What are the stages of ovulation? What is ovulation? How does ovulation and conception occur?

The question of how and when a woman ovulates is extremely important when planning pregnancy. Using modern or traditional methods of predicting this date, a married couple can be more likely to conceive a child, or, conversely, avoid it.

The main purpose of monthly menstruation is transformations in a woman’s genital organs, aimed at preparing the body for the onset of a possible pregnancy and its preservation.

The duration of the cycle is individual for each woman, but the standard range is from 21 to 35 days. From the beginning of each subsequent bleeding, a new cycle begins, divided into three periods:

1. Follicular phase.
2. Ovulation.
3. Luteal phase.

Ovulation is the shortest stage of the menstrual cycle

Follicular phase

The peculiarity of the period is that it is during this time that the development of the dominant follicle occurs, from which an egg will be released, giving rise to the emergence of a new life - a fetus, and then a full-fledged child.

The follicular phase begins immediately after menstruation and ends with the onset of ovulation, occupying about half of a woman’s entire cycle. The course of this period is regulated by special hormones - estrogens. If during the follicular phase a woman measures her basal body temperature (the lowest temperature reached by the body during sleep), then it will not exceed 37 0 C. This diagnostic method, which will be discussed below, can indirectly indicate the moment of ovulation in the body .

Ovulation

The ovulation phase is the shortest and lasts only about 48 hours. Usually this period occurs between the eleventh and twenty-first days of the female cycle.

The process of follicle rupture can occur at any moment during the “ovulatory” day

The released, formed egg begins to move from the follicle to the uterus along the fallopian (uterine) tubes intended for this purpose. It is at this stage that a woman who wants to become pregnant must have sexual intercourse with a man. During the period of ovulation, the chance of conception is highest.

At the beginning of puberty, a woman’s body contains from 300 to 400 thousand eggs; a specific number of them is laid during the development of a female embryo in the mother’s womb.

Luteal phase

The next phase is sometimes also called the corpus luteum phase; it is the corpus luteum that forms in the ovary at the site of the released egg. The average duration of this period is 12–14 days, which is how long the corpus luteum continues to exist. Throughout this stage, one goal is pursued - to maintain the balance of hormones (estrogen and progesterone), which is necessary to prepare the female body for pregnancy. During the luteal phase, the basal temperature increases above 37 0 C, and only towards the end of the corpus luteum phase does it fall again.

Video: Facts about the menstrual cycle

Ovulation and its types

The development of the egg, as well as its release, occurs monthly only until the age of 30. After overcoming this age threshold, the possibility of pregnancy is already lower, and after 40, only half of the monthly cycles per year are ovulatory. Accordingly, with the onset of menopause, the process of releasing the egg ceases to occur.

As ovulation approaches, all the most favorable conditions are created in the female body to maintain the pregnancy that is likely in this cycle. Conception is possible within 24 hours after the release of the egg, otherwise the cycle ends with the onset of menstruation, which serves as a signal of a failed pregnancy.

Ovulation and conception - the order in which these concepts are arranged should be exactly like this

The process of releasing an egg

The signal for impending ovulation is the moment the pituitary gland produces luteinizing hormone (LH). Following this, after 36 hours, the immediate release of the egg from the follicle occurs, which occurs from a few seconds to a minute. However, the ovulatory period refers to all the preparation for this moment, as well as the ongoing subsequent processes. Its duration varies from person to person and takes about a day on average.

The start date of ovulation depends on the level of luteinizing hormone. The work of ovulation tests is based on this - they display the concentration of this substance in the urine.

In the female body, LH stimulates the ovaries to secrete estrogen, and a peak increase in its level initiates ovulation

In childbearing age, with a standard cycle length of 28 days, ovulation should occur on the 14th day, however, in reality, there are very few women with such an ideal cycle.

• Under the influence of the modern rhythm of life, as well as depending on the individual balance of a woman’s hormones, ovulation can shift by several days in one direction or another (early or late ovulation). The cause of unstable ovulation may be:
• gynecological diseases;
• development of infection;
• the occurrence of hormone imbalance;
• the birth of a child or abortion, leading to subsequent changes in the body;
• the onset of menopause;
• emotional overload and stress;
• overwork, physical work;

climate change.

The exact onset of ovulation can be determined using medical instrumental methods that help identify the presence of early or late maturation of the egg, as well as the causes of failure in the woman’s body.

The need to know about the day of ovulation

For any woman who has regular sex life, it is best to know the day of the cycle on which ovulation occurs. To do this, it is easier to create a separate calendar on which you can mark the start and end dates of menstruation, as well as the ovulatory day. When planning a pregnancy, you need to listen more carefully to your body in order to guess the most favorable days for the birth of a new life.

A favorable (or dangerous) period for conception is a few days in the middle of the cycle, when ovulation occurs

There is also a theory that knowing the reliable day of ovulation, a woman can plan the gender of her unborn baby. So, if sexual intercourse occurred on the same day as the release of the egg from the follicle, then the pregnancy is more likely to end with the birth of a son. In the case when sex took place two days before ovulation, the chance of having a daughter increases. This is due to the fact that sperm with a male Y chromosome are more mobile and reach their target faster, however, if the egg is not yet mature, fertilization will not occur. Slower sperm with an X chromosome have increased vitality and can wait until ovulation, living in a woman’s body for about 72 more hours. However, such a “calendar” method of protection is considered extremely unreliable.

