9 Ovulation Symptoms to Predict When You’re the Most Fertile

Knowing when you ovulate and are the most fertile can boost your chances of getting pregnant fast. Since menstrual cycles differ from woman to woman and your own cycles can vary from month to month, paying close attention to ovulation symptoms can help a lot. You can track your most fertile days, the best time to have sex to conceive, and improve your odds of getting pregnant.

Also, learning about ovulation symptoms can also help you: 

• Understand your body better.

• Differentiate mid-cycle ovulation symptoms from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. 

• Be aware of any changes that could suggest an underlying health issue.

Read on to learn more about ovulation and its symptoms so that you can track when you ovulate and are the most fertile. 

What is ovulation?

During a menstrual cycle, one of the ovaries releases a mature egg for fertilization. This process is called ovulation and it happens every month. The ovulation period, i.e. the two days before ovulation and the day of ovulation, is the most fertile period for a woman.

If the released egg is fertilized by a sperm, then the fertilized egg moves down to the uterus to get implanted in the uterine lining. This results in conception. Subsequently, you’ll skip your next period, which is one of the early symptoms of pregnancy. 

If unfertilized, the egg disintegrates and the lining of the uterus is shed, which marks the start of the next period.

When do you ovulate?

Usually, ovulation happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle, 2 weeks before your next period. For a 28-day cycle, which is considered as the average cycle length, ovulation day is taken as Day 14, counting from the first day of one period (Day 1) to the first day of the next period (Day 28). 

However, menstrual cycle length can vary from woman to woman, ranging from 21 to 35 days. Thus, to determine when you’re most likely to ovulate, you need to calculate your average cycle length and then find the midpoint. You can also use an ovulation calculator to do this. 

Also, your individual cycle length could vary from month to month. This could change your ovulation period slightly from month to month as well.

How long does ovulation last?

Once ovulation is triggered by a surge in the luteinizing hormone (LH), a mature egg is released from one of the ovaries. Once released, this egg travels through the fallopian tube, where it stays for around 12-24 hours. This is the duration where the egg can be fertilized by a sperm. 

If the egg is fertilized during this time, it leads to pregnancy. If not, the unfertilized egg breaks down in the uterus and the uterine lining is shed, starting the next period.

9 ovulation symptoms to track fertility

Ovulation symptoms vary from woman to woman. You may experience some or all common ovulation symptoms or none at all. These ovulation symptoms are triggered by the hormonal changes that happen before, during, and immediately after ovulation.

You may experience these ovulation symptoms: 

• For up to 5 days before ovulation

• On the day of ovulation

• The day after ovulation

Here are ovulation signs that can help you track your most fertile days:

1. Changes in the cervical mucus

One of the common ovulation signs is changes in the cervical mucus, also known as vaginal discharge. 

Right before ovulation, the cervical mucus increases in amount and becomes: 

• Stretchy

• Wet and slippery

• Clear, like egg whites 

This change happens due to the increase in estrogen levels before ovulation. During ovulation, it enables fertilization by helping the sperm to swim towards the released egg.

After ovulation, the estrogen level drops and the cervical mucus reduces in amount. It turns thick or gluey, white, and dry.

2. Sensory changes 

A heightened sense of smell or taste is another common symptom of ovulation. You may experience this because your body is geared up to get more attracted to androstenone, the male pheromone, during your fertile days.

3. Sore or tender breasts

Breast tenderness is a common ovulation symptom that happens due to fluctuations in hormone levels. You may experience this symptom during or after ovulation. During this time, your breasts and nipples may feel: 

• Tender

• Sore

• Swollen

• Sensitive 

You could mistake this symptom of ovulation for a sign of pregnancy, as both are triggered by changes in hormone levels as your body readies for ovulation or pregnancy. 

4. Mild pelvic or abdominal pain 

Mild pain in the pelvic or lower abdominal region is another symptom of ovulation. Known as mittelschmerz, you may experience this symptom as a mild or sharp cramp on the side where the egg is being released. 

This ovulation symptom can last for a few minutes to a few hours and could be accompanied by nausea, vaginal bleeding, and discharge as well. 

While it can be managed with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, if the pain persists, it is better to consult your doctor as it could indicate other health issues, such as endometriosis or ovarian cysts. 

5. Light spotting or vaginal discharge

You may experience light, red-brown discharge or spotting mid-cycle. This slight bleeding is usually associated with rapid changes in hormone levels during ovulation. 

This ovulation symptom could also occur due to the rupture of the follicle surrounding the egg as it gets released during ovulation. If the blood gets older, it becomes brown, which affects the color of the discharge.

Ovulation spotting usually lasts 1-2 days and is considerably lighter than a regular period. However, if the spotting continues or is heavy, consult your Doctor, as this may be a sign of some underlying health issue, such as an infection, uterine fibroids, stress, or an ectopic pregnancy. 

