WOMEN'S HEALTH



Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from the ovary, moves down the fallopian tube, and is available in the fallopian tube to be fertilised.

_TRACKING YOUR OVULAwTION_
*  Work out the length of your average menstrual cycle. Day one is  the first day if the menstrual period and  the  best day is the day before  the next period begins.

*  Ovulation happens about two  weeks before  the next expected period. So if  your average menstrual cycle is 28 days, you ovulate around 14 day. Note: the fertile window is the six days leading up to and including ovulation.

The three days leading to and including ovulation are the most fertile, depending on your cycle length, the most fertile day in the cycle varies.

*  If you have 28 days between period ovulation typically happens on day 14 and the most fertile days  are days 12, 13 and 14.

*  If you have longer cycles, like 35 daya between periods, ovulation happen on day 21 and the most fertile days are days 19, 20 and 21.

*  If you have shorter cycles, like 21 days between periods, ovulation happen on day 7 and the most fertile days are 5, 6 and 7.

_HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE OVULATING_
Women's cycles can vary and are not always as regular as clock work, so to know that  you are ovulating and on which day of your cycle you are ovulating, observe your fertility signs throughout your cycle and record them on a chart.

*The most accurate methods of working out when ovulation is about to occur are;*

*  Keep on eye out  for changes in your mucus around  the  time of ovulation, you may notice your vagina's mucus is clear, slick and slippery, they consistency  of egg white. This is the best sign of  when ovulation is actually happening. Its prime time for action.

*  Record your basal body temperature (BBT) each day before getting out of bed. A special basal body temperature thermometer will ensure accurate measurement. Your BBT rises about half a degree Celsius after ovulation has occurred by charting your temperature, it's easy to see when the rise in temperature and ovulation happens, this can help you work our your own pattern of ovulation. However, because at that stage ovulation has already passed,  it does not help you pinpoint the fertile window but may guide you for next month.
 
*  Use an ovulation predictor kit. You can start testing with your ovulation  predictor kit a few days before your estimated day of ovulation. Subtract 17 days from your average cycle length and start testing from this day of your cycle - example if you have a 28 day cycle, you would start testing from day 11. A positive result which  means you going to ovulate within the next 36 hours.

*  Use the ovulation calculation on this site. If you know the date of your last period, the length of  your cycle and your cycle is regular, this will identify your 'fertile window' and predicted ovulation date.

_THE FERTILE WINDOW_

We are talking about the days in a woman's menstrual cycle when pregnancy is possible. Pregnancy is technically only possible during the five days before ovulation.

  These six days are the *fertile window* in a woman's cycle and reflect the *lifespan of sperm* (5 days) and the lifespan of the ovum (24 hours).

If a woman has sex six or more days before she ovulate, the chance of getting pregnant is virtually zero. If she has sex five days before the ovulates, the probability of pregnancy is about 10%.

  The probability of pregnancy rises steadily until the two days before  and including the day of ovulation.

  At the end of the *fertile window* the probability of pregnancy declines rapidly and by 12-24 hours after she ovulates, a woman is no longer able to get pregnant during thar cycle.

  For those women who are not aware of their *fertile window* or when they ovulate, sexual intercourse is recommended every 2 to 3 days to help optimise their chance of conceiving.

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