Ovulation, calculation of fertile and infertile days. How to plan pregnancy?

Ovulation is one of the four phases of the menstrual cycle. During ovulation, a mature female sex cell (egg) is released from the ovary and is ready to be fertilised by a male sex cell (sperm).

After the fusion of the germ cells, i.e. the egg and the sperm, the zygote is formed. After successful implantation in the uterine lining, the zygote becomes the future foetus.

Ovulation is controlled by the hypothalamus, which secretes luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone into the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland.

Menstrual cycle:

• Menstrual phase - the first day of the menstrual cycle, manifested by bleeding, which is caused by the shedding of the endometrial (uterine) lining.
• follicular phase - occurs after the end of menstruation and during this phase the egg matures
• ovulatory phase - during this phase the ovarian follicle ruptures and the mature egg is released into the fallopian tube
• the luteal phase - if fertilisation does not occur at the time of ovulation, the egg is broken down and expelled out of the vagina with the uterine lining and blood during the following menstrual period

Ovulatory cycle, fertile and infertile days - planning pregnancy

Knowing your ovulatory cycle is key to planning a pregnancy.
It is when a woman ovulates that her fertile days begin.

This is because a woman can only get pregnant at the time of ovulation, when a mature egg is available. And that is only 12 to 24 hours a month, 12 times a year.

It is because of this short time interval that charting ovulation and also monitoring your reproductive health and fertility is a very important aspect.

What happens in a woman's body during ovulation?

It is also important to mention the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, also called the proliferative phase. It is during this phase that the follicles in the ovaries mature.

The ovarian follicle is the formation in which a single oocyte (future egg) is located. The oocyte is formed by meiotic division. There are important supporting cells around the oocyte.

At the same time, a follicle-stimulating hormone is released from the pituitary gland, which is involved in the maturation of the egg.

In addition to stimulating follicle development, it produces the hormone oestrogen, the level of which increases as ovulation approaches. Its increased concentration has its justification, which is to provide nutrition for the lining of the uterus.

The uterus is thickened and engorged so that it is sufficiently prepared to receive, nourish and at the same time support the growth of the fertilized egg.

Interesting:
Sometimes there can be multiple oocytes in the ovarian follicle, in which case the mother-to-be can look forward to twins or triplets.

High levels of estrogen are responsible for the increased mucus, which ensures better movement of sperm when trying to fertilize the egg. Mucus-like discharge signals us the arrival of the ovulatory phase.

During ovulation, a cavity, also called a stigma, forms in the follicle of the mature egg. The stigma (or even hole) is important to allow the oocyte to leave the follicle and travel further into the fallopian tube.

In the fallopian tube is a mature egg waiting to be fertilised. The fertilised egg remains in the fallopian tube for a further 6 to 12 days before it travels to the uterus where it attempts to implant in the lining of the uterus.

Implantation of the mature egg into the uterine lining means a successful pregnancy. If the egg fails, it is expelled with the blood out of the vagina during the next menstrual period.

Once the egg has successfully nested, the pregnancy hormone, also known as chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), begins to form. This is important to prevent the lining of the uterus from peeling away until the foetus has matured.

When do I need to work the hardest to conceive?

When trying to conceive, it is important to have unprotected sexual intercourse not only at the time of ovulation, but also 5 days before the expected ovulation.

Male sperm are able to survive in cervical mucus for approximately 3 to 5 days!

Therefore, cervical mucus not only serves to improve sperm movement, but also to help sperm survive longer.

The presence of sperm in turn allows the egg to survive longer (up to 48 hours).

This is why it is important to have sexual intercourse for at least 2 days after ovulation.

Interesting:
The two most fertile days for a woman are considered to be the day before ovulation and the day at the time of ovulation.

How do I know I'm ovulating?

While for some women ovulation manifests itself outwardly with a set of symptoms, for others it is symptomless.

Ovulation can therefore be noticed by the onset of typical symptoms, but also by measuring basal temperature or ovulation test positivity.

