Cycle knowledge · 9 min read
When is ovulation? All the facts you need to know about ovulation
Ovulation is the most important event in the female cycle. During ovulation, an egg is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube, ready to be fertilised. Without ovulation, pregnancy cannot occur. But when is ovulation? Can I calculate my ovulation? And what are the signs of ovulation? You will find answers to these and many other questions in this article.
Can I calculate my ovulation?
When is ovulation, and can I calculate it?
The exact timing of ovulation cannot be predicted. All the eggs available over the course of a lifetime are stored in the ovaries from birth as small follicles. Before ovulation takes place, around 10-20 of these follicles begin to mature in the ovaries. At ovulation, the shell of the largest follicle bursts open and the egg travels into the fallopian tube: this is ovulation. Whether and when ovulation takes place depends on the maturation process of the follicles.
This maturation phase (also called the follicular phase) varies in length and is influenced by external factors. Stress, illness and dieting can affect and prolong the egg maturation phase. The maturation phase can last anywhere from 6 days to over 90 days. This means ovulation does not necessarily take place in the middle of the cycle. Ovulation can happen on cycle day 20 or day 30, for example, or as early as day 10. That is why the timing of ovulation cannot be calculated in advance.
Looking back, however, the timing of ovulation can be narrowed down to within 2-3 days. Because the phase after ovulation is very stable at 10-16 days, the window in which the previous ovulation took place can be roughly determined once your period arrives.
Does ovulation happen in every cycle?
No. Ovulation can only take place if at least one follicle has matured far enough and the brain then triggers ovulation. If no follicle is large enough for ovulation, no ovulation takes place.
Communication between the brain and the ovaries happens via hormones. Hormone production, however, is strongly affected by external influences. Under stress, the brain can suppress the maturation of the follicles. The maturation process is then interrupted briefly (for a few days) or even long term (weeks, months or years). The follicles remain in a partially matured state. When ovulation is not triggered, many half-matured follicles can often be seen in the ovaries. These are also referred to as “cysts”.
Once the stress subsides and the brain allows maturation to continue, ovulation can occur again just a few days later. With chronic or repeated stress, however, the body can abandon an attempted ovulation or suppress it completely. When the maturation process is interrupted, light bleeding often occurs, triggered by a drop in oestrogen levels. Bleeding then happens even though no ovulation took place beforehand.
If no ovulation occurs over a longer period, this can lead to your period stopping altogether. If bleeding is absent for more than 3 months, this is known as amenorrhoea. You can read more about this in our article “The difference between amenorrhoea and hypermenorrhoea – what these medical terms mean”.
Can I confirm my ovulation?
Yes, you can find out whether or not you ovulated in a given cycle. If ovulation has taken place, the shell of the egg forms what is known as the corpus luteum. After ovulation, the corpus luteum produces the sex hormone progesterone. A high level of progesterone raises your body temperature by 0.2-0.5 degrees.
If ovulation has taken place, your cycle will show a phase of lower temperatures and a phase of higher temperatures. The higher temperature phase is the confirmation that ovulation has occurred. By measuring your basal body temperature each morning, you can detect this change in body temperature and confirm your ovulation.
Number of ovulations per cycle
Can there be more than one ovulation in a cycle?
Yes. A second ovulation, however, can only be triggered within a window of around 6 hours after the first. This can happen when two follicles have matured to roughly the same degree during the maturation phase. Once the corpus luteum has formed after the first ovulation and has started producing the hormone progesterone, no further ovulation is possible in that cycle. Progesterone ensures that no further follicles mature and that the brain does not send another signal for ovulation. Two ovulations are the prerequisite for fraternal twins.
What are the signs of ovulation?
The follicles maturing before ovulation produce the sex hormone oestrogen. Among other things, oestrogen causes changes in the cervical mucus and the cervix. These changes, and others, are signs of ovulation that you can observe.
Ovulation symptoms
Cervical mucus
Cervical mucus is what many people know as discharge. A high oestrogen level causes the consistency of the cervical mucus to change. Before ovulation, cervical mucus tends to become more noticeable, more moist and wetter. You can often observe transparent, stretchy cervical mucus that looks like raw egg white. This change in cervical mucus is a symptom that points towards ovulation.
Cervix
Alongside the cervical mucus, the high oestrogen level also affects the cervix. The cervix is the passage between the vagina and the uterus. In the phase around ovulation it sits higher. It is also open and soft, similar to your earlobe.
Ovulation pain (mittelschmerz)
In the days around ovulation you may also notice a slight pulling sensation, a feeling of pressure or even a stabbing pain that can radiate into your back and perineum. This is known as mittelschmerz, or mid-cycle pain. There are several theories about which processes in the body trigger this sensation, but the cause has not yet been conclusively established. Most people notice it in the 2-3 days before ovulation actually takes place. Mittelschmerz is not felt by everyone, and not necessarily in every cycle.
Ovulation bleeding
Another symptom that can occur around ovulation is ovulation bleeding, or spotting at ovulation. This is light bleeding, often brownish or pale red in colour. The cause of ovulation bleeding has not yet been conclusively established. In science, however, it is attributed to the sudden drop in oestrogen levels, which can mean that parts of the uterine lining are temporarily no longer maintained.
Other signs from your body
The high oestrogen level also influences how you feel and what you need. Libido is often heightened around ovulation. Many people feel more energetic and more confident during this time.
About the author
Katharina Dinzen is an expert in natural family planning (NFP) and cycle health. With Ovulista, she shows women and girls how to use their cycle for their own wellbeing, for trying to conceive, or for hormone-free contraception.
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