The Ovulation Timeline

Ovulation. You may have run into the word a time or two (thousand)—and for good reason. Ovulation is a critical point in the menstrual cycle, the month-or-so-long stretch in which your body lays the groundwork for a possible pregnancy.

You may be wondering how many days after your period do you ovulate? Your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period (menstruation) and consists of four distinct phases: menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase.

While most menstrual cycles contain these four phases, the timing of each phase can vary due to differences in individual cycle lengths and changes from month to month. While some women’s menstrual cycles are regularly regular, aligning with the 28-day average, others tend to be reliably unreliable. Doctors say that cycles lasting anywhere from 21 to 35 days are perfectly normal.

Let’s take a look at each phase and how it might appear in your cycle:

• Menstruation – The first stage of the cycle is menstruation—which is referred to as having your menstrual period. It occurs when the egg from your previous cycle wasn’t fertilized, and you’re not pregnant. Because your uterus no longer needs to house a fertilized egg, it sheds the thickened lining built up in preparation for egg implantation. Your menstrual period is the mechanism through which this shedding occurs. It can also cause those oh-so-lovely menstrual cramps, as your uterus contracts to shed the lining. In fact, cramping can occur up to 5 days before bleeding starts.

Menstruation generally lasts 3 to 7 days, which means this phase may take place anywhere between days 1 to 7 of your cycle.

• Follicular phase – The follicular phase begins on the first day of your period (overlapping with menstruation) and lasts until the next phase (ovulation). During this stretch, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) boosts the production of egg sacs in the ovaries. Estradiol—a hormone that causes the lining of your uterus to thicken and helps the egg mature—also rises. In addition, it’s thought that estradiol may reduce the effects of stress hormones, as women in the follicular phase generally feel happy and energetic.

Follicular phases last an average of 16 days, but maybe shorter or longer depending on your cycle. This means that the follicular phase may last from day 1 (overlapping with menstruation) to day 16 of your cycle.

Around the middle of your follicular phase (meaning around day 8 for an average 16-day phase), luteinizing hormone (LH) will surge, triggering the start of the next phase: ovulation.

Ovulation – Ovulation itself occurs within a rather clipped timeframe. In the mere 28 to 36 hours after a rush of luteinizing hormone hits one of your ovaries, the process begins. Then, in just around 24 hours, ovulation ends and your cycle moves on. During ovulation, your mature egg is released from the egg sac (also known as the follicle) and into the fallopian tube. For about 40% of women, ovulation is marked by light cramping. You can also tell if you’re ovulating by examining your cervical mucus, as mucus during ovulation increases in volume and becomes more clear and stretchy in texture. This change in mucus helps mobilize sperm looking to fertilize the egg. After the egg is released, sperm have 12-24 hours to fertilize it.

No matter how long or short your cycle may be, ovulation will generally fall within the four days before or after the midway point of your cycle. So, if your cycle typically lasts 34 days, ovulation will likely occur around day 18.

• Luteal phase – The luteal phase begins after ovulation. During this phase, the egg becomes a corpus luteum, emitting hormones that continue to prepare your womb to nurture an embryo. If your egg has been fertilized, it settles into the lining of your womb. This may cause implantation cramping and light bleeding. If your egg isn’t fertilized, it breaks down. When this occurs, levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease, and you may begin to experience premenstrual symptoms, including fatigue, bloating, breast tenderness, mood swings, and headaches.

The luteal phase spans the remainder of your cycle, generally lasting between 11 to 17 days. This means, if your cycle lasts 34 days and you ovulated on day 18, your luteal phase would occur during days 19 through 34.

What exactly happens during ovulation?

To make sense of what’s at play during ovulation, let’s break it down moment-by-moment:

1. Your ovary releases the follicle – For the first half of your cycle, FSH supports the growth and maturation of a follicle, the small sac of fluid that contains your developing egg, in one of your ovaries. Leading up to ovulation, a hefty dose of luteinizing hormone rushes into your ovary. In just about a day, the follicle will rupture, releasing the egg into the fallopian tube.
2. The egg makes its debut – When the follicle ruptures, your ovulation clock begins. For about 12 to 24 hours, your egg can be fertilized by any sperm that are swimming around your reproductive tract. After 24 hours, your egg either dissolves (if unfertilized) or journeys onward to the womb, where it implants itself within the uterine lining (if fertilized).

