ovulation itself (where the egg is released and will survive for 24 hours) and the 5 days before (where sperm can survive in your body waiting for the egg).
It is beneficial for you and your partner to be aware of this “window” as it maximises your chances of having a baby. It’s the time when the egg is going to be released from one of the ovaries and the time when sperm are most likely to reach the uterus. During the fertile time a woman’s cervix opens and her secretions become moist, white and sticky and then wetter, clear and stretchy. These secretions nourish the sperm and encourage its progression through the cervix and into the uterus.
The fertile time will not always be the same length and the day that the egg is released cannot be exactly determined. However, there is a simple way to get a rough idea of your fertile time if you know the length of your cycles from the past 6 to 12 months…
For example; if your last 6 cycles have been 28, 29, 27, 29, 26, 30 days long, then 26 is your shortest cycle (lowest number), so subtract 20 which gives you 6, meaning your fertile time starts around the 6th day of your cycle. Then subtract 10 from your longest cycle (highest number) which in this case is 30. This gives you 20, meaning your fertile time ends around the 20th day of your cycle.
*Based on the average menstrual cycle of 28 days
Also in ‘Our Bodies’:
The Female Body |
The Male Body |
Ovulation Calculator