How do you know when you ovulate? 11 methods to recognize the fertile period
Find out how to predict ovulation and understand if it really happened.
When looking for a baby, if the search is assiduous and targeted, it is very important to identify the days of ovulation .
But how do you know when you ovulate? Are there any methods that allow you to predict ovulation and determine whether it has occurred or not?
In this article, we present 11 ways to detect ovulation that can help you increase your chances of getting pregnant .
Some are more specific, others are based on the symptoms that often precede your fertile days. For each you will find pros and cons and an in-depth link .
1. Calculation of the fertile period
Calculating your fertile days using online calculators or the Ogino-Knaus method can be a first step in understanding when you ovulate. This method is based on statistical calculations and can be used in case of very regular cycles .
Advantages
- It is a completely free method.
Disadvantages
- It does not allow to establish with certainty the day of ovulation and to confirm whether it really happened.
- It cannot be used in case of irregular cycles.
2. Changes in cervical mucus
Cervical mucus is a substance produced by the cells of the uterine cervix.
As ovulation approaches, this secretion changes in quantity and consistency:
- before you ovulate , cervical mucus may feel sticky or creamy , or may be absent altogether ;
- as ovulation approaches , the mucus becomes more abundant, taking on a watery consistency similar to egg white . In particular, holding it between the forefinger and thumb, it extends up to 7-8 cm or more between the fingers .
Advantages
- It is a completely free method.
- It is considered one of the most accurate pointers to have targeted intercourse when looking for pregnancy.
- It helps to learn more about your body and your menstrual cycle.
Disadvantages
- It takes time to get used to your body.
- It does not allow to understand if ovulation has really occurred . In fact, cervical mucus can become stringy without the woman ovulating (as often happens in women with polycystic ovary syndrome).
- Some medications , such as clomiphene (Clomid) or antihistamines, may reduce cervical mucus production and make it difficult to detect.
3. Changes in basal temperature
Measuring basal temperature daily and recording the results on a special graph is perhaps the most popular method of monitoring ovulation among women trying to get pregnant.
Basal temperature rises by a few tenths of a degree and remains elevated after ovulation .
This increase in temperature is caused by progesterone, a hormone that rises immediately after ovulation.
To obtain reliable graphs, it is important to measure the basal temperature in the same conditions and at the same time, i.e. as soon as you wake up after at least 3-4 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Advantages
- It’s cheap and almost free (except for buying a thermometer, which you probably already have).
- The chart may help your doctor if you are having difficulty getting pregnant .
Disadvantages
- The basal temperature method allows you to understand if ovulation has occurred , because the temperature undergoes an increase, but it does not help to predict when you will ovulate .
- It is not suitable for those who work nights, shifts or do not wake up at the same time in the morning.
- Some women experience some anxiety about having to take their temperature every morning.
4. Cervical changes
As ovulation approaches, the position of the neck of the uterus (cervix) also undergoes changes, which can be recognized by palpation. When you are most fertile, your cervix will be higher , softer and more open .
Advantages
- It is a completely free method.
- It allows you to understand when ovulation occurs even when it is not possible to analyze the cervical mucus (for example because you are taking medicines that make it drier, such as Clomid or antihistamines).
- It helps to get to know your body better.
Disadvantages
- It takes a lot of practice.
- It’s not a sure sign of ovulation . As with cervical mucus, the cervix can also change in a cycle without ovulation.
5. Increased sex drive
It has been scientifically proven that women experience an increase in sex drive when they are most fertile . This usually happens a couple of days before ovulation, which is the right time to have sex if you want to get pregnant .
Advantages
- It is a method that does not require any specific knowledge, just knowing how to listen to your body.
Disadvantages
- The stress of trying to conceive can take its toll on relationships. Also, depression or anxiety, typical of couples who are unable to conceive, can reduce sexual desire.
- Increased libido is not a sure sign of ovulation . Sexual desire can be influenced by many other factors and be present even if ovulation does not occur, as well as at any other time in the cycle.
6. Breast tenderness
Some women experience breast tenderness before or after ovulation . This fact is always related to hormonal changes.
Benefits _
- It is a completely free method.
- It helps to get to know your body better.