Difference between ovulation and fertility

The ability to bear children is one of the main purposes of the female body. The onset of ovulation is the basis for successful conception, but not only this process is involved in the formation of reproductive function. The totality of the abilities of all reproductive organs to ensure the successful conception of a child is called fertility.

For pregnancy to occur, it is important that the female reproductive organs are healthy and work smoothly. These include:

• pituitary gland (center of the brain);
• ovaries;
• fallopian (uterine) tubes;
• uterus;
• Cervix;
• vagina.

In a physiological sense, fertility refers to a woman’s ability to reproduce, that is, to conceive

So, in general, fertility is a combination of the work of all body systems, in which conception becomes possible. If at least one link malfunctions, the risk of miscarriage or infertility increases significantly. Good fertility is ensured by:

• the presence of hormonal balance in the female body;
• regularity of the monthly cycle;
• uterine health;
• patency of the fallopian tubes;
• absence of inflammatory processes in the reproductive organs;
• absence of development of tumors of any nature in the reproductive system;
• the state of the body as a whole.

The release of a mature egg from the follicle makes fertilization possible, but does not guarantee pregnancy in a woman.

This is what distinguishes fertility and ovulation: only with good reproductive ability of the female body, the entire period from egg maturation to conception occurs without problems; ovulation alone is not enough for pregnancy to occur.

Signs of ovulation

1. Symptoms of ovulation can be more pronounced or less pronounced depending on the individual characteristics of the female body. So, without visiting a doctor, you can determine the day of release of a mature egg by the following signs:

   Painful and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen. Not all women experience pain during ovulation, but only about one in five. An unpleasant symptom can be caused by slight bleeding caused by a rupture of the follicle: in addition to the mature egg, follicular fluid and minor blood clots also come out of it. The pain can last from 1 hour to 2 days.

2. Increased libido - sexual desire for a man.
3. Increased mucus production. An increased amount of discharge can be observed 1-2 hours before ovulation and last up to 2 days. The discharge is transparent and similar in structure to the white of a chicken egg.

   By the time of ovulation, the discharge becomes more jelly-like, transparent and viscous.

4. Change the color of the discharge. The appearance of a small amount of blood in the mucus gives it a reddish or pink color. This is not a pathology and is caused by a normal physiological process. If the bleeding is profuse, then you should immediately see a doctor to rule out a threat to the woman’s health.

   The main reason for such discharge during ovulation is the rupture of the follicle, which leaves the already mature egg.

Video: determining the day of ovulation

Other methods for determining ovulation

If the symptoms of ovulation are not clearly expressed, then its onset can be determined by other methods.

Calendar method

This method of tracking ovulation is a constant monitoring of the duration of menstruation. By average, ovulation occurs in the middle of a woman’s cycle. If the cycle is inconsistent, the method is ineffective, since ovulation in this case is unstable.

The calendar method of calculating ovulation is the most common due to its simplicity and ease of use.

Ovulation test

An ovulation test looks much the same as a regular pregnancy test. The only difference is in the principle of action and that such a test must be done 5 days in a row. Full instructions are included with each test.

The test strip shows an increase in the level of luteinizing hormone: the brighter the color, the greater the concentration of the substance in the urine. LH production peaks around ovulation.

As soon as you notice signs of ovulation, such as ovulation pain, take a test to make sure it has passed

An undoubted advantage is the ease of use of the test: it is much easier than, for example, daily measurement of basal body temperature, and its accuracy exceeds 99%. The downside is the price - usually such diagnostics are several times more expensive than a pregnancy test, and the average cost of a kit for tracking ovulation is 300 rubles.

Measuring basal temperature (BT)

To obtain correct results, you should measure your temperature at the same time every day: in the morning immediately after waking up. In this case, for reliability, it is necessary to choose a rectal, oral or vaginal method of measuring temperature and use only the selected option once. The obtained values ​​should be noted on paper, obtaining a graph of the dependence of basal temperature on the day of the cycle.

You can use a notebook to record measurements, and it’s even more convenient to install the corresponding application on your mobile device

In the follicular phase of the cycle, the obtained values ​​should be lower than in the luteal phase (by about 0.3–0.5 0 C). The absence of a clear increase in temperature means that, most likely, the cycle was without ovulation.

The disadvantage of this method is the daily measurement of temperature and monitoring of its changes, which is not always convenient. Also, an error in the data can be introduced by the development of a disease or inflammatory process that affects the increase in body temperature.

View of the BT chart with ovulation taking place

Ultrasound

The ultrasound diagnostic method allows you to determine the date of ovulation with 100% accuracy. To do this, it is necessary to undergo several procedures per month to track the stages of development of the dominant follicle and calculate the moment when it bursts and the mature egg is released. It is usually recommended by your doctor to start performing such diagnostics on the eighth day after menstruation, and then repeat every 2-3 days.

The study is carried out transvaginally, in which a special sensor is inserted into the vagina

The disadvantage of the method is its cost, since performing several ultrasound diagnostics is not a cheap pleasure. Also, an ultrasound may not bring the desired result if the cycle was anovulatory.

Video: monitoring ovulation using an ultrasound device

Taking a blood test for LH levels

As already mentioned, the level of LH before ovulation increases several times, therefore, using such an analysis, the phase of a woman’s monthly cycle can be determined with high accuracy.

Table: changes in LH content in the blood

The disadvantage of the method is that some diseases can lead to an underestimation or overestimation of LH concentration in the blood. An experienced doctor can interpret the analysis correctly.

