First of all, it is very important not to obsess and relax. Remember that your most fertile days are before and after ovulation. Don’t hesitate and organize a calendar to control them.
Are you looking for an unsuccessful baby and feeling increasingly impatient? Has it ever crossed your mind that you might have fertility problems? Relax, take a deep breath, and start by learning(or remembering) what are the fertile days to get pregnant.
The changes that occur each month in your body, such as the increase in your basal temperature or changes in flow, will indicate the best time to get down to work and seek pregnancy. Read on and take note.
Make a calendar
The first step in detecting what your fertile days are depends on the regularity of your periods. If they are totally regular, this task will be a little easier. On the other hand, if the periods vary, you will have to take into account several variables.
In both cases, doctors usually recommend organizing a calendar to write down all the information related to fertility; that is, the first day of the rule, the basal temperature, the changes in the flow and in the cervix and any other symptoms that can help you get to know your body better.
The fertile days to get pregnant
The National Library of Medicine of the United States explains that the fertile days to get pregnant are those days when a woman has the best chance of conceiving. It is worth noting that even when the days of greatest fertility are known, achieving pregnancy is a possibility and not a certainty.
To know which are the most fertile days of your cycle, the first thing to consider is whether you are regular or not. If you have a regular cycle, pay attention to its duration. In general, cycles are estimated to last between 28 and 35 days, and it is often noted that the most fertile day is your cure minus 14.
Thus, if you have a 28-day menstrual cycle, it is usually calculated that ovulation would occur on day 14. In this case, days 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16 would also be counted as fertile. For a 35-day cycle, ovulation would occur around 21, although on days 18, 19, 20, 22 and 23 you would also have a chance of conceiving.
The method of calculating the fertile days to get pregnant using only dates has several shortcomings that could lead to problems in conceiving:
- It would only be useful for women with completely regular cycles, that is to say that every month they have a cycle of the same duration.
- You don’t pay attention to the body indicators that signal the best time to conceive.
- It can create stress for a woman if, for whatever reason, the cycle eventually lengthens or shortens, complicating her plans to find a baby.
How many days are?
According to data from the Office on Women’s Health, the fertile period lasts approximately 6 days that includes the day of ovulation, the days before and after. But why?
This is because experts have pointed out that the egg, once released by the ovary, lives between 12 and 24 hours, while the sperm can survive up to 5 days in the female cavity. Thus, it would be possible for conception to occur when having sex days before or after ovulation.
The problem is determined by actually finding the moment when ovulation occurs since this can vary from one cycle to another. In fact, a study published in The BMJ concluded that the fertile window occurs between days 6 and 21 although it could vary from one woman to another, even when the duration of the cycle is the same, and even, from one cycle to another of the same woman.
In conclusion, it would be possible to conceive by having sexual intercourse the days before and after ovulation, but to determine when it occurs, it would be necessary to monitor all body changes. Next, we will explain how to do it so that you can determine your moment of greatest fertility.
Body signals
The body is wise, and as the fertile days approach, it sends out signals. If you pay special attention to each one of them, you will be able to discover approximately which are your fertile days to get pregnant. Discover some clues that the body sends:
- You feel more attractive.
- You have more sexual desire.
- You may exhibit some symptoms similar to those of the rule, such as discomfort in the abdomen, swollen breasts, etc.
- As ovulation approaches, vaginal discharge increases and, in addition, its texture varies. First, it is slimy and later it takes on the texture of egg white – ovulation is near.
- Basal temperature rises.
Check your basal temperature
As stated in the article Physiology, Ovulation, Basal Body Temperature of the year 2019, the basal temperature method has been used historically both when seeking and avoiding conception.
To take a basal temperature, the body must be at rest; The ideal is to take your temperature as soon as you wake up, at the same time each day, before even going to the bathroom.
Scientific data has shown that body temperature increases by 0.3 to 0.5° C shortly after ovulation. Therefore, it is a useful tool to determine when it occurs.
Of course, to improve its effectiveness, it is necessary to cross the data obtained from the basal temperature method with the calendar mentioned above.
The temperature begins to be taken on the 5th day of the cycle, rectally, vaginally, axillary or orally. Always use the same method to get your temperature; Keep in mind that it will influence the final result. Once the data is obtained, take note of it. Over time, you will be able to see patterns that will tell you approximately when ovulation occurs.
It is worth clarifying that, in some cases, the basal temperature may present alterations; In other words, some factors can vary the actual body temperature:
- Not having slept in the previous three hours or having suffered insomnia.
- Having moved just before taking your temperature.
- Take the temperature at a different time than usual.
- Having eaten in a different way than usual.
- Colds or feverish states.
- Medication.
- Thermometer change.
- Using the thermometer on another part of the body.
And what are the fertile days?
Before ovulation, the basal temperature usually oscillates between 36.5ºC and 36.7ºC. Due to hormonal changes, the temperature can rise between 0.3ºC and 0.5ºC in the two or three days after ovulation.
We will have to make this graph for at least two months to be able to infer which are the fertile days. By crossing the data in this graph with the menstrual cycle information, you should be able to estimate the probable date of your ovulation.
In conclusion, to know the fertile days to get pregnant you need perseverance and patience. The calendar and taking your basal temperature can help you get there. Of course, it would be recommended that you add to these two methods the observation of the changes in your cervix and in your flow.
And remember that whenever you have questions, you can consult your doctor. No one better than him can guide you on the path to conceiving your baby. She may recommend using ovulation predictors, especially if your cycles are irregular. Talk to your doctor and find out the best way to get pregnant!
