Menstrual Cycle: Pre & Post Ovulation

Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle

Understanding your menstrual cycle is critical to charting fertility and predicting ovulation. Read about your menstrual cycle - what happens pre and post ovulation - as well as what happens during ovulation.

The menstrual cycle refers to the cyclical development and then shedding of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. Understanding your menstrual cycle is important if you want to chart your fertility patterns, predict ovulation, and increase your chances of becoming pregnant.

Note: The most reliable way to pinpoint when you ovulate - your most fertile time of month - is by using urine-based ovulation tests. These can be purchased for as little as $0.55 per test (with free same-day shipping) from Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com.

A woman's fertile period during her menstrual cycle, on average, lasts about seven days: seven days before ovulation (the release of the egg), the day of ovulation, and the day after ovulation. After this, chances of conception decrease quickly, as the egg has a short life-span of about 24 hours.

Given this somewhat narrow window of opportunity for conception, understanding the menstrual cycle can help increase a woman's chances of becoming pregnant. The key is to predict ovulation with as much precision as possible. Of course, both the length and regularity of menstrual cycles vary greatly among women - so successful ovulation prediction depends both on understanding the general dynamics of the menstrual cycle, as well as a woman's own unique cycles and patterns.

*Editor's Note: Do you have questions about your cycle, ovulation, fertility charting - anything relating to getting pregnant? We have a wonderful online community here at Ovulation-Calculator.com where you can ask questions, get information, or just let off a bit of steam! Come join in - we want to hear from you! 

The Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Prediction

The menstrual cycle is divided into two parts: pre-ovulation and post-ovulation. The ovarian cycle refers to the cyclical development and expelling of the egg from the ovary. Though the length and regularity of a menstrual cycle may differ, the average duration of a complete menstrual cycle is 28 days (though healthy cycles can run from 21-36 days). Below you will find an overview of a typical menstrual cycle with an image map based on a 28 day cycle length.

Pre-Ovulation

"Day 1" of the menstrual cycle is the day bleeding begins. Bleeding - or "menstrual flow" - last about three to five days. By the seventh day of the cycle, eggs in the ovaries begin to ripen due to various hormonal changes. Between the seventh and the eleventh days, the lining of the uterus begins to thicken and it is possible to observe changes in the presence and consistency of cervical fluids. After the eleventh day, luteinizing hormone cause the egg that is most ripe to be released from the ovary and begin its travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. For women with a 28-day cycle, ovulation (the release of the egg) should take place on about the 14th Day - or the very middle - of the menstrual cycle.

Post-Ovulation

The period after ovulation is called the luteal phase, and it is marked by a slight, but clearly measurable, increase in body temperature. (Note that if the luteal phase is too short, pregnancy cannot occur. This is known as a "luteal phase defect". Natural fertility supplements, such as FertilAid for Women, may be helpful in addressing issues relating to luteal phase defect.) Following ovulation, the egg travels the fallopian tube toward the uterus. If the egg is fertilized by a sperm (conception), then " implantation" should take place in the uterus (if implantation takes place outside the womb, this is an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy can occur in several places - but the most common is in the fallopian tube). Pregnancy begins if "implantation" occurs. If the egg is not fertilized, it will "expire" in about 24 hours. Without fertilization, levels of certain hormones will decrease , causing the lining of the uterus to break down and shed - otherwise known as menstruation, or a woman's "period". The first day of bleeding is "Day 1" of the next menstrual cycle.

The first part of the cycle, from menstruation to ovulation, may vary from 14 to 20 days in length. The length of the pre-ovulation phase is often different from one woman to another - but it can also differ from month to month for an individual. It is during first part of the cycle that fertilization can occur. Of course, regular menstrual patterns can be altered by illness, insomnia, stress, physical exertion, and physical and emotional changes.

 

The luteal phase, or post-ovulation (from ovulation to menstruation), is generally the same length for most women - averaging about 14 days. As a rule, the egg is released 10 to 16 days before menstruation, or the start of the next menstrual cycle. If you have heard the term DPO on preconception chats, this refers to "days past ovulation". High sensitivity pregnancy tests can allow you to begin testing for pregnancy at around 7-10 days past ovulation.


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Comments

I had sex on Aug 31 but had my period on the 16 of Sept but found out I was Pregneat on Oct 6 dr said was just three weeks it seems like it should have been more so I'm trying to figure out my conception date..

Am 25yrs old and married for 8 months and not yet concieved.am very eager to have a baby.The first day of my last period was 5th august and lasted 10th august.when am i likely to ovulate and when shall have sex or my most fertile time?

hi my MC starts today 12 Aug 2010 ..and it lasts for 4 days when should i have intercourse to get pregnant ... suggest some ovulation test strips names names

When is the perfect day to have sex after the menstrual cycle is it true that after 4-5 days after menstrual cycle thats the right time to ovulation..........

I am 29 me and my husband are planning to make a baby, the first day of my last period was 05/08/2010 we would like to start tonight or tomorrow, what are the chances of conceiving?

The first day of my last period was july 17th making my 'ovulation date' around the 30th and i had sex on the 1st aug, was this too long after my ovulation date or could it have worked?? If so how long will it be before i know whether it has worked?? Thanks

i got my period on 26 July. do you think i can get pregnant if i have sex tonight. thks

my first day of my last period is July 31..

hiiii i am a 26 year old women ,having a 3 year old child, my menstrual cycle is irregular oftenly. sometimes it is 30 days or 35 days or 4o days or some months i dont get menstruation . but my last menstruation was 2010 july 20th is the first day and it was for 4 days. i would like to know abt my ovulation date. when it will be. bcz i am not planning to get pregnant now , and my husband is back from dubai

I am 33 years old and I have a baby girl of one year and 2 months. I am on the contraception pil, but I want to try to conceive again(preferably a boy) once my baby is one and a half year old. Is the cycle on the pil a real cycle ? Do I have to stop the pil long enough before trying to conceive ? Thank you !

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Note that you are most likely to get pregnant if you time your lovemaking to occur on the days right before - and on - your ovulation date. Keep in mind that the projected ovulation date above is simply a “best guess” estimate based on your cycle date information. The most accurate way to pinpoint your most fertile time is through the use of urine-based ovulation tests or with a fertility monitor. We have partnered with Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com, the Internet’s leading supplier of preconception products since 2001, to offer low-cost, FDA-approved pregnancy and ovulation tests – with free same-day shipping.

 

Now that you’ve calculated your ovulation date using our ovulation calculator, we have a number of other helpful tools you can use to help increase your chances of conceiving.

 

  • Create your own personalized ovulation calendar! You can even provide an email address so that you receive email alerts of your most fertile days, when you can begin testing for pregnancy, and more.
     

  • Create your own personalized fertility chart! This is a highly accurate way to pinpoint your ovulation date that relies primarily on basal temperature charting. (Visit Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com for an accurate, inexpensive basal thermometer.)
     

  • Connect with others at our online community! If you have questions about trying-to-conceive – or if you just want to vent a bit – we have a wonderful, vibrant community of people who’d just love to hear from you.

Find your most fertile time.