6. Basal body temperature changes

Changes in your basal body temperature (BBT) is another ovulation symptom. Right before ovulation starts, i.e. an egg is released, your temperature drops slightly. After ovulation, your temperature rises sharply, usually by half a degree. 

7. Increased sex desire

Another common ovulation symptom is increased libido or sexual desire. This increase in sexual desire is due to the changing levels of estrogen in your system. During the days leading up to ovulation, your estrogen level is high, which increases your libido.

After ovulation, your estrogen level falls and your sex desire tends to decrease. 

8. Cervical changes 

Another ovulation symptom is cervix changes. To check for cervical changes, you need to stand in a position that is similar to inserting a tampon and feel inside with a finger. 

Just before ovulation starts, the cervix moves higher and becomes softer and more open. Touching it would feel similar to touching your lips.

After ovulation, the cervix drops lower and becomes firmer and tightly closed. Touching it would feel like touching the tip of your nose. 

This ovulation symptom is not as easy to observe as the other ovulation symptoms, and it takes time to learn how to tell the difference. You can consult your Gynecologist if you want more guidance on how to check for these cervical changes.

9. Nausea, vomiting, and headaches

You can experience headaches, nausea, and even vomiting during ovulation. These ovulation symptoms occur because of the changes in your estrogen and progesterone levels, which are at the highest during this time.

How to predict ovulation

Here are some ways to predict when you’re likely to ovulate:

Monitor your basal body temperature

Tracking your basal body temperature over months can help you know when you’re ovulating or about to ovulate. 

Your basal body temperature is your body’s temperature when it is completely at rest. When your menstrual cycle starts, your basal body temperature is fairly stable, ranging from 97.2 to 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

This temperature dips slightly when ovulation is about to start and increases sharply (usually a rise of 0.4-1.0 degrees) when ovulation has just finished. Your most fertile days are the 2-3 days before the rise in the temperature.

To monitor your basal body temperature: 

• Use a digital thermometer designed specifically to measure this temperature.

• Record your temperature every morning, as soon as you wake up.

• Observe the data over months to get a sense of when you usually ovulate. 

Please note that your basal body temperature can fluctuate from day to day, usually by half a degree or more. However, a steady rise in this temperature indicates that you’ve ovulated. 

While this is an inexpensive way to track ovulation, it is also time-consuming as you need to track this data over a long period to figure out your ovulation pattern. 

Chart your menstrual cycles

This is another easy and cost-effective way to track ovulation. To do this, you need to record the start and end days of your periods over several months. 

If your menstrual cycles are regular, your ovulation periodicity should be regular, too. For a typical 28-day cycle, ovulation happens around 14 days from the start of the last period. Also note the ovulation symptoms that you may experience around Day 14, the ovulation day.

If you have irregular menstrual cycles, track the ovulation symptoms that you may experience over several months, such as cramps, increased cervical mucus, and breast tenderness. These symptoms can help you figure out when you’re most likely to ovulate during your cycle.

Use an ovulation test kit

An over-the-counter ovulation test kit can help you know when you’re going to ovulate, giving you a window of around 24 hours to try and conceive. 

An ovulation test usually works by measuring the level of luteinizing hormone or LH in your urine. Ovulation usually starts around 10-12 hours after the hormone level peaks. For a typical 28-day cycle, this happens around Day 14 to Day 15 of the menstrual cycle. The LH level stays high for 14-27 hours to enable the released egg to fully mature.

If your ovulation test is positive, ovulation will start within 24 to 48 hours. If the test is unclear or negative, take another test in the next 12 hours. 

To get accurate results with an ovulation test:

• Perform the test first thing in the morning. Each day, take the test around the same time. 

• Reduce your liquid intake for four hours before taking the test, so that your pee has concentrated levels of LH, making it easier for the test to detect the hormone’s presence.

If your menstrual cycle is regular, you can easily find out your most fertile days. Use an ovulation test kit around this time to confirm when you’re going to ovulate.

If your periods are irregular, start performing ovulation tests when you begin experiencing ovulation symptoms.  

Note: Even if you’ve got a positive test or are experiencing ovulation symptoms, try having sex when there is increased cervical mucus as this increases your chances of conception. 

Use a fertility monitor

A fertility monitor can help you determine your 5 most fertile days per cycle. It works by measuring your LH and estrogen levels. With a fertility monitor’s help, you can track your 2 most fertile days as well as the 1-5 fertile days before them. Some monitors offer customized fertility readings by storing data from the previous 6 cycles.

Please note: while fertility monitors offer a lot more advanced information, they’re costlier than other ovulation tracking methods.

When to See a Doctor

Not every woman ovulates like clockwork. If you have irregular periods or you can’t determine when you ovulate, it is better to consult a Doctor. 

If you have any more questions or concerns about ovulation and pregnancy, you can also ask our Doctors for advice.