Disadvantages _
- It is a very subjective symptom.
- It is not a precise indicator of ovulation : breast tenderness can appear on the days of ovulation, just before the menstrual cycle, because you are taking fertility drugs or for various other reasons.
7. Painful ovulation (Mittelschmerz)
Another symptom that may accompany ovulation in some women is a slight pain in the lower abdomen , sometimes only on one side (in correspondence with one of the ovaries).
This symptom can also be accompanied by small bleeding (spotting).
Advantages
- It is a completely free method.
- It helps to get to know your body better.
Disadvantages
- It is a very subjective symptom.
- It is not a precise indicator of ovulation : slight pains in the lower abdomen can also appear at other times of the cycle.
8. Ovulation test
A widely used method to understand when you ovulate is represented by ovulation tests . These sticks must be used every day, starting one week before the presumed ovulation.
Basically, they work like a common urine pregnancy test , but instead of detecting the pregnancy hormone (beta hCG ) they detect the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol .
Advantages
- This method allows you to understand with good precision when ovulation will occur (from 16 to 36 hours before) .
- While the basal temperature must be taken every day, the sticks must be done daily for only one week .
- Ovulation tests are useful when cervical mucus is unevaluable and can be used as confirmation when using other methods that you are not entirely sure about.
Disadvantages
- Sticks are more expensive than other ways to tell when ovulation is happening.
- Reading and understanding the results is not always easy, unless you use a digital monitor.
- If ovulation is irregular, more than one kit may be needed each cycle, making the method even more time consuming.
- The sticks do not allow to understand if ovulation has occurred . Even if the results are positive, the cycle could still be anovulatory.
- In some cases, it is possible to have multiple positive results per cycle not related to ovulation: this happens for example to women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) , for which the method is not recommended.
9. Ovulation test on saliva
Another method to detect ovulation is to analyze the structure of saliva . There are special salivary tests on the market , which provide microscopes designed for this purpose. Technically, however, any microscope could be used, including models sold in toy stores.
As ovulation approaches, the salt content of saliva increases due to estrogen. Therefore, when saliva dries, it takes on the shape of a fern leaf or frost on a window pane (see picture).
The fern leaf pattern appears during the LH surge , which occurs 24-48 hours before ovulation .
Advantages
- It requires no other expenses except the purchase of the microscope.
Disadvantages
- Many women have difficulty interpreting the results .
- Just as with monitoring cervical mucus and using urine ovulation tests, this method does not tell if ovulation actually occurred .
10. Blood tests
Thanks to blood tests it is possible both to predict ovulation (through the dosage of the luteinizing hormone LH ) and to understand if ovulation has taken place (through the dosage of progesterone). Blood tests to detect ovulation are not done routinely, but are usually ordered by the gynecologist when an infertility problem is suspected .
Advantages
- They allow you to predict when ovulation will occur and determine if this has actually occurred.
Disadvantages
- They involve a blood draw and are therefore a more invasive method.
- They are not routinely usable.
11. Ultrasound
Another method your ob-gyn can use to predict and determine your ovulation day is follicular monitoring ultrasound , often paired with blood tests.
The ultrasound is usually performed starting from the 8th day of the cycle and is repeated about 3-4 times every few days.
This test allows you to monitor the growth of the dominant follicle , until the release of the mature egg, and the increase in thickness of the endometrium .
Advantages
- It allows you to predict when ovulation will occur and to determine if this has actually occurred .
Disadvantages
- It is not routinely applicable.
- It requires you to go several times to the facility where the exam is to be performed.
In conclusion
How do you know when you ovulate?
The most precise methods to understand when you ovulate are:
- observation of cervical mucus
- ovulation tests
- palpation of the uterine cervix
- observation of saliva under a microscope
Less specific indicators of ovulation are symptoms such as:
- increased sexual desire
- breast tension
- lower abdominal pain (with possible spotting )
How to understand if ovulation has occurred?
In summary, the only do-it-yourself method that allows you to understand if ovulation has taken place is the measurement of the basal temperature .
The other methods (dosage of plasma progesterone and ultrasound for follicular monitoring) require the prescription of the gynecologist and are used only in particular situations, such as for example in cases of suspected infertility .
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.