Stimulation of the production of viable eggs is prescribed by a doctor when a woman detects problems with pregnancy due to lack of ovulation. This procedure is recommended after six months of unsuccessful attempts to conceive. The purpose of stimulating ovulation is to help the female body form a mature egg that will be complete and capable of performing its main function - becoming the beginning of a new life.

First of all, it is important to note that treating infertility by stimulating ovulation is the exclusive prerogative of the doctor

The main indications for starting the ovulation stimulation protocol are:

• infertility due to anovulatory monthly cycles caused by the following reasons:
  • disruption of hormone production that does not respond to other methods of therapy;
  • polycystic ovary syndrome;
  • obesity or abnormally low body weight of a woman;
• preliminary preparation for IVF;
• infertility caused by unknown causes that could not be identified.

Before starting the stimulation procedure, a woman must undergo a series of diagnostic procedures to determine the presence of possible contraindications and to exclude significant harm to the body.

Ovulation stimulation cannot be carried out in the following cases:

• significant disturbances in hormone levels;
• the course of inflammation in the pelvic organs;
• obstruction of the fallopian tubes.

When a woman reaches the age of 35 years or older, the doctor considers each case individually. Sometimes, due to the increased likelihood of having a sick baby, the doctor may refuse to perform the stimulation procedure.

In addition to the standard set of instrumental (ultrasound, ECG, laparoscopy of the fallopian tubes) and laboratory (examination of blood and vaginal smears for infections and hormones) tests, the woman undergoes a study of the ovarian reserve, which shows the likelihood of a successful outcome of stimulation and its required intensity.

After all diagnostic procedures are completed, the doctor prescribes the woman the most preferable protocol for stimulating ovulation (long or short). This procedure can be performed no more than 6 times to avoid depletion of the ovaries. During the protocol, specialists monitor the patient’s well-being and monitor the functioning of the ovaries using ultrasound.

To achieve a therapeutic result, the patient is prescribed drugs that affect the content of follicle-stimulating hormone

Due to long-term use of hormonal drugs to stimulate ovulation, there is a high probability of developing side effects:

• pain in the lower abdomen and lower back;
• insomnia, anxiety, mood swings;
• sweating, hot flashes;
• weight gain;
• bloating, etc.

In addition, the protocol may cause the development of diseases, such as:

• ovarian cyst;
• ovarian hyperstimulation;
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
• problems with the functioning of the central nervous system.

In 3/4 of cases, ovulation stimulation gives a positive result and ends in pregnancy. However, the probability of conception from the first cycle is only 15%; most women receive the status of expectant mother only after 2-3 stimulation protocols.

Video: superovulation stimulation protocol

Ovulation is the main process of the female body for conception and birth of a child. To determine it, you can use both indirect signs and more accurate modern methods. The absence of an ovulatory cycle is fraught with infertility, but modern medicine can help a woman solve this problem.

Ovulation (from Latin ovum - egg) - the release of a mature egg capable of fertilization from the ovarian follicle into the abdominal cavity; stage of the menstrual cycle (ovarian cycle). Ovulation in women of childbearing age occurs periodically (every 21-35 days). The frequency of ovulation is regulated by neurohumoral mechanisms, mainly by gonadotropic hormones of the anterior pituitary gland and ovarian follicular hormone. Ovulation is promoted by the accumulation of follicular fluid and the thinning of the ovarian tissue located above the protruding pole of the follicle. The rhythm of ovulation, which is constant for every woman, undergoes changes within 3 months after an abortion, within a year after childbirth, and also after 40 years, when the body prepares for the premenopausal period. Ovulation stops with the onset of pregnancy and after the cessation of menstrual function. Establishing the date of ovulation is important when choosing the most effective time for fertilization, artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization.

This is what distinguishes fertility and ovulation: only with good reproductive ability of the female body, the entire period from egg maturation to conception occurs without problems; ovulation alone is not enough for pregnancy to occur.

Subjective signs of ovulation may include short-term pain in the lower abdomen. Objective signs of ovulation are an increase in mucous discharge from the vagina and a decrease in rectal (basal) temperature on the day of ovulation with an increase in it the next day, an increase in the content of progesterone in the blood plasma, etc. Ovulation disorders are caused by dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system and can be caused by inflammation genitalia, dysfunction of the adrenal cortex or thyroid gland, systemic diseases, tumors of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, stressful situations. The absence of ovulation during childbearing age (anovulation) is manifested by a disturbance in the rhythm of menstruation such as oligomenorrhea (menstruation lasting 1-2 days), amenorrhea, and dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Lack of ovulation (anovulation) is always the cause of a woman's infertility. Methods for restoring ovulation are determined by the cause of anovulation and require a visit to a gynecologist and special treatment.

Ovulation and contraception

Some women experience peak sexual arousal around the days of ovulation. However, the use of a physiological method of contraception from pregnancy, based on sexual abstinence during ovulation, is especially difficult for young spouses, whose frequency of sexual intercourse reaches a fairly high level. In addition, with strong love excitement and nervous stress, additional ovulation can occur (especially with episodic, irregular intercourse) and then not one, but two eggs mature in one menstrual cycle. This should be kept in mind when choosing one or another method of contraception.

Physiology of the ovulation cycle

As soon as every healthy girl aged 11-15 years begins to menstruate, which is an indicator of her body’s readiness for childbearing, problems arise associated with counting the days of the menstrual cycle and the legitimate question of why menstruation does not occur, or vice versa, why the long-awaited pregnancy does not occur . This forces a woman to think and wait all the time, to be in the dark about what is happening to her every month. And so every month for decades.

