How To Get Pregnant Using An Ovulation Calendar
Optimize your chances of conceiving through using an ovulation calendar
Increase your chances of getting pregnant by understanding the ovulation process and how it fits into your
monthly menstrual cycle.
During each menstrual cycle, the endometrial tissue thickens to prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy.
Ovulation occurs about halfway through the cycle. Ovulation is the process in which the ovary produces and releases
an egg into the fallopian tube. The egg develops in the ovary in a sac called a follicle, and when the egg is
mature this sac ruptures, releasing the egg from the ovary. The hair-like projections on the fallopian tube sweep
the egg into the tube, where it begins to move toward the uterus. If the egg is fertilized by a sperm, the
fertilized egg moves to the uterus and implants itself in the uterine lining, where it gestates for nine
months.
If the egg does not join with sperm, the uterine lining breaks down and passes through the vagina as menstrual
discharge. Ovulation, the time during a menstrual cycle when you may become pregnant, is regulated by a complex
system of hormonal and chemical secretions released by your body.
You can follow several methods to find out the optimal time for pregnancy and conception. For instance, you can
take your body temperature with a basal thermometer (a special, sensitive type of thermometer) before getting up in
the morning. The body temperature in most women rises slightly soon after ovulation occurs each month and does not
return to normal until the menstrual flow begins. This period of heightened body temperature is the ideal time to
become pregnant. Since a pattern can emerge across several months, some women hoping to get pregnant keep track of
their temperature on a calendar.
Creating an ovulation calendar is another way to figure out the best time to get pregnant. Count 14 days forward
from the first day of the last menstrual period in an average 28-day cycle. Count 15 days for a cycle that is
normally 29 days, 16 days for a cycle that is normally 30 days long, and so on. Keep in mind that this method is
far less accurate in determining the best time to get pregnant than the thermometer method; the length of the
menstrual cycle and time of ovulation vary from month to month and from person to person.
Since some women feel abdominal cramps during ovulation, they have an additional method of recognizing the best
time of the cycle to try and get pregnant.
Remember: a sperm that has been released into the vagina can stay in the vagina for two days, giving it more
opportunity and time to fertilize and egg. Additionally, a released egg is capable of being fertilized for about
two days. Because of this flexibility, there is a period of about four to ten days in each menstrual cycle during
which a woman can become pregnant.
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