After puberty, a woman's reproductive system works on a cycle of 28 days on average. During that time she is ovulating and at the end of the cycle, she experiences a menstrual period. Because there are a number of factors that can affect this cycle, it is important to be cognizant of the changes your body experiences. Whether you are looking to become pregnant, want to avoid pregnancy or if you need to better understand your cycle for other health purposes, an ovulation calendar is an effective resource.
Step 1
Mark the day your period starts on a calendar or in a day planner.
Step 2
Keep track of how long your period lasts and mark the day it ends on the same calendar.
Step 3
Refer to the calendar when your period starts in the next month. Count the days between the beginning of your period for the first month and the beginning of your period for the second month. If your periods are approximately 28 days apart, that means that you most likely start ovulating 14 days after your period begins.
Step 4
Subtract 18 from the duration of your shortest cycle if your periods occur more than 28 days apart. The result of this equation is the number of days after your period starts that you begin ovulating. For example, if your cycle is 35 days subtracting 18 would give you 17. If your period normally starts on the 1st of the month, you can estimate that you ovulate around the 18th of the month.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform a search to find free online tools where you can provide information on your cycle and a calendar will be generated for you (See References).
Things You'll Need
- Calendar or day planner
