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

Hi I am 25 years old woman , my problem is that i am not having manstrual cycle for two months, and frequently i am having abdomen pain its unbearable, and i also went for pregnency test and it came negaive.

yours sincerely
Riya.......

Hi Im a 33yr old female, I was pregnant one time and I had a miscarriage. That been six years ago, I been trying for five years now to conceive and nothing has happen. My periods is very irregular, one month it will come on next month it wont. It will come on a day or two. I just want to know whats taking me so long to get pregnant. Im diabetic does play apart in me not conceiving fast. Please give me some advice.

my boyfriend and i had unprotected sex last night and i just realised i was in the middle of my cycle which is normally 26days i was on the depo provera injection until a year ago has my cycle returned to normal yet?? i dont now how long it takes after coming of the injection and im terrified of becoming pregnant i dont now what to do

Dear Doctor.

My wife got her regular periods on 24 jun 2010 & from 28/06/2010 to 03/06/2010 she was not feeling well with viral fever & was on tablets for the whole week, we were planning for baby for the past 04 months, after get got well we were involved in our routine sex to have baby & she gets her periods once in 27 days now she has not got her periods, is this help to have a baby after taking tablets for one week & will it effect the baby if anything being formed,pls advise us

Hi - My husband and I have been trying to conceive.
I was to get my periods around June 1st to 4th.
It was delayed and then I got my periods on June 28th for a few days.
Then again on July 28th I started bleeding for a day and half - not heavy - very light.
Should I visit my doctor?

Hi doc,my period started on 21 june and I used clomid. On the 4th day of my period to increase my chance of falling pregnant and injection on the 12th day so that an egg can be released and had a planned sex with hubby.On the 24th of my cycle started having slimy substance coming from my vagina till the
27th day and later that day my period started only bled fo 2 day. Can these mean I am pregnant?

I have children already and the weren't planned,igot my coil removed in may and have been trying since with no luck yet.I have had no problems getting pregnant in the past and am wrried that now we are planning this one it wont happen.This wk i started to do ovulation tests as i was told bythe doctr that the most fertile time is 14days from the strt of your period.I haven't had a positive result yet and wondered if maybe i should speak to the doctor about this.I would be gratful for some advice please.

hey im 19teen and im trying to get preagnet i had sex the day before my pierod on the 12th had sex on 16 th 18th and 19th and 20 of july 2010 is there a chance i could get preagnet?

i got my period on the 14th july 2010 when are my most fertile days , my period are very irregular . The last month i was late by almost a week .. Please help as the days are nearing would like to try this month so that i can get pregnant . thanks dr

start my ?July 3rdand end on 8th. When will i ovulate

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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.