Duration of menstruation and cycle

Ideal menstruation lasts 3-5 days and repeats every 28 days. However, for some women this cycle takes 19 days or even less, while for others it lasts from 35 to 45 days, which is a feature of their body, and not a violation of menstrual function. The duration of menstruation can also vary within a week depending on the body. All this should not cause alarm in a woman, but a delay of more than two months, called opsometry, or more than six months - amenorrhea, should alert the woman and force her to find out the reason with a gynecologist.

Duration of the menstrual cycle

is a complex physiological process that continues in women up to 45–55 years of age. It is regulated by the so-called reproductive centers located in the middle part of the diencephalon - the hypothalamus. The changes that occur during the menstrual cycle are most pronounced in the uterus and ovaries. In the ovary, under the influence of hormones produced by the ovarian follicles, partly by the adrenal cortex and testes, the growth and maturation of the main follicle, which contains the egg, occurs. A mature follicle ruptures and the egg, along with follicular fluid, enters the abdominal cavity and then into the uterine (fallopian) tube. The process of rupture of the follicle and the release of a mature (suitable for fertilization) egg from its cavity is called ovulation, which, with a 28-day cycle, occurs most often between the 13th and 15th days.

Corpus luteum, estrogen, progesterone

At the site of the ruptured follicle, a corpus luteum forms. These morphological changes in the ovary are accompanied by the release of sex steroid hormones - estrogens and progesterone. Estrogens are secreted by the maturing follicle, and progesterone is secreted by the corpus luteum.

The release of estrogen has two maximums - during ovulation and during the period of maximum activity of the corpus luteum. So, for example, if the normal estrogen content is about 10 mcg/l, then during ovulation it is about 50 mcg/l, and during pregnancy, especially towards the end, the estrogen content in the blood increases to 70-80 mcg/l per pregnancy. due to a sharp increase in estrogen biosynthesis in the placenta.

Together with progesterone, estrogens promote implantation (introduction) of a fertilized egg, maintain pregnancy and promote childbirth. Estrogens play an important role in the regulation of many biochemical processes, participate in carbohydrate metabolism, in the distribution of lipids, and stimulate the synthesis of amino acids, nucleic acids and proteins. Estrogens promote the deposition of calcium in bone tissue, delay the release of sodium, potassium, phosphorus and water from the body, that is, they increase their concentration both in the blood and in electrolytes (urine, saliva, nasal secretions, tears) of the body.

The release of estrogen is controlled by the anterior pituitary gland and its genadotropic hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

Under the influence of estrogens, in the first phase of the menstrual cycle, called follicular, regeneration occurs in the uterus, that is, the restoration and growth of its mucous membrane - the endometrium, the growth of glands that elongate and become convoluted. The mucous membrane of the uterus thickens 4-5 times. In the glands of the cervix, the secretion of mucous secretion increases, the cervical canal expands, and becomes easily passable for sperm. In the mammary glands, epithelium grows inside the milk ducts.

In the second phase, called the luteal phase (from the Latin word luteus - yellow), under the influence of progesterone, the intensity of metabolic processes in the body decreases. The growth of the mucous membrane of the uterine body stops, it becomes loose, swollen, a secretion appears in the glands, which creates favorable conditions for the attachment of a fertilized egg to the mucosa and the development of the embryo. The glands stop secreting mucus, and the cervical canal closes. In the mammary glands, alveoli arise from the overgrown epithelium of the end sections of the mammary ducts, capable of producing and secreting milk.

If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum dies, the functional layer of the endometrium is rejected, and menstruation occurs. Monthly bleeding varies from three to seven days, the amount of blood lost ranges from 40 to 150 g.

Timing of ovulation

It should be noted that different women have a noticeable difference in the timing of ovulation. And even for the same woman, the exact timing of the onset varies from month to month. Some women have extremely irregular cycles. In other cases, cycles may be longer or shorter than the average of 14 days. In rare cases, it happens that in women with a very short cycle, ovulation occurs around the end of the menstrual bleeding period, but in most cases, ovulation occurs quite regularly.

If for one reason or another ovulation does not occur, the endometrial layer in the uterus is thrown out during menstruation. If the fusion of the egg and sperm has occurred, then the cytoplasm of the egg begins to vibrate very strongly, as if the egg is experiencing an orgasm. Sperm penetration is the final stages of egg maturation. All that remains of the sperm is its nucleus, where 23 chromosomes are tightly packed (half the set of a normal cell). The sperm nucleus now quickly approaches the egg nucleus, which also contains 23 chromosomes. The two nuclei slowly touch. Their shells dissolve and their fusion occurs, as a result of which they are divided into pairs and form 46 chromosomes. Of the 23 chromosomes of the sperm, 22 are completely similar to the chromosomes of the egg. They determine all physical characteristics of a person except gender. The remaining pair from the egg always contains an X chromosome, and from the sperm there may be an X or Y chromosome. Thus, if there are 2 XX chromosomes in this set, then a girl will be born, if XY, then a boy.

Research conducted at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (North Carolina) has shown that not only the actual conception of a child, but also its gender depends on the time of conception in relation to the time of ovulation.

Ovulation is a process that normally occurs in the female body throughout the reproductive period. Accurate knowledge of the time limits of ovulation allows you to plan the conception of a child or, conversely, prevent pregnancy by abstaining from unprotected sexual intercourse. Its duration may also indicate the presence of some gynecological problems. There are many ways to determine the onset of ovulation.

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Ovulation: what is it?