Basic aspects for determining ovulation:

• ovulation calendar
• Symptomatology
• rise in basal temperature
• ovulation test positivity

Ovulation calendar - calculation of fertile days

Calculation of fertile days is used by patients not only in their attempts to get pregnant, but also in their attempts to have unprotected intercourse and, on the contrary, not to get pregnant.

Fertile days can only be calculated in women who have a regular menstrual cycle.
A normal cycle is considered to be between 21 and 35 days.
The average bleeding period is 3 to 5 days.

Calculation of fertile and infertile days:
Ovulation, pregnancy calculator

It is not advisable to rely on the ovulation calendar for irregular menstruation or other diseases and abnormalities.

Important:
The method of calculating fertile days is reliable only if
the patient is healthy and has a regular menstrual cycle.

Ovulation calendar with a 31-day cycle:

• N - barren days
• M - menstruation
• O - expected ovulation
• ♀ - more likely to be a girl
• ♂ - more likely a boy

The basis of the calculation is the assumption that ovulation occurs around the middle of the menstrual cycle.

In a 31-day cycle, this is between the 13th and 18th day from the start of bleeding. The two most fertile days are considered to be the 16th day, which should be the pre-ovulatory day in a regular cycle, and the 17th day, when ovulation should theoretically occur.

Ovulation calendar in a 30-day cycle:

• N - barren days
• M - menstruation
• O - expected ovulation
• ♀ - more likely to be a girl
• ♂ - more likely a boy

The basis of the calculation is the assumption that ovulation occurs around the middle of the menstrual cycle.

In a 30-day cycle, this is between days 11 and 17 from the start of bleeding. The two most fertile days are considered to be day 15, which should be the pre-ovulatory day in a regular cycle, and day 16, when ovulation should theoretically occur.

Ovulation calendar in a 28-day cycle:

• N - barren days
• M - menstruation
• O - expected ovulation
• ♀ - more likely to be a girl
• ♂ - more likely a boy

The basis of the calculation is the assumption that ovulation occurs around the middle of the menstrual cycle.

In a 28-day cycle, this is between the 10th and 15th day from the start of bleeding. The two most fertile days are considered to be day 13, which should be the pre-ovulatory day in a regular cycle, and day 14, when ovulation should theoretically occur.

How does ovulation manifest itself?

It is possible to notice the beginning of ovulation based on some symptoms. Even a few days before it, women feel an increase in sexual desire.

During ovulation, there is a change in the mucus in the cervix, which is outwardly manifested by a mucus-like discharge. This is usually translucent in colour and resembles raw egg white in appearance.

There is a slight pain in the lower abdomen, reminiscent of menstruation. Sometimes the pain is localised unilaterally, on the side of the ovary that has just ovulated. It may radiate to the back.

The breasts are more sensitive to touch and visibly fuller.

As in pregnancy, some women may be more sensitive to certain smells or have an improved sense of smell.

Basic signs of ovulation:

• Increase in sexual desire
• change in mucus in the cervix
• mucoid discharge
• pain in the lower abdomen
• lower back pain
• sensitive and fuller breasts
• sensitivity to smells
• increased attractiveness

Interesting:
Based on one study, it has been shown that during ovulation, a woman's facial attractiveness increases.

Measuring basal body temperature. How to do it?

Measuring basal body temperature is a fairly accurate method of determining fertile days. However, the patient must follow certain measurement guidelines.

Principles of measuring basal body temperature:

1. always measure with the same thermometer (basal body temperature thermometer, mercury thermometer)
2. measurements should be taken immediately, at most 4 days after the end of the menstrual cycle
3. measurements should be taken in the morning after waking up at the same time intervals
4. it is not recommended to eat, drink or smoke before the measurement
5. measurement is recommended in the vagina or rectum (most accurate) or in the mouth
6. measurements must not be taken in the armpit or ear

After menstruation, the basal temperature is lower. After ovulation, the basal temperature increases. The increase in basal temperature is induced by progesterone, which is produced by the corpus luteum.

