Using an Ovulation Calendar to Get Pregnant
Many women use an ovulation calendar, sometimes referred to an ovulation calculator, in order to get pregnant or prevent pregnancy. This helpful tool assists you in figuring out when you are ovulating; in other words, it lets you know when you are most fertile.
Using the Ovulation Calendar in Conjunction with Physical Signs
While the ovulation calculation is a great tool to assist you in becoming pregnant, it is not the only fertility tool in the toolbox. Some women are able to identify physical signs that also help them to predict their ovulation. These include: - Noticing a change in your cervical mucus. Many women notice that a few days prior to ovulation, their cervical mucus becomes much more plentiful, elastic, slippery, and clear. Some say that it gives off the appearance that resembles egg whites.
- Cramping. Some women notice discomfort on one side of their lower abdomen.
- Spotting. Some women notice a small amount of spotting of blood when they ovulate.
Using the Ovulation Calendar in Conjunction with Charting Your Basal TemperatureYour basal temperature is your lowest body temperature, or your baseline body temperature. Many women have a slight increase in their basal body temperature when they ovulate. So, by taking your basal body temperature each day and charting it, it is possible to know when your ovulation has occurred. It is best to take your temperature first thing in the morning prior to getting out of bed. In fact, you should take your basal body temperature at the same time each morning and before you do anything, including eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, or having sex. Keep in mind, an ovulation calendar is most effective when it is used in conjunction with other ovulation monitoring or predicting methods. By using multiple methods to understand your body and fertility cycle, you have the best chance of becoming pregnant. Your body gives you all kinds of clues as you go through your fertility cycle. The key is to recognize these clues and act upon them.
Cautions with Using the Ovulation Calendar
Remember, every woman’s body is unique, as is each fertility cycle. An ovulation calendar helps to provide you with an average number of days that your ovulation could take place, and not necessarily the exact day. That said, it helps you to plan on having intercourse in order to get pregnant. This is because having intercourse when you are at your peak fertile day (i.e. when you are ovulating), increases your chance of conceiving.
Getting Help from a New York Fertility Clinic
If you’ve used multiple ovulation monitoring methods for a while and find you are still not getting pregnant, contact New York Reproductive Wellness for a fertility evaluation.
