1. Look to the Calendar
Ovulation usually occurs midway through the menstrual cycle. Day 1 is considered the first day of your period. The average cycle is 28 days. Ovulation should occur around day 14. Be aware that menstrual cycles vary from month to month, and some women have longer or shorter cycles. The calendar method is an estimate for when ovulation may occur and not an exact science.
2. Check Your Temp
Your basal body temperature varies throughout the month. This variation is due to changing hormone levels. The body temperature is usually lowest right before ovulation and rises about half a degree when ovulation occurs. Monitor your temperature daily with a basal body thermometer to get a baseline. Check your temp in the morning before you get out of bed.
3. The Ovulation Ache
"Miltelschmerz" means "middle pain" in German. It's the name doctors have given to the pain some women feel right before ovulation. It usually is a sharp pain or a cramping feeling on one side of the lower abdomen. The pain tends to go away after a day or less. Some women also develop a feeling of heaviness in their lower abdomen for a day or so. It's not clear exactly why some women experience discomfort before or during ovulation. However, one theory is that the pain is from the release of the egg from the ovary.
4. Predict With a Kit
There are a few types of home ovulation predictor kits on the market. Urine tests are very simple to use. You simply urinate on a stick, and it gives you an indicator if you are about to ovulate. The test measures the luteinizing hormone, which surges right before ovulation. Saliva tests that detect increased estrogen levels are a bit trickier to use. Sweat tests look for increases in various salts, such as chloride ion, that increase at ovulation. Whichever test you select, follow the directions exactly to get the most accurate results.
5. Detect Signs of Ovulation
As ovulation nears, a few changes take place in the body to increase the chances of fertilization. Learning to recognize the changes can help you detect ovulation. The amount of cervical mucus increases as ovulation nears. The consistency is also different. The cervical mucus becomes clear and thinner. The cervix also changes, opening up slightly and becoming softer. For most women, this would be difficult to detect. But if you're very much in tune to your body, go ahead and try to feel for the change.
