In the ovaries, the process of oocyte maturation is constantly taking place. About once a month, one or more eggs mature and become ready to be fertilized. They leave the ovary and begin to let the fallopian tubes. In the fallopian tube, the egg meets the sperm, which fertilizes it. The fertilized egg enters the uterus and attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. From this moment on, pregnancy begins.
If the egg does not meet the sperm, then it dies. The mucous membrane of the uterus, without waiting for a fertilized egg, exfoliates and leaves the body through the vagina - menstruation begins.
Pregnancy planning and ovulation
If you want to have a baby, you definitely need to "catch" ovulation - pregnancy is possible only when the egg has matured and left the ovary, but has not yet died. In order for pregnancy to occur, you need to get into the so-called "window of conception" - the very time when the egg can meet with the sperm. It is also believed that ovulation is possible. But how to determine ovulation? There are many ways, both domestic and laboratory. Let's start with the first ones.
How to determine ovulation by its signs?
First, the color and nature of vaginal discharge changes. The color may become darker, and the discharge becomes more viscous and abundant. However, this same sign can be a symptom inflammatory processso be careful.
Secondly, since the body is ready for conception, it really wants this conception. You've probably noticed: a few days a month you only have thoughts about sex. No, you are not going crazy, just the hormonal background of your body has changed - in fact, you are not tuned in to sexual games, but to procreation.
Third, such a leap hormonal background It has side effects - a sharp change in mood, malaise, then tears, then laughter, constant hunger, a change in taste preferences and flatulence. A kind of mini-pregnancy.
Another sign is swollen breasts. There may be painful sensations in the mammary glands - this is how the body prepares for
Fourth, rupture of ovarian tissue during the release of an egg can cause pain and cramps in the lower abdomen on the side where the ovary is located. Again, these same symptoms can indicate an inflammatory process.
How to determine ovulation using special methods?
The simplest method is ovulation tests. Once a day, early in the morning, use such a test and see when ovulation occurs.
Another one that allows determine ovulation - change in basal body temperature. During ovulation, it rises by literally a few tenths of a degree, and then returns to normal.
If you do not trust such methods, contact your gynecologist. On examination, he will immediately pay attention to changes in the position and appearance of the cervix - its position slightly changes, and it itself swells, becomes softer. In addition, an ultrasound will always 100% determine whether an egg has come out or not. But will you do an ultrasound every day?
Well, and the "exotic" way of how to determine ovulation - by saliva. Under the microscope, the saliva of a woman who has ovulated has a characteristic crystalline pattern.
The fertility window in a physiological sense implies a time period when the probability of getting pregnant approaches 100%. By calculating the fertile phase, a woman can independently plan the onset of pregnancy at the desired time.
Duration of the menstrual cycle: days
Indicate on the calendar the start date and the end date of the last period:
Menstruation
Ovulation possible
Safe day
Estimated day of ovulation
What is fertility
Female fertility (fertility) depends on factors that affect a woman's ability to conceive, bear and give birth to healthy offspring. Fertility is considered high if a woman can fulfill her dream of motherhood at any time she wants without trying to stimulate ovulation or other methods for successful fertilization. It is ovulation that is recognized as the main factor in female fertility when the ability to conceive is at its maximum.
In order for a woman's body to maintain fertility throughout the entire reproductive period, it should be early age take care of the sex education of the girl. By avoiding provoking factors, you can successfully conceive and give birth to a healthy baby. However, even in the absence of visible causes of female infertility, it can be caused by the action of antisperm antibodies, which the woman's body produces against the antigens of male germ cells. The presence of scrotal injuries, previous manipulations or diseases of the genitourinary sphere, including oncological ones, determine an equally important factor - male fertility.
How to determine the fertile window
Knowing what fertility is, a woman can independently determine the days favorable for fertilization by studying her menstrual cycle for at least 6 months. This method is often used by married couples planning time for successful conception, eliminating unnecessary stress in case of unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant.
To get the most accurate calculation of fertile days, you need to know the exact date of ovulation, when a surge in luteinizing hormone leads to rupture of the dominant follicle and the release of a mature egg. If the menstrual cycle is stable and spotting appears at regular intervals, it is not difficult to determine this number.
For example, the menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. The middle of the cycle falls on the 14th. With a stable cycle, it can be considered the day of egg release. The follicular phase lasts until the moment of ovulation (at least 7 days, on average 12-14), but 12, 13, 14 and 15 days of the cycle are recognized as the most favorable for the fertilization process (the egg cell remains viable for another day after leaving the follicle). With a stable cycle in women, this period will be the fertile window. However, pregnancy can occur on adjacent numbers if the cycle has changed or an error was made in the calculations. For women whose cycle is less than or greater than the conventional standard, calculations are made in the same way, taking into account several days in one direction or another.
It is easy to make a mistake during the calculation, and it is not related to mathematics. There are reasons why the fertility phase may be shifted:
- an infectious and inflammatory process in the organs of the reproductive sphere, which contributes to a change in the composition of cervical mucus, as well as the appearance of adhesions;
- diseases of a non-infectious nature (polycystic ovary disease, hypothyroidism, uterine myoma, hyperprolactinemia);
- infectious diseases affecting the brain;
- taking painkillers containing caffeine during ovulation;
- hormonal imbalance during premenopause;
- early menopause;
- taking medications that affect the production of sex hormones (contraceptives, antipsychotics, phytohormones and other drugs);
- psycho-emotional instability;
- weak sperm activity, chromosomal abnormalities;
- individual characteristics of the vaginal environment, which promotes faster sperm movement;
- climate change;
- heavy physical and mental stress;
- transferred stress.
