How to know when you're ovulating

If you’re trying to conceive, it can help to pin-point exactly when you’re ovulating each month.
“It’s important women [and transgender and gender non-conforming people] have a working knowledge of how their ovaries function, how their eggs are produced and what the timing of their ovulation cycle is,” says Dr David Molloy, Director of Medical Affairs at Virtus Health.

Here, we look at the basics of ovulation, plus how to tell when it’s happening for you.

You're born with your lifetime’s supply of eggs already in your ovaries. Then, from puberty onwards, one or more egg is released each cycle until menopause.
Once an egg is released, it only survives for 12 to 24 hours. If the egg doesn't meet sperm in the fallopian tube (and get fertilised), the uterus will shed its lining, along with the egg, leading to a period.

Identifying when you ovulate, plus the timespan of your ovulation, can help you work out when you’re most likely to fall pregnant.

There are lots of ways to track your ovulation, including numerous smartphone apps. However, it’s important to be aware that some of these programs use calendars that calculate information based on an average cycle, so they may be inaccurate.
When you’re ovulating, you may experience things like:

• lower abdominal pain or cramping
• bloating
• an increased sex drive
• tender breasts
• increased body temperature
• change in your cervical mucus (which becomes clear and stretchy like egg white¹)

For a more targeted indication of ovulation timing, you can use an ovulation predictor kit (OPK), which detects hormone changes linked to ovulation. Dr Molloy notes they can be helpful, but results can vary between individuals and cycles, so they’re best used alongside other signs of ovulation.

Ovulation is just one part of fertility. Other factors, such as sperm health, egg quality, age, and general reproductive health, also play an important role.

Not everyone has a straightforward menstrual cycle. If you suspect you’re not ovulating regularly, this can impact your conception efforts.

If you’re concerned about your ovulation, talk to your doctor. They may be able to measure your hormones throughout your menstrual cycle to give you a better picture of what it looks like.

The good news is that many ovulation disorders can be treated or well-managed with the right medical care, depending on the underlying cause.

“The first treatment for ovulation disorders is ovulation drugs,” says Dr Molloy.

If these treatments aren’t suitable or don’t work, an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) program may be considered says Dr Molloy. IVF is different because it bypasses ovulation by combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory before an embryo is transferred to the uterus.