Detect and calculate ovulation

Ovulation is the central element in the female cycle: the interaction of various hormones ensures that the mature egg leaves the ovary and makes its way through the fallopian tube. This is the time of ovulation, and fertilization is only possible from the moment the egg has started its journey. Here We have already written what happens at each moment of the cycle and which hormones trigger what and when.

However, it is worth taking a closer look at ovulation itself, because the timing of ovulation plays an important role in the natural family planning. If you know exactly when you ovulate, you can calculate when you are fertile and when you are not.

Learn more about ovulation on this page and get to know yourself and your body better.

When does ovulation take place?

In theory (ie with a very regular 28-day cycle), statistically ovulation occurs on day 14 of the cycle. In reality, however, this calculation applies to less than 20% of women.

When is ovulation delayed?

The time of ovulation can change each cycle. Hormones react to our living conditions: the egg grows to potentially be fertilized, and then the body closely watches the circumstances. Stress, illness, psychological processes, travel, etc. they can delay ovulation and change the length of your cycle.

What is ovulation?

  • Ovulation is the time when the mature egg "jumps" from the ovaries into the fallopian tube. The mature egg reaches the womb (uterus) and can now be fertilized.

    Driven by the hormone FSH, several eggs grow in the ovaries. A follicle is found around each egg. The hormone estrogen is produced in the wall of this follicle.

    There is a competition between the maturing follicles: one of the follicles grows faster and informs: I am ready. Now the hormone LH (luteinizing hormone) comes into play and the so-called ovulation occurs: the winning follicle bursts and releases the egg into the fallopian tube, where it makes its way to the uterus.

How to calculate ovulation?

Ovulation cannot be calculated mathematically based on cycle length. This calculation does not take into account individual circumstances and living conditions. The day of ovulation can vary each cycle, so it is important to check your current fertility status daily and not just rely on the calendar.

When am I fertile?

The egg lasts much less than many people think: it can only be fertilized by a sperm 12 to 24 hours after it has left the follicle. Nature has come up with something clever to extend the period: sperm can survive in the female body for up to five days, so in theory, having vaginal intercourse five days before ovulation is enough to reach the egg's fertilization window .

Recognize ovulation: these are the signs

The various hormones that play a role in ovulation (for example, estrogen) also influence other areas of our bodies. For example, changes in cervical mucus or bleeding can occur between periods. Here are some signs that can help you identify ovulation:

  • Moco cervical

    The hormones estrogen and progesterone cause the moco cervical change. The closer you get to ovulation, the more glassy and stretchy your cervical mucus becomes. When you have it between your fingers, it moves in threads, it is more spinning. In appearance it is reminiscent of raw egg white.

  • Cervix

    The cervix, or cervix, is also affected by the hormones in a woman's menstrual cycle. At the beginning of your cycle, the cervix is quite hard and protrudes into the vagina. As ovulation approaches, the cervix softens, opens, and even rises a little higher. You can examine the cervix yourself by inserting two fingers into the vagina and feeling how the cervix feels.

  • Temperature

    The hormone released after ovulation, progesterone, causes your core body temperature to rise by about 0.2°C. However, it is not enough to measure the temperature just once, because the temperature level alone does not tell us how high the progesterone is. Therefore, to determine an increase, a temperature profile is needed.

  • medium pain

    Middle pain is a shooting or pulling sensation in the lower half of the abdomen. Some women get it around ovulation. However, the average pain is not a sign that ovulation is taking place at that time. The middle pain only occurs in some women around ovulation.

  • Intermenstrual bleeding

    Sometimes you can recognize ovulation by bleeding between periods. Also called spotting, it occurs in some women around the time of ovulation. Intermenstrual bleeding is a slightly reddish discoloration of cervical mucus or even partly like actual bleeding. Therefore, spotting is a sign of high fertility.

  • libido change

    Many women report having more intercourse around the time of ovulation. The reason for this change in libido is probably the increased concentration of estrogen. That's where the primal instinct arises in us: it makes sense to have more sex during the fertile period, at least if you look at it from an evolutionary and reproductive side.

What are the differences between ovulation and fertile days?

The egg can only be fertilized 12 to 24 hours after leaving the follicle. To extend this period, Mother Nature came up with something pretty clever: sperm can survive in a woman's body for up to five days. If you want to get pregnant, it is theoretically enough to have vaginal intercourse five days before ovulation.

So you are not only fertile on the day of your ovulation, but also the four days before and three days after. We know that getting pregnant often isn't that easy, but maybe knowing that there isn't just one day in your cycle that you're fertile takes some of the pressure off, there's an entire fertile day around the time window of ovulation.

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