An important point: sperm in the genital tract can live up to 7 days, and then the fertile window increases. Auspicious time to conceive a child in this case, you need to count 7-15 days of the cycle.
The likelihood of embryo implantation during ovulation:
- An ultrasound examination of a woman's ovaries after the cessation of menstrual flow (on days 5-6) makes it possible to determine their diameter and the number of active follicles. The norm is considered to be in the range of 20-100 cm. This diagnostic method allows you to predict the overall fertility of the female body.
- At home, fertility can be determined using special tests that show the level of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones taken active participation in the process of fertilization. Elevated level follicle-stimulating hormone indicates low fertility due to an insufficient number of mature eggs. A high concentration of luteinizing hormone is observed 1-2 days before and after ovulation. Thus, the woman independently determines the fertility window during several menstrual cycles, wishing to become pregnant.
- Regular measurements of basal temperature. At the time of ovulation, the temperature in the rectum rises, closer to menstruation, it falls. By tracking this parameter, you can calculate the days favorable for conceiving a child.
- To answer the question of whether it is possible to become pregnant on fertile days, a gynecologist-endocrinologist examines a woman's ovulation reserve.
How to increase fertility
When a woman reaches the age of 35, the number of menstrual cycles without ovulation increases on average up to 5 times a year, respectively, the chances of successful conception are markedly reduced. This is one of the reasons gynecologists recommend that women give birth at an early reproductive age.
High fertility is a rather rare occurrence not only among women, but also among men. It is most likely due to the physiological characteristics of the body. In this case, hormonal contraceptives are not a 100% remedy for preventing unwanted pregnancies. In the absence of additional local remedies, you can get pregnant in 0.5-1% of cases, taking oral contraceptives strictly according to the scheme.
- Timely identification and elimination of factors contributing to reduced fertility is the key to successful treatment.
- Fertility can be increased by using special medications - ovulation stimulants Klostilbegit, Clomiphene and others. However, only the attending physician should prescribe them. You can independently take vitamin and mineral complexes and biologically active additives Vitrum, Pregnavit, Materna, folic acid other.
- Regular sex life (at least 1-2 times a week) with a constant sexual partner has a positive effect on the production of female sex hormones and activates immune system generally.
- Adequate drinking regimen, balanced nutrition with a lack of harmful products in the form of smoked meats, pickles, caffeine, fried, canned foods and fast food increases the chances of successful conception and bearing of the fetus. Low-calorie diets and fasting are triggers for reduced female fertility.
- Quitting bad habits in the form of alcohol in toxic doses, tobacco smoking and the use of drugs increases the overall level of fertility.
- An active lifestyle and the absence of traumatic factors is an equally important component of therapy aimed at increasing female fertility.
Having thoroughly studied her body and the menstrual cycle in particular, a woman can independently determine the fertile window and time for a successful conception. Care about reproductive health and adherence to the recommendations of the attending physician allows the dream of motherhood to come true at the desired time.
Russian and foreign gynecologists often use the concept of "fertility window" to denote the period during which the most favorable conditions for conception are observed in a woman's body. However, there are still some inaccuracies in the broad understanding of this term.
Ovulation is not the same as the fertility window
Once every 25-28 days, any healthy woman under the age of 50-58 ovulates. It represents the release of a mature egg from the ovary into fallopian tube and its further transportation along the genital tract, where fertilization should take place. The process of release and movement usually takes no more than one hour, after which the egg retains the ability to be fertilized for about the next day. The unfertilized egg then dies and the maturation cycle in the ovaries starts over. Many women believe that these 24-26 hours of ovulation are the very “fertility window”.
Representatives of the "International Association of Obstetricians-Gynecologists and Endocrinologists" point to the fact that spermatozoa trapped in a woman's genital tract are able to maintain their activity for up to a week, waiting for the right moment. Thus, the likelihood of fertilization increases and this increases the "fertility window". Its current interval is usually estimated by gynecologists at 5-6 days. In other words, 5 days before the release of a mature egg and another day after this physiological moment constitutes the "window" itself.
If a woman's cycle is stable for a long time, then it is not difficult to calculate fertile days. For example, the monthly cycle lasts 28 days, which means that the 14th day from the start of menstruation is roughly the start of ovulation. That is, 5 days before this date and a day after it can be considered a “fertility window”. If the cycle is unstable, then it is difficult to calculate the "fertility window", but it is still possible to "catch" its shortened version in 24-26 hours. For this, as gynecologists advise, basal body temperature should be measured throughout the month. All days it will be the same and only during the start of ovulation will the temperature be 0.25-0.5 degrees higher. These days will be the shortened "fertility window".
Having ovulation does not always mean fertility
Monthly ovulation allows a woman not only to have offspring, but also to keep the skin, hair, muscles and blood vessels in good shape. This is due to the work of the endocrine system, thanks to which the tissues are constantly receiving hormonal nutrition. However, the ovulation process can occur, and the woman will not have a “window of fertility”. Experts from the Moscow Regional Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology testify that this happens very often. This may be due, for example, to obstruction or absence of the fallopian tubes, and then the fertilization of the egg in a woman cannot occur, which means that she is not fertile.
Thus, the presence of ovulation does not always mean fertility. The cycle is carried out for some time and in a woman who has undergone the removal of the uterus, the mature egg remains in the fallopian tube or enters the abdominal cavity, but in such a case there is no need to talk about fertility.
