Planning a pregnancy is no rocket science as it may seem if only, you know your ovulation cycle well. Ovulation is an important phase in your menstrual cycle when your ovary releases a mature egg. The egg released from ovary travels down through the fallopian tube, and here it can be fertilized by a sperm cell. Sperm can survive inside the mother’s reproductive tract for around 3 to 5 days post the sexual intercourse.
Most of the women consider ovulation as merely the release of egg but hang on; there’s more to it. Here are some things that you must know about ovulation:
1. You don’t produce eggs, you are born with them. At the time of birth, every female has about 1 to 2 million immature eggs in her ovaries and these are the eggs that she can ever produce over her lifetime. By the time a female hits puberty only around 3 lac of these eggs remain. Over the entire reproductive lifetime, only around 300 to 400 of the eggs remaining will be ovulated.
2. The best time to have intercourse is two days before your ovulation cycle begins. The release of the egg from ovary take only a moment and the egg survives for a short time. So the chances of conceiving would be higher if the sperms have made their way already up to the fallopian tube where fertilization can take place. So if you are planning to conceive then sexual intercourse should happen before you ovulate, that will increase the probability.
3. Menstruating doesn’t imply that you’re ovulating. Most women mistake menstruation for ovulation. But this is not always true. It is possible to experience bleeding without no actual ovulation. The uterine lining which is built during the initial half cycle will need to be shed, as a result of which you may experience bleeding like during your periods. This happens mostly when your body undergoes some hormonal changes.
4. Its normal to have ovulation pain. A mild ache or a sharp cramp which may last either for a few minutes or even extend for a day is absolutely normal. Though there is no precise reason for this pain but it is very common. Nevertheless, if you experience severe pain or if it is accompanied by vomiting, fever or pain while urinating then you must look out medical help immediately.
5. You can always know when you are ovulating. All you need to do is observe your body carefully. Monitor your cervical secretions. When you begin to ovulate, your vaginal secretions will turn to sticky, clear discharge. It will be wet and stretchy mucus like discharge which can be easily differentiated from your normal secretions. Also, you may feel a backache or cramps. You can also take basal body temperature reading to know when you are ovulating. A temperature slightly higher than the normal temperature may be an indication.
Pregnancy planning can become much easier if you are well aware of your ovulation cycle. In fact, it can act as your fertility calculator to indicate the best time to conceive.