Ovulation

Ovulation Calculator

So you’ve decided you want to have a baby. Congratulations! It can be an easy road for some, and a more difficult road for others. There’s no way to fully predict how quickly you can get pregnant, but one of the best ways to narrow your window to get pregnant is to track your ovulation, as it’s a key factor in conception. There are several ways to pinpoint your ovulation days. Here’s everything you need to know about ovulation, including how to calculate it and how to check if you’re ovulating.

What is ovulation?

Ovulation is the first step in conception. It’s when an ovary releases a mature egg, which is then sent through the fallopian tube to be fertilized. The lining of your uterus thickens in preparation. If it is fertilized, it will attach to the lining. If it is not fertilized, you will get your period and shed the uterine lining. Usually, only one egg is released from an ovary at a time. There are several ways to track your ovulation: by finding your ovulation days, by measuring your ovulation temperature and by using the UByKotex Period & Ovulation Calculator .

Find your ovulation days

One way to increase your chances of getting pregnant is to know which days you’re ovulating. In the days leading up to ovulation, you’re the most fertile, and therefore most likely to get pregnant. Generally, ovulation occurs on day 14 of your cycle (if day 1 is the first day after your period). You are most fertile usually around five days before ovulation until 48 hours after ovulation. If you track your cycle and know your ovulation days, you might have a good chance at pinpointing when you are most fertile.

Take your ovulation temperature

Another way to know if you are ovulating is to know your ovulation temperature. When you’re ovulating, your basal body temperature will rise and stay higher until you menstruate or get pregnant. You can track your temperature with a simple at-home thermometer, or you can use an over-the-counter hormone test. When ovulating, hormone levels change to prepare your body for pregnancy (or menstruation). Progesterone is one of the hormones in your body, and it's the hormone that causes your basal body temperature to rise. How to measure your basal body temperature: At night, your body temperature drops to conserve your energy, so the best time to take your temperature to track it is in the morning after you wake up. You can use a regular thermometer, or there are some specifically made for measuring your basal body temperature.

Use an ovulation calculator

In order to use an ovulation calculator like UByKotex Period & Ovulation Calculator, you need to know a few key things like the first day of your last period, your cycle length and the luteal phase.

First day of last period: Knowing the first day of your last period can help you identify where you are in your cycle.
Cycle length: Knowing your cycle length will also help identify where you are in your cycle. The average cycle is 28 days, but each woman is different—and often, women have irregular cycles.
Luteal phase: The luteal phase is also helpful to know. It is the length of time between ovulation and menstruation. The average luteal phase is 14 days, but it can vary from woman to woman and be irregular, like a cycle.

Try it by entering your data in the tool above.

Signs you’ve ovulated

There are a few clues your body might give you in order to confirm that you have in fact ovulated. Common signs include a higher basal body temperature, ovulation pain akin to cramps, tenderness of your breasts and increased sexual desire. Remember, these are only estimates. Everyone’s pregnancy journey is different, and you should talk to your doctor about how to best increase your own personal odds of getting pregnant.

Now that you know when you are ovulating, you can find out your due date with the Huggies® Due Date Calculator.