Ovulation cycle tracking is a method of monitoring and predicting your ovulation, or the time when an egg is released from your ovaries. Ovulation is a key aspect of fertility and conception, as it is the time when an egg is most likely to be fertilized by sperm. By tracking your ovulation, you can increase your chances of getting pregnant by timing intercourse around your most fertile days.
There are several different methods of ovulation cycle tracking, including:
- Basal body temperature charting: This method involves taking your temperature first thing in the morning before you get out of bed and recording it on a chart. Your basal body temperature (BBT) tends to rise slightly just after ovulation, so by tracking your BBT, you can get an idea of when you are ovulating.
- Ovulation predictor kits: These kits, also known as OPKs, detect the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine, which surges just before ovulation. By using an ovulation predictor kit, you can determine when you are most likely to ovulate.
- Cervical mucus monitoring: This method involves observing the changes in your cervical mucus, which tends to become thin and slippery just before ovulation. By tracking these changes, you can get an idea of when you are most likely to ovulate.
Ovulation cycle tracking can be an effective way to increase your chances of getting pregnant, but it’s important to note that it is not a foolproof method and does not work for everyone. If you are having difficulty getting pregnant or have any other fertility concerns, please schedule a visit with us.
If you’re trying to fall pregnant, the timing of when you and your partner have sex is critical and many couples get this wrong. The most fertile time in your menstrual cycle – or your fertile window – are the days leading up to ovulation, before the egg is released from the ovary.
After ovulation, the egg survives for just 24 hours, while sperm retain fertilising capability for two to three days in the fallopian tubes. For this reason, we recommend couples have sex every two days throughout the female’s fertile window and in the lead up to ovulation. This means that sperm are ready and waiting for the egg when the female ovulates.
If you are waiting trying to coordinate having sex at exactly the time of ovulation you are most likely to miss your fertile window and the opportunity for conception that month. For this reason, tools that tell you when you have ovulated are only useful to help you predict when you will ovulate next month, assuming your cycles are regular.
By undertaking a combination of blood tests and ultrasounds you’ll receive a more accurate and comprehensive overview of your cycle and general fertility.
Unlike most home ovulation tests that just measure the luteinising hormone (LH), we’ll measure the quantity of estrogen, progesterone and LH present throughout your cycle enabling us to anticipate ovulation earlier and use the ultrasounds to confirm that there are actually follicles developing.
Our fertility nurses will help you understand your results, provide you with professional expert advice and identify any underlying problems so if necessary you can be referred quickly onto a fertility specialist.