In simple words, ovulation is the rupture of a follicle and the release of an egg. The whole process occurs in the ovary and lasts about a minute, it is carried out once during the entire cycle, the egg retains its viability for 24 hours. During this time, it will gradually move through the fallopian tube into the uterine cavity, and then into the vagina in order to leave the woman’s body. During one menstrual cycle, the egg is released either from the left ovary or from the right. Rarely both at the same time.

But the main purpose of ovulation is to cause pregnancy. Conception will occur only if, during these 24 hours, spermatozoa capable of fertilizing it are encountered along the way of the egg.

Rarely, but sometimes two ovulations occur in one cycle - this happens if several follicles are dominant at once; they rupture with an interval of a maximum of 2-3 days.

If the egg is successfully fertilized by a sperm, it descends into the uterus and is fixed in the wall within 6-12 days. Pregnancy begins. At the same time, the ovaries stop producing new eggs, which prevents re-fertilization for the next nine months.

Otherwise, the egg is simply destroyed as it passes through the fallopian tube within 24 hours, and after two weeks the girl begins her next menstruation. This is how the unfertilized egg leaves the female body.

How to calculate the day of ovulation

Typically, the egg matures and leaves the follicle 13-16 days before the next menstruation, on average 14 days if the entire menstrual cycle fits within a 28-day period.

However, for most females, ovulation occurs between the 11th and 21st days of the cycle, counting from the first day of the last menstruation. This largely depends on hormonal levels, physical and emotional state.




For the most part, girls try to calculate the exact day of ovulation in two cases: in order to plan a good day for conceiving a child or to refrain from unprotected sexual intercourse to avoid pregnancy. The calendar method of contraception is one of the most unreliable.



Calendar method

Calendar is the simplest and most traditional method. The calculation is made relative to a specific woman and the duration of her menstrual cycle. If it is constantly changing, then a calendar alone will not help. In this case, you can use special tests and studies.



Ultrasound diagnostics

A minimum of 3 ultrasound sessions will be required. At the beginning of the cycle, several follicles of approximately equal size are identified in the ovary. Then one begins to grow larger than the others, its size increases from 1-2 mm to 20-22 mm - it is this one that will rupture and release the egg.

When the follicle reaches its maximum size, the doctor concludes that ovulation is imminent. After a few days, it is necessary to do a second ultrasound; if the follicle is absent, it means that it has burst and ovulation has occurred.

Basal temperature study

Every day, immediately after waking up, the girl must measure the temperature in her rectum. Usually after menstruation it stays at 36.6 - 36.9°, before ovulation it decreases by a few tenths of a degree, then sharply rises to 37.0 - 37.3° and remains at this level until the next menstruation.

Express test

It can be purchased at any pharmacy; the principle of operation is similar to a pregnancy test. Only the rapid test reacts to the content of luteinizing hormone in the urine, the concentration of which increases immediately before ovulation. If the result is positive, the follicle will rupture in 16-26 hours.

Cervical examination

In this way, only a doctor can determine the onset of ovulation using the necessary tools.




Early and late ovulation

If the egg leaves the follicle several days earlier than the expected period, it is considered early; if later, it is considered late. This happens due to many reasons, the most common being irregular periods, hormonal imbalance, stress, gynecological diseases, premenopausal period in women over 40 years old.

Signs of an egg leaving the follicle

Doctors say that it is impossible to feel the moment of ovulation itself, since the follicle does not contain nerve endings, and its rupture is not accompanied by pain. But some women may feel a symptom of tension in the ovarian area just at the moment of rupture of the follicle.

1-2 days before this process, the concentration of estrogen in the female body sharply increases. This is accompanied by a significant increase in strength, physical and emotional activity. Self-esteem and self-confidence also increase.

A characteristic symptom is increased secretion of cervical mucus from the vagina, which becomes more liquid and transparent.

These days are the ideal time to conceive. Ovulation has not yet occurred, and eggs do not move freely through the fallopian tubes and uterus. But sperm retain their viability a little longer, about 5-7 days. In addition, cervical fluid is precisely designed to help the male reproductive cell reach the uterus and hold out for some time before meeting the egg.

Under the influence of estrogen, a slight decrease in temperature occurs, which is what one of the methods for determining the onset of ovulation is based on.

Normally, a woman has several menstrual cycles per year without ovulation, therefore, she will not be able to get pregnant at this time. With age, the number of such anovulatory cycles will only increase, which is why after 35-40 years the chances of successfully conceiving a child sharply decrease. During menopause, ovulation does not occur at all.

When planning a pregnancy, it is necessary to know and understand exactly when the body is ready to conceive, so the question “What is ovulation in women and how does it manifest itself?” remains always relevant. In case of some malfunctions in the reproductive system, anovulation is observed; in such cases, folk remedies and medications are used for stimulation.

How and when it happens

The reproductive period in women lasts from 12–13 to 45–48 years, all this time cyclical processes occur in the body - the menstrual cycle must be regular, accompanied by the release of an egg.

Stages of the monthly cycle:

1. Within 1–10 days, several follicles mature.
2. One of the follicles becomes dominant, it is larger in size than the other cells, and growth continues until ovulation.
3. Ovulation - the walls of the follicle rupture, a mature egg is released, the formation of the corpus luteum begins, and the level of progesterone increases.

What is ovulation in simple words? This is the release of the germ cell from the follicle - the most favorable ratio of hormonal levels and physiological indicators for conception. If the egg meets sperm during this period, the chance of getting pregnant is approximately 35%. If fertilization does not occur, or the embryo does not implant, then the remains of the cell along with the epidermis are released during menstruation.

