Timing is everything when one is trying to get pregnant, so if you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, you need to have sexual intercourse during your fertile time. The fertile time is during mid cycle ovulation, which is the fertile window of opportunity. It starts at about 2-3 days before ovulation and if there is fertile cervical mucus present in a woman’s cervix and vagina, it creates the perfect condition for sperm.
Ovulation is when an egg is released from the ovary after it matures and once it reaches a certain size, it is released and is swept into the fallopian tube towards the uterus. When you figure out when your next period is due to begin and count back 12 to 16 days, and that will give you the range of days when you will probably be ovulating. To use this method, you must know how long your cycle usually lasts.
The best way to determine your most fertile time is to pay attention to your body and find out the ovulation time. Beginning with your period, you will have the menstrual flow. After your period is over, you will most likely to be dry for several days. After that, you will start to have cloudy colored mucus. On these days you are not likely to conceive. A few days before ovulation there will be a change of cervical mucus. It will become clear, slippery and increasingly stretchy thanks to fluctuating hormone levels. The mucus can be compared to raw eggs. At this point, you are fertile and the mucus will allow the sperm to get through to your egg. The last day of your seeing this egg-white consistency, is the day that you are most fertile, usually a day before or the day of ovulation.
A woman’s basal body temperature (BTT) is at the lowest temperature in a 24-hour period and the best time to take it is when you wake up in the morning. Put a basal thermometer into your mouth. It should be the first thing you do before anything else be it brushing of teeth or drinking of coffee. Then use a chart where you will fill in your body patterns in terms of temperature. By doing this for a month or so, you will be able to see if there is a pattern in your cycle which will enable you to predict ovulation the next time and the best days to have sex. A rise of body temperature indicates that you have ovulated because releasing the egg stimulates the production of progesterone. Two to three days before your temperature rises is when you are most fertile and you should make the best use of that time by having sexual intercourse. This is because you have 12 to 24 hour window of fertility and after 24 hours, it is too late for fertilization. Lower abdominal discomfort is felt by most women. This can mild and last for a short time. It may last from a few minutes to a few hours. This feeling indicates ovulatory activity.
You can also use ovulation prediction kit. When you are about to ovulate, the kit will give a positive result. This means that your hormone levels are high, showing that ovulation will occur within 12 to 48 hours. The kits detect a hormone, LH, which picks up right before you ovulate. The LH is produced by the pituitary gland which is located just below the brain. The hormone flows through the blood stream to the ovaries making them release the egg. The kit consists of testing kits plus a holder with a small window in it. Collect the urine in a clean dry container and then dip the stick into the urine. Alternatively, you can place it in your urine system.
When a blue or purplish line appears or develops in the holder’s window, it shows that an LH surge has occurred. Some testing kits show a smiley face, which is a little less confusing than the kit that shows the purplish line. You should do the tests every day for several days at about the time you think you are ovulating. Testing twice a day may help you catch your surge more easily. You should have sex within 36 hours of the time your tests show an increase and that is your best bet for conception. Use the test at the same time every day and avoid drinking water in the hours that you test. If your cycle is extra long, you might need more than one test kit every month. There are several different brands of ovulation kits and the instructions vary slightly. There are some instructions that come with the pack and you need to follow them carefully especially those that concern the timings.