Ovulation is the release of an egg from a follicle in the ovary. You can only get pregnant if you have sex around the time of ovulation. Ovulation occurs once a month in normal menstrual cycles, although in some cycles, two or more eggs are released. Maturation and release of an egg is governed by female hormones. Ovulation can be predicted by certain physical signs and by ovulation prediction kits that analyze hormone levels and change color when ovulation is about to occur. Using physical signs and ovulation predictor kits makes it easier to be sure when you're ovulating.
Step 1
Make a temperature chart on Day 1 of your menstrual cycle, with spaces each day to record your temperature. A graph-type chart works best, because you can see the variations more easily. Take your temperature the first thing in the morning before any physical activity. The reading will be inaccurate if you get up to go to the bathroom first.
Step 2
Check for baseline physical signs once your period ends. To monitor ovulation, check cervical mucus and cervical position, using a gloved or clean finger. Cervical mucus at this stage is thick, sticky and white or gray in color. Your cervix is felt far back in the vagina, and is firm and closed.
Step 3
Decide when to start daily monitoring for ovulation. Ovulation occurs approximately 14 days before the start of your next cycle. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that if you have 14-day cycles, you ovulate on Day 14; if you have 35-day cycles, you ovulate on Day 21; if you have 25-day cycles, you ovulate on Day 11. Start checking physical signs a few days before you expect to ovulate if your periods are regular. If you have irregular periods, monitor physical signs daily.
Step 4
Buy an Ovulation Predictor Kit (OPK). OPKs can be expensive, so don't start using them sooner than you need to. Women who have polycystic ovaries,a condition characterized by an excess of male hormones, and women in ovarian failure may have positive test results even when not ovulating. So consider testing once, even though no signs of ovulation are present. If the test is positive even without physical signs of ovulation, the kits probably won't be accurate for you.
Step 5
Monitor physical signs, starting several days before you expect to ovulate, or daily throughout the cycle if you're very irregular. As ovulation approaches, cervical mucus thins, becomes clear and resembles egg white in consistency. Cervical mucus at the time of ovulation can be stretched without breaking for several inches. The change in cervical mucus makes the cervical environment much more hospitable to sperm. The cervix is located more mid-position in the vagina as ovulation approaches, and is slightly open and soft. Your temperature dips slightly right before ovulation.
Step 6
Use OPKs daily as physical signs of ovulation appear. A positive result on the OPK indicates ovulation will occur within 24 to 26 hours, according to Medline Plus. Having sex a day or two before ovulation and the day of ovulation gives you the best chance of pregnancy. Once ovulation occurs, your temperature rises in response to progesterone release, and the cervical mucus becomes thick and sticky. The cervical position is further back in the vagina.
Things You'll Need
- Ovulation predictor kit
- Oral thermometer