Ovulation – when does it happen? In women with a cycle of 28 days, the egg is released 13–14 days after the end of menstruation. For long and short cycles, you need to use a special formula for calculation:

N=A–14, where N is the date of ovulation, A is the number of days in the cycle.

How to calculate ovulation with an irregular cycle? It is difficult to calculate the exact date. It is necessary to monitor the duration of the cycle throughout the year, but even in this case, the period of egg release will be very approximate; it is necessary to use several methods to determine days favorable for conception.

Important! With unprotected sexual intercourse 5 days before and after ovulation, the probability of conceiving a child is more than 10%.

To calculate the date of ovulation, various methods are used - from simple calendar to ultrasound of the ovaries in different phases of the cycle. For many girls, the moment the egg is released is accompanied by pronounced sensations - this allows us to determine that a favorable period for conception has begun.

1. The nature and amount of cervical mucus changes - it becomes liquid, there is quite a lot of it, this is observed 1-2 before ovulation. But on the day the egg is released, the secretion becomes similar to the white of a raw egg and stretches well. Sometimes the process occurs with bloody discharge. If the amount of impurity is insignificant, this is normal and indicates a rupture of the follicle.
2. If ovulation occurs, the position and structure of the cervix changes - it softens and descends.
3. Severe soreness of the mammary glands appears - they swell, their sensitivity increases.
4. Discomfort in the lower abdomen, most often it hurts on one side, where the follicle ruptured.
5. Increased sex drive and arousal.

Less commonly, women report headaches, weakness, sleep disturbances, diarrhea, and mood swings.

The easiest way to calculate the date of ovulation is the calendar method. But it is only suitable for girls with a regular standard cycle, so it is quite difficult to call it effective.

Tests to determine the day of ovulation

Using special strips, you can determine the level of LH in the urine - when the concentration of this substance increases, the ovaries receive a signal to release an egg. If the test shows a positive result, 2 stripes appear on it - this means that ovulation will occur within the next 48 hours. The method is quite effective, but is not very suitable for irregular cycles - the test will have to be carried out frequently, and the kits are not cheap.

What does basal temperature mean and why does it need to be measured?

Basal is the temperature measured at rest; it shows the condition of the gonads and reproductive organs in general. If measurements are taken correctly and regularly, you can determine the period of ovulation.

What happens to basal temperature on different days of the cycle:

1. During the first 3 days of the month, the temperature is 36.7–36.9 degrees.
2. When the critical days end, the values ​​drop to 36.5–36.6 degrees.
3. Within 7–10 days, the indicators remain within 36.6 degrees, and may be slightly higher or lower, depending on the speed of metabolic processes.
4. Before ovulation, 24–48 hours before ovulation, there is a deviation from the average values ​​of 0.2 degrees upward.
5. Immediately before the follicle ruptures, the basal temperature decreases by 0.4–0.6 degrees.
6. On the day of ovulation, there is a sharp increase in values ​​up to 37 degrees, sometimes higher.
7. If conception does not occur, the indicators will begin to gradually decline. During pregnancy, the temperature remains at 37 degrees and rises after 8–9 days, when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining.

It is necessary to measure basal temperature immediately after waking up, in the rectum. You cannot get out of bed or make sudden movements. The procedure should be carried out at the same time, the duration of sleep should be at least 6 hours, the data should be entered into a chart so that the peak of ovulation is clearly visible.

Ultrasound and ovulation

If there are problems with conception, you need to monitor the condition of the ovaries and follicles using ultrasound - the method allows you to accurately determine all phases of the cycle.

What an ultrasound allows you to see:

1. The size of the dominant follicle, the degree of dilation of the cervix.
2. Correspondence of the follicle to the ovulatory size.
3. Presence of a corpus luteum. If it appears, it means that the cell has left the follicle and ovulation has occurred.

The method is highly accurate; the only drawback is that ultrasound will have to be done several times in a short period of time.

Anovulation – what is it? The egg does not mature at all or does not leave the follicle. The main reason is hormonal imbalance, which can be corrected with special medications. A normal cycle depends on coherence in the hypothalamic-pituitary chain.

The pituitary gland is responsible for the synthesis of hormones that are required for the normal maturation of the egg - luteinizing, follicle-stimulating. Any failure provokes the development of anovulation. Among other factors in the development of hormonal imbalance, the most common are dysfunctions of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, excess weight, and bad habits.

How does anovulation manifest? The cycle becomes irregular, its duration decreases or increases, the amount and consistency of discharge changes, the woman can suddenly gain weight or lose weight, hysteria and aggressiveness are observed.

Why is chronic anovulation dangerous? If the egg does not leave the ovary, pregnancy does not occur and infertility develops. The likelihood of conception also decreases with weak ovulation, when the follicles release immature eggs.

Important! During the formation of the cycle and at the onset of menopause, anovulatory periods are not considered a pathology. In women of reproductive age, such phenomena should occur no more than 2 times a year. They can be provoked by stress, changes in climatic conditions, and exacerbation of chronic pathologies.

Ovulation stimulation

In the absence of ovulation, the doctor selects a treatment regimen individually. For stimulation, hormonal drugs and physiotherapy are used, and alternative medicine also helps.

If drug treatment does not bring the desired result, doctors prescribe laparoscopy - a simple operation in which incisions are made in the ovary through punctures in the peritoneum, which allows the cell to come out. The effectiveness of such an intervention is about 70%, but does not last long.

