Are you planning to conceive? The best way is to track your ovulation. An ovulation monitor will help you know your fertility window where your chances of getting pregnant are higher. Ovulation tracking helps in family planning and there are various ways to track your ovulation. Read the article to know all about it.

What is Ovulation?

Halfway through your menstrual cycle one of your ovaries releases a mature egg. This egg travels to the fallopian tube waiting to be fertilized by the sperm. The lining of the uterus becomes thicker too, ready for the implantation of the fertilized egg. Ovulation lasts for 12 to 48 hours but you can potentially be fertile up to 7 days after the egg is released. Generally, women start ovulating from between days 11 and 21 of your menstrual cycle. Your fertile window starts five days before ovulation, the day of ovulation and the days after ovulation.

Signs of Ovulation -

There are physical symptoms that you can look out for as a sign of ovulating. Some of them are-

· Breast Tenderness

· Cramping

· Bloating

· Light Spotting

· Increased Libido

· Slight pain on one side of abdomen

Different Methods to Track your Ovulation -

Tracking your ovulation is helpful if you are trying to conceive. Below are different methods that you can try to track your ovulation.

1. Check Your Basal Body Temperature — Your basal body temperature is the temperature you have to take first thing in the morning without getting out of bed. Use a basal body thermometer as it is more sensitive than the regular thermometer. Your temperature slightly rises by 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit when you are ovulating. Check your temperature consistently up to ovulation. You will see a rise in your temperature.

2. The Calendar Method — The old-school easy method of tracking your ovulation is marking your calendar. Your menstrual cycle starts from the first day of your period till your next day of period. Your cycle can vary from 21–35 days. You should at least track your cycle for 6 months to get accurate data. This method will not be advisable if you experience irregular periods.

3. Ovulation Predictor Kits — Home check ovulation test kits are the easiest way to predict your ovulation period. They work just like a home pregnancy test kit available at different prices but instead of detecting your hCG hormone in your urine, the ovulation kit looks for luteinizing hormone. A rise in LH indicates that your ovulation will start within 12 to 36 hours. It means you are fertile and is a good time to have sex for the couple of days, if you are trying to conceive. This method won’t work if you have irregular periods or PCOS.

Tracking your ovulation using any of these methods will help you conceive but it might not work if you have irregular periods. You can also check Pregakem’s ovulation calculator to track your ovulation accurately. Apart from this, it is also advised to schedule your pre-conception appointment with your doctor as they will be able to guide you better and clear your doubts.