How many days after your period do you ovulate? The menstrual cycle and the ovulation cycle go hand in hand. The first half of the ovulation cycle is named the follicular phase, and consists of the last day of menstruation until the actual act of ovulation. This can take anywhere from one week to up to 40 days for some women.
When a woman begins her period, her estrogen levels are low, which sends a special message to her pituitary gland to start the follicular phase of ovulation. In this phase, a few of the follicles in her ovaries develop into mature, viable eggs. This causes estrogen to spike, and it sends a signal that the egg is ready to be released. Once this occurs, the luteal phase begins.
The luteal phase begins as a luteinizing hormone helps push the egg through the ovary wall within a day. The egg travels down the fallopian tube, and waits to become fertilized. Eggs can only live for a day or two. The follicle which released the egg produces progesterone, which helps thicken the uterine lining for implantation.
If fertilization occurs, the follicle, also known as the corpus luteum, will continue to create progesterone until the placenta takes over the role of progesterone creation. Otherwise, the egg dissolves within 24 to 36 hours, and the follicles continue to produce progesterone for approximately 2 weeks. Once the egg has dissolved, you can expect your uterine lining to shed within 12 to 16 days. You might recognize this as your menstrual cycle.
How To Calculate Ovulation Cycle
Calculating ovulation cycles is still relatively easy. The ovulation cycle begins on the last day of your period, and ends on the first day of your next. Many online medical sites offer free ovulation cycle calculators which help predict when your eggs will be viable. Ovulation, in the sense of the actual egg becoming viable and getting pushed through the ovarian wall, occurs approximately two weeks after the start of your ovulation cycle. The egg dissolves 1-2 days after ovulation. Right before the egg dissolves is when you are most fertile.
If you have an irregular menstruation cycle, you might not be able to calculate your ovulation cycle. It’s possible to ovulate without menstruating, and it’s possible to menstruate without ovulating. Ask your doctor for details about how to calculate ovulation cycles if your cycle is irregular.
Your Ovulation Cycle and Pregnancy
Your ovulation cycle and pregnancy go hand in hand. Simply put, if you cannot ovulate, you cannot become pregnant. Ovulation is the way that the body matures eggs and makes it possible to become pregnant. By calculating your ovulation cycle, you can figure out when you are most fertile, and plan accordingly.
Determining Ovulation Using an Ovulation Predictor Kit
Many people are buying ovulation kits in order to find out more about thier ovulation cycles. These kits work by testing the body’s hormonal levels, and matching them to standard ovulation chemical levels. Others work simply by taking timing data of your ovulation cycle.
There are literally dozens of over the counter ovulation predictor kits are available on the market, and many of them have great results. Accuclear, First Response One, and Clearblue Easy are some of the more popular brands of ovulation kits. In recent years, purchasing an ovulation predictor kit has gotten easier, cheaper, and more popular. Expect to pay about $20 for your kit.
If you want to know how many days after your period do you ovulate? Use our free tool below:
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