Important! You cannot take hormonal medications and folk remedies at the same time; they often conflict with each other, which negatively affects your health.

Medication

To stimulate the ovaries, hormonal therapy is used; the choice of drug depends on the cause that preceded the ovulation disorder.

1. Duphaston is a substitute for the hormone progesterone; it stimulates the activity of the corpus luteum.
2. Ovarium compositum helps restore the normal functioning of the organs of the reproductive system and metabolic processes.
3. Clostilbegit - the medicine stimulates the synthesis of FSH, which increases the chance of conception.
4. Menopur, Puregon - gonadotropins, activate the process of egg maturation, replenish hormone deficiency, stimulate ovulation.
5. Combined oral contraceptives allow the female body to rest a little, after which the ovaries begin to work at full capacity; you need to drink them for 3 months.
6. Intramuscular injections of the drug Pregnil, which contains hCG - ovulation occurs within 36-48 hours after administration of the drug.

During ovarian stimulation, complexes that contain vitamins A, B, C, E, D are necessarily prescribed - these substances are necessary to improve the maturation of follicles, eggs, corpus luteum, prolongation of the luteal phase, and endometrial growth.

Important! Sometimes, during hormonal therapy, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome occurs - many eggs are released in one cycle, which is accompanied by severe pain. The pathology is reversible.

Traditional methods

Among alternative medicine, there are many effective recipes that reduce stress, stabilize hormonal levels, which helps eliminate anovulation.

What to do if there is no ovulation:

1. Brew 25 g of dry sage leaves with 250 ml of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain. Drink 45 ml 4 times a day, treatment should begin on the 5th day of the cycle for 10–16 days, during critical days the intake should be suspended, and therapy should be continued after menstruation. The general course is 3–4 months. The herb contains natural estrogens, which are identical to female hormones and activate ovulation.
2. One of the best female plants is the uterus boron; it is used to treat various gynecological and reproductive problems. Pour 70 g of herb into a thermos, add 600 ml of water, leave for 12 hours. Drink 150 ml 4 times a day after meals.
3. Brew 20 g of plantain seeds with 220 ml of boiling water, bring the mixture to a boil, cool, strain. Drink 15–20 ml from days 1 to 21 of the cycle.

Baths with kelp, essential oils of lavender, sage, and basil have a beneficial effect on hormonal levels and the reproductive system.

Important! During the treatment of anovulation, it is necessary to adhere to a special diet - the diet should contain flaxseed oil, sprouted wheat grains, quince, pomegranate, fatty dairy products, legumes, cucumbers and tomatoes.

A regular menstrual cycle with ovulation is one of the main components for successful conception. If the cell does not leave the follicle for 6–12 months, infertility is diagnosed, and medications, physiotherapy, and folk remedies are used for treatment.

Ovulation is the so-called X day, which is eagerly awaited by many couples who want to conceive a baby as soon as possible. This day can be calculated and determined independently or with the help of specialists.

You can get pregnant only on certain days of the cycle, about seven of them in one month. For most young girls this is real news! It turns out that not everything is as simple as it seemed during my student years.

Every woman should have an idea of ​​what ovulation is. For some, this is an opportunity to get pregnant quickly, for others, on the contrary, to avoid unwanted motherhood. In the second case, you should not rely only on calculations; you should always use additional methods of contraception.

During ovulation, an egg (and in rare cases more than one) is released from an ovarian follicle in anticipation of a sperm for fertilization. If conception does not occur, the egg dies and the next period begins. And so on from month to month. Critical days replace ovulation and vice versa, this happens from the moment of puberty until the onset of menopause.

Conception occurs if, during ovulation (plus or minus a few days), sexual intercourse occurs and the most active sperm reaches its goal. Why are several days favorable for fertilization, and not one, the day of ovulation itself? The fact is that sperm can live in the female body for several days, traveling through the fallopian tubes. Therefore, theoretically, you can get pregnant on the second or third day after intercourse. For example, you are driving, and you don’t know that an important event has happened at that very second! By the way, knowing this principle, you can try to guess the gender of the child.

Whether you get a boy or a girl depends entirely on your man. The fact is that a woman always has an X chromosome, but a man either has an X or a Y. With a combination of XX, the result is a girl, and with XY, a boy. Each sperm contains both chromosomes, but one is initially more pronounced than the other. In simple words, we can formulate this way: each sperm carries a feminine or masculine origin.

“Male” sperm reach their goal faster, and “female” sperm, in turn, live much longer. This means that in order to become pregnant with a girl, sexual intercourse is necessary 2-3 days before ovulation. During this time, the “male” sperm will die, giving way to the “female” ones. But for a boy, it’s better to wait just until day X. The boys will shoot ahead, overtaking the girls and trying to reach the goal as quickly as possible. It is clear that there is no 100% guarantee, but still the chances of getting the desired gender increase significantly if you adhere to these rules.

Whether you want a boy, a girl, or just get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby, it all comes down to one thing - you need to determine the favorable time for conception. This can be done both at home and with the help of specialists. In addition, the body itself can tell you that it is ready for fertilization.

Signs of ovulation

It will be news to some, but ovulation is often accompanied by certain signs, although in many women it is asymptomatic. Some of them you can notice on your own:

1. Change in the nature of discharge. They become somewhat more plentiful, with a consistency reminiscent of a raw egg.
2. Increased sexual desire. This is how nature wisely planned for the continuation of the human race.
3. Sensitivity in the chest area, even pain is possible. This occurs due to a hormonal surge during ovulation.
4. During ovulation, the stomach pulls on the right or left. This is explained by the release of the egg from the right or left ovary.
5. Increase in basal temperature.
6. Changes in the cervix. It softens a little and opens slightly, hence the change in the nature of the discharge.
7. A surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). Due to this, mature eggs are released.