So, I’m only fertile for one day each month?

Ovulation lasts just 12 to 24 hours—that’s true. It’s also correct that your egg can only be fertilized within this short, sweet timeframe.

But your fertile window is probably closer to 6 days long—and it begins before ovulation.

Here’s why: Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for 3 to 5 days. So, even if you never get down to business during the hours that your egg is freewheeling around your fallopian tube, some resilient sperm from a few days prior may be in the right place at the right time to fertilize the egg.

While it’s still very much the case that you can get pregnant from the sex you have during the hours that you’re ovulating, you can also get pregnant from the sex you’ve had in the days that precede your ovulation. In fact, to increase your chances of conceiving, experts suggest amping up your baby-making sessions throughout your fertile window, from the days before you ovulate through the 24 hours after.

Tracking Your Fertility

If you’re trying to conceive, you may have started paying closer attention to your cycle—noting those days where your bra feels too tight, or your sex drive shoots up. And that’s a good thing. Understanding where you are in your cycle can empower your conception journey, cluing you into those precious days where you’re most fertile each month—right around the time when you’re ovulating.

So, how can you tell you’re ovulating?

While every woman’s cycle is personal, ovulation tends to arrive with certain tell-tale symptoms—signals that can serve as useful indicators.

Signs of Ovulation

Just like your monthly period, ovulation tends to alert you to its impending arrival with some common sensations and signs, including:

• Breast tenderness – Some women experience sensitivity in their breasts and nipples in the days before ovulation, thanks to rising levels of estrogen and luteinizing hormone.
• Cramping – Nearly 40% of women experience ovulation cramps. These lower abdomen pains can range from a dull ache to a sharp twinge and alternate sides each regular cycle, corresponding to the ovary that’s releasing an egg. While occasionally uncomfortable, these cramps typically don’t last more than half of a day.
• Heightened libido – Some studies suggest that women experience increased sexual desire in the days preceding ovulation, beginning at 3 days before the rush of LH and lasting for around 6 days.
• Elevated basal body temperature – After ovulation, your body temperature rises ever so slightly—from 0.4 to 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit. This minuscule ovulation temperature shift can alert you to the fact that your fertile window is closing soon.
• Increased cervical mucus – As you approach ovulation, you may notice an increase in your cervical mucus after ovulation, also known as vaginal discharge. In addition to increases in volume, you may notice a shift in its consistency. Pre-ovulation and ovulation cervical mucus tends to be more slippery and stretchy than post-ovulation, providing a more amenable texture for sperm to swim in.

If you’re interested in tracking your ovulation, it may be helpful to pay attention to the symptoms above. That said, not every woman experiences ovulation the same way. For added insight, you might bolster your arsenal with:

• Over-the-counter ovulation predictor kits
• Cycle tracking apps, like Flo or clue
• A basal body thermometer

What if I’m not sure if I’m ovulating?

If you have questions like can you ovulate without a period or concerns about the regularity of your ovulation or fear that you aren’t ovulating, you aren’t alone. Many women experience changes in their cycles due to conditions and circumstances, including:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Amenorrhea
• Stress
• Shifts in diet
• Getting off of hormonal birth control

If you’re worried, it can’t hurt to check in with your doctor. In fact, scheduling a visit with a doctor is a wonderful idea for anyone who’s thinking about getting pregnant, as your doctor can provide helpful tips and advice about your prenatal care.

SneakPeek—For Clearer Days Ahead

While our desire to grow our families and welcome a sweet little boy or girl into the world feels second nature, the journey to conception can feel a bit complicated. Fortunately, by tracking your cycle and figuring out your fertile window, you can increase your likelihood of getting that precious little bun in your oven.

And while the work of starting a family may not look exactly like you imagined (less wining and dining, more examining of cervical mucus), it will all be worth it when you get to say those incredible words: I’m pregnant.

When you do become pregnant, you can learn about your newest family member even sooner, thanks to SneakPeek. That’s because, with the SneakPeek At-Home Early Gender Prediction Test, you can find out the gender of your child at just 6 weeks pregnant, and with clinically-proven over 99% accuracy¹. The #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home test, our kit is easy to use at home and affordable—because getting pregnant is challenging enough.

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