Know your fertile days!

To increase the chances of getting pregnant, it is important to know when conception can occur.

The highest chances are around ovulation.

The chances of successful fertilization are highest around ovulation. However, the timing of ovulation varies from woman to woman. Therefore, it's important to know your personal cycle.

Your fertile window

A few days after your period, your body starts producing the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is a good indicator of your fertile window. It helps increase the thickness of the uterine wall and creates a sperm-friendly environment in the cervical mucus. A high level of estrogen triggers a significant increase in luteinizing hormone, known as the "LH surge." The LH surge leads to the release of a mature egg into the fallopian tube, which we call "ovulation."

The day of ovulation, the five days before, and one day after are considered "fertile days."

However, the egg remains fertilizable for only 12 to 24 hours.

How to determine your fertile days

There are various methods to determine your fertile days:

1. Ovulation Calculator: Based on your typical cycle length, it calculates the approximate timing of ovulation. Since the cycle can vary, this method is not 100% reliable.

2. Observation of Cervical Mucus: On fertile days, cervical mucus (also known as "discharge") is clear, fluid, and "stretchy," resembling raw egg whites.

3. Ovulation Tests: These determine the rise in luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine and can provide an indication of fertile days.

4. (Basal) Temperature Method: Just before ovulation, body temperature drops by at least 0.2°C and rises by about 0.5°C after ovulation. By regularly measuring over months, you can get a good idea of your fertile days. However, this method is not 100% reliable as measurement errors can occur.

Knowing your ovulation and determining your fertile days is crucial when trying to conceive. Remember that every woman is unique, and each cycle is individual.