Ovulation tests - reliable detection of luteinizing hormone

In addition to monitoring your body and measuring your basal temperature, there are more modern methods of determining the time of ovulation.

These are ovulation tests, which are almost indistinguishable in appearance from pregnancy tests.

Ovulation tests are designed for self-examination and work by determining the level of luteinizing hormone, the concentration of which increases at the time of ovulation.

Important principles to follow when performing an ovulation test:

• an ovulation test should be performed between 10:00 and 20:00, never immediately after waking up, as is the case with pregnancy tests, as concentrated first morning urine can cause false results
• a urine sample, collected in a clean and dry container, is required for testing
• the test must be removed from the container without touching the test part (membrane area) with your fingers
• test immediately after removing the test strip from the packaging to avoid contamination and deterioration
• the test part should be immersed in the urine sample up to the max line
• leave the test part immersed in the urine for a sufficiently long time, according to the test manufacturer's recommendations (usually 10 to 15 seconds)
• after removing the test, it must be placed test surface up on a flat and dry pad
• read the result after the time interval specified by the manufacturer (usually 5 minutes), longer time may distort the result

How to evaluate the ovulation test correctly?

1. Negative result - appearance of a red stripe only in control zone C, or appearance of a red stripe in control zone C and a faint red stripe in the test zone
2. Result - red bar appears in both control and test zones (C+, T+)
3. bad test - the test is broken if no stripe appears in the test area or a stripe appears only in the test zone T but not in the control zone

Ovulation and its disorders. What does it mean for a woman?

Ovulation disorders are classified as menstrual disorders.

Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, they are divided into 4 basic groups according to the location of the underlying cause of the disorder.

1. Failure at the level of the hypothalamus - pituitary - gonad
2. Dysfunction at the level of hypothalamus - pituitary - gonad(polycystic ovaries)
3. Ovarian failure
4. Hyperprolactinemia

Any disorder of the ovulatory cycle can cause a problem with getting pregnant. It is possible that after strenuous efforts a woman manages to get pregnant. But there are also cases when it fails. In such a situation, the help of specialists comes in handy.

The most common ovulation disorder is anovulation

Anovulation means complete absence of ovulation. It occurs when a mature egg is not released from the follicle. It is most common in metabolic, liver or kidney diseases.

Treatment of anovulation varies. It depends on the underlying cause.
For some women, hormone treatment induces ovulation in a relatively short time, i.e. after a month of treatment.
For others, it can be more complicated and take months or years.

Nutritional factors as a reason for infertility. Is this even possible?

Have you ever thought that your diet may be affecting your fertility?

Not only can it, but even treatment is sometimes more complicated than anovulation.

Obese patients who are not only overweight, but in some cases also suffer from a disorder of insulin metabolism, have the greatest problems with getting pregnant. This is when the cooperation of a gynaecologist, an endocrinologist and a diabetologist is necessary.

Despite their best efforts and successful pregnancy, obese women are not at risk. They are still at a higher risk of complications during pregnancy, a higher risk of miscarriage, and a higher risk of complications during and after childbirth. In turn, the baby is more likely to suffer from congenital developmental defects.

When things just don't work out...

The chances of getting pregnant are not as high as many of you might think. Humans have the lowest reproductive capacity of any animal, and this capacity is decreasing with each passing year.

Young couples nowadays prefer education first, financial security first and wait too long to parent. This reduces their chances even further.

The number of couples who are unable to conceive is increasing every year. However, there is always a chance, and that is assisted reproduction.

What is assisted reproduction? What are the results?

Assisted reproductive technology (artificial insemination) is used for patients who have serious problems getting pregnant.

It involves any manipulation of the sex cells that increases the chances of their fusion and fertilization.

Interesting:
Infertility is defined as a condition where a couple has been unsuccessfully trying to conceive for one year. At the same time, any organic and functional disorders on the part of both the woman and the man must be ruled out by the doctor.
For patients over the age of 35, this period is reduced to as little as 6 months.