Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovary and into the fallopian tube. Once in the fallopian tube, the egg is in place for fertilization.
Ovulation, or the ovulatory phase, is one part of a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.
Your fertile window, when you are most likely to get pregnant, starts 5 days before ovulation and ends on the day of ovulation.
If you are trying to conceive, it is important to predict the approximate time of ovulation in order to ensure that intercourse occurs on the most fertile days.
Testing for Ovulation
Ovulation can be documented using a basal body temperature (BBT) chart, or by monitoring the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) with a urinary test kit. Changes in your cervical mucous may also signal the ovulatory period.
A BBT chart is the process of using a thermometer to measure a slight rise in temperature (.5 degrees) that occurs shortly after ovulation.
The increase in body temperature is associated with the production of progesterone and indicative of ovulation. We rarely recommend BBT charting because it is time consuming, inconvenient, and less accurate than urinary LH measurements.
LH is excreted in the urine; therefore, increased levels in the bloodstream are measurable by urinary test kits. These kits predict ovulation 1-2 days in advance so they are much better for timing intercourse.