Signs of Ovulation – How To Calculate Ovulation

 A lot of women today opt to calculate ovulation nowadays because they want to avoid pregnancy or they want to increase their chances of getting pregnant. Either or, it requires knowledge that will help you properly predict your ovulation with the least possible error. It goes without saying that this can be a daunting task especially if you haven’t tried this before. This article could teach you various ways on how to determine the days when you are most fertile.

Ovulation Predictor Kits - OPK’s can be purchased either online or from your local drug store. They are proven to be the most  accurate tools in calculating ovulation by predicting your most fertile days, hence the best days for intercourse or the avoidance thereof. Instructions and guidelines are provided for you inside the package.

Online Ovulation Calculators – Obviously this type of calculator is found online. Although this is an easier tool to use, it is least accurate, unless you have a regular cycle.  Online ovulation calculators will ask you about the “first day of last period”, “length of cycle” and “luteal phase”.  After you fill in the details, it will automatically calculate your next possible ovulation date. However, not all women know the length of their cycle nor the length of their luteal phase.

Calendar Method – This is the oldest form for calculating ovulation that is still used even today. It is not highly accurate when used alone; rather it should be used in conjunction with any signs of ovulation or birth control methods.  For women with regular cycles, predicting their ovulation using the calendar method may be easier compared to those who have an irregular menstrual cycle. A regular menstrual cycle is usually from 25-28 days and ovulation dates are obtained by either counting 12-14 days backward (from the first day of your menstruation) or counting 12-14 days onward (from the first day of your menstruation. For an irregular cycle, it involves the recording of 7-8 consecutive menstrual cycles. Afterwhich, 18 is subtracted from the shortest cycle, and 11 is subtracted from the longest cycle. 

Let’s say for example that for 7-8 months of recording, 27 and 30 are your longest and shortest cycle. Deduct 18 and 11 from these values, respectively, and you will get 9 and 19. If you’re period arrived on the 6th of the month, count 9 -19 (starting from the first day of menstruation) and you will arrive on dates 14 and 24. The days between these two values (14 and 24) are the predicated ovulation days. If you’re gunning for pregnancy, these are the best days to engage in intercourse. Otherwise, abstain.

As you can see there are ways to figure out your fertile days by using ovulation calculators. When used in conjuction with charting your BBT and watching for actual physical signs of ovulation you should be able to calculate ovulation.