learn how to recognize the day of ovulation using paper, a pen and a conventional thermometer. This method is more accurate relative to the calendar. In order to calculate the day of ovulation, it is necessary to analyze the schedule of at least 3 cycles.
For these purposes, basal temperature is measured using one of the following methods:
- in the oral cavity;
- in the rectum;
- into the vagina.
Since the temperature must be measured every day (even at the time of menstruation), the most optimal option is to measure in the rectum.
To calculate, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- take temperature daily;
- if you use the oral method, you need to keep the thermometer under the tongue for at least 5 minutes, while tightly compressing the lips;
- if you use the vaginal or rectal method, then you need to enter about 3 centimeters and measure the temperature for 4 minutes;
- always use the same thermometer;
- you need to measure the temperature in the morning without getting out of bed;
- Record the result in a special schedule.
Reading schedule
In the previous section, you learned how to recognize ovulation at home using a thermometer. Now a little about how to read the resulting chart.
From the first day of menstruation, the basal temperature is high, in the middle of the cycle it decreases. It is necessary to look for ovulation around this period. It can be recognized by a jump from 0.2 to 0.6 degrees. After this difference, the temperature will remain at this level for up to 2 weeks. On the eve of menstruation, the temperature drops. The day of ovulation is considered the day when the basal temperature is the lowest before the jump.
Now you can easily predict the day of ovulation. The most favorable period for conception is two days before the jump and the day after it.