Having a good, working knowledge of your body and your fertility cycle can save you a lot of trouble. First, it means you know when to avoid unprotected intercourse if you're trying to keep from getting pregnant. Secondly, it means you know when you should have sex or schedule insemination if you want to have a baby. Your menstrual cycle gives off easily detectable clues as to when you're ovulating. With a watchful eye and some good record keeping, you can calculate when you will ovulate.
Step 1
Purchase a calender with enough space to record a few simple facts about your daily cycle.
Step 2
Mark the first day of your menstrual cycle with the number one. Menstrual cycles run from the first day of your cycle to the day before the first day of your next cycle. Number each cycle day and circle the days you're menstruating.
Step 3
Record your basal body temperature. Basal body temperatures spike a small but noticeable amount (often less than a degree) during ovulation. Take your temperature each morning---either orally, anally or vaginally---with a digital basal body thermometer and write it down on your calendar. Look for the spike.
Step 4
Record your cervical mucous each day. Note the general lack of mucous right after your period and the increase in amount as you reach ovulation. Look for the discharge to change from thick and creamy to thin, watery ans stretchy. This egg white-like discharge is a sign of ovulation, according to The American Pregnancy Association.
Step 5
Record the results of any over-the-counter ovulation test kits you use. These tests are sold near the pregnancy tests and can help you confirm if you're ovulating. They work by measuring a surge of a specific hormone that happens at ovulation.
Step 6
Record six months to one year of cycle data, then use this data to assess ovulation using the calender method. Pick out the shortest and longest cycle lengths from your data. Subtract 18 days from your shortest cycle and 11 days from your longest cycle, according to Planned Parenthood, to get your range of fertile days. Ovulation happens during this fertile window.
Things You'll Need
- Calender or planner