A woman can notice the first four signs on her own, but the last three only with the help of specialists or special devices.

In rare cases, women experience anovulation - the absence of ovulation as such, a disruption of the menstrual cycle. If a couple cannot conceive a child for a long time, the first step is to prescribe an ultrasound to track the progress of ovulation.

How to determine ovulation

If a woman does not have pain during ovulation, she may not even know that she is now ready to conceive. Discharge during ovulation also does not necessarily have to be unique for everyone and in each cycle. And a change in sexual desire is quite a subjective sign. Therefore, there are a number of ways to determine ovulation at home or with the help of doctors.

Ovulation calendar

So, we take the most ordinary calendar, in which the start and end dates of critical days are recorded for several months, and so on for at least six months.

First, based on these data, you need to calculate the length of the cycle, that is, the number of days between the first days of menstruation in two months in a row. We subtract 14 from the resulting indicator and get the day of ovulation. For example, if the cycle is consistently 28 days, then ovulation will occur on the 14th day of the cycle. From here it becomes clear why calculating the day of ovulation is possible only for girls with a regular cycle. If it constantly jumps, and in one month it is 27 days, in another 35, then it is difficult to predict how many days it will have in the next month.

Ovulation tests

Nowadays there are not only pregnancy tests on sale, but also ovulation tests. Unlike the former, they respond to an increase in LH, and not hCG.

Tests should begin to be done a few days before expected ovulation, since the hormone begins to rise 1-2 days before the egg is released from the ovary.

Unlike a pregnancy test, ovulation tests have some nuances that should be taken into account to ensure the results are as accurate as possible:

1. Morning urine is not suitable! The optimal interval for collecting urine is from 10-00 to 20-00.
2. You do not need to drink any liquids for 4 hours before the test.
3. You should refrain from going to the toilet for 2 hours.
4. Read the instructions carefully! Each type of test has its own nuances. Somewhere you need to collect urine, somewhere on the contrary, it’s enough to place it under the stream.

There are more expensive tests that can detect ovulation using saliva rather than urine.

Basal temperature measurement

It is necessary to measure the temperature in the rectum the next morning immediately after sleep. On the day of ovulation it should increase. Based on the data, you can even create your own ovulation calendar, and if you keep it for several months, you can try to make a forecast for the future. However, again, it will only be accurate for girls with a constant and regular cycle.

It should be borne in mind that the temperature may jump slightly in case of illness, restless and short sleep (less than 6 hours), or taking alcoholic beverages or medications the day before. When measuring temperature, this feature of the body must be taken into account!

After the critical days and before ovulation, the temperature has slight fluctuations - approximately 36.6 - 36.9. But immediately after ovulation, its values ​​​​exceed the reading of 37 degrees.

In order to obtain the most accurate measurement results, it is necessary to measure the temperature with one thermometer and under equal conditions - at the same time after a quiet, long sleep.

Medical diagnosis

Usually, doctors can determine ovulation of the ovary during examination in the gynecological chair. As already mentioned, on this day the cervix visually changes, softening and opening slightly.

To confirm ovulation, a woman may be referred for an ultrasound. With the help of modern equipment, diagnosticians are able to determine whether ovulation has occurred, and if so, at what stage it is.

Typically, medical diagnosis is carried out after unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant for a long time. You should start coming for an ultrasound on the 10th day after your period. In order for specialists to track the growth of the dominant follicle in the ovary, they will have to come several times until the diameter of the follicle is about 20 cm. Then it will rupture and another egg will be released, ready for fertilization. During this period, you can see on the screen the corpus luteum, located in the ovary without a follicle.

Some nuances you should know

First of all, this will be of interest to women who calculate ovulation for contraception purposes. As already mentioned, this method is very dubious. There are millions of examples of unwanted pregnancies caused by blind numbers. Therefore, in order not to think about the moral side of abortion, which is officially permitted in our country, it is better to play it safe and always use additional methods of contraception. Some people have been trying to conceive a baby for years, while others succeed unexpectedly and on the first try. You should not play this roulette if you are not ready to become parents.

There are several other factors that work against the calendar method. It turns out, paradoxical as it may sound, if a woman does not have regular sex life, her chances of pregnancy are much higher! At the very first sexual intercourse, unscheduled ovulation may occur - the body will not want to miss such a rare opportunity. After all, nature created a woman to procreate.

Having sex during menstruation is considered safe. Indeed, during this period the environment is quite unfavorable for sperm and they die earlier than usual. However, if a woman has an irregular ovulation cycle, then there is still a chance of getting pregnant. If sexual intercourse occurred in the last days of menstruation, and ovulation occurred earlier than usual, there is a chance that sperm will wait for the egg in the fallopian tubes.

Children are our joy; we have them for the rest of our long and happy lives. Therefore, the issue of pregnancy should be approached very responsibly, planning it in advance and creating appropriate conditions for the unborn baby. Remember that unloved and unwanted children always feel their attitude towards them, growing up angry and distrustful of the world around them.

Let's summarize

So, ovulation is a process in a woman’s body that signals that she is ready to conceive. It should be calculated and determined by other methods for couples who want to have a baby in the near future. It is useless to do this as contraception; it is better not to skimp and use other methods.

Video " Symptoms of ovulation - 8 main signs"