The period or day of ovulation during the menstrual cycle does vary in some women but usually, it is the 14th day. This is when the menstrual cycle is a 28-day cycle – which it usually is.
This does vary in some women and can get extended and the length of the menstrual cycle can also vary in the same woman. This variation results in differing ovulation periods.
Peak ovulation time in a woman means the time of the release of the mature ovum or the egg from one ovarian follicle, many of which are present in both ovaries. The fertile period of the woman is at its peak during ovulation day.
There are 15 to 20 such mature eggs in both ovaries and the most mature egg is released from one of the ovaries. Rarely, two eggs may be released.
The ovarian follicle releases the egg into the fallopian tube. The fallopian tube on either side connects the ovary to the uterus. It is in the fallopian tube that the ovum or the egg is usually fertilized by the sperm and conception takes place.
The fertilized egg then travels down to the uterus where it gets implanted on the wall of the uterus. The uterine wall in the meantime has thickened and undergone changes to receive the fertilized egg.
A full note on what is ovulation and what triggers it will give a better insight.
Ovulation Time and Day
The first day of the menstrual cycle is the first day of your last menstruation period or menses and the last day is the day before the first day of the next menstruation period.
Ovulation day occurs anywhere between the 11th day to 21st day of the menstrual cycle but usually, the ovulation period or the ovulation time is on the 14th day of the cycle.
Or it can be counted as two weeks before the onset of your next period. This can vary from 10 to 16 days before the next period.
Ovulation is known to occur even as early as the 6th day of the ovulation cycle or as late as the 30th day of the cycle.
The day of your ovulation can be recognized by certain symptoms and signs, which occur and you can be certain that you are ovulating by these telltale symptoms. It can also be determined by ovulation tests and also by using the ovulation calendar or calculator.
Certain ovulation kits are available that help to predict your ovulation day and this becomes of great help if you are planning to conceive and become pregnant.
Some people ask whether ovulation takes place at night or during the day. There is no fixed rule that you ovulate during the day or night. It could happen anytime when one of the eggs in either of the ovaries becomes fully matured enough to be released from the ovary.
How long does ovulation last?
Ovulation and the fertile window last for 12 to 24 hours because the ovum after release from the ovary stays alive for 12 to 24 hours. This is a very short fertile window period and the sperm has to come in contact with the ovum during these 24 hours for conception to take place.
If the ovum or egg is not fertilized by the sperm during this live period, it withers away. It is absorbed by the uterine wall and got rid of along with the endometrium and blood during the menstrual period.
The woman is most fertile during the ovulation day and if the sperm has entered say five days before the ovulation day, conception can take place. This is because the life of the sperm is up to five days.
If the woman has had unprotected sex six days before her ovulation day, then the chances of her getting pregnant are virtually zero.
If she has had sex 5 days before the ovulation day, her chances of getting pregnant are 10%.
If the woman has had sex 2 to 3 days before the ovulation day, her chances of becoming pregnant dramatically increase to 27-33%.
Ovulation timeline for conception
Once the sperm has entered the vagina, it takes 30 minutes to 2 hours for the sperm to move from the vagina to the fallopian tube to meet the egg.
Once that has happened, conception has occurred. For pregnancy to progress, the fertilized egg needs to travel down to the uterus and get implanted onto the uterine wall so that it can grow and progress. This time from ovulation to implantation takes about 6 to 12 days.
Ovulation timeline for pregnancy
So, to capitulate on what has been mentioned above:
- Say, you had sex on the 1st of January. Your sperm will stay alive for up to 3 to 5 days.
- The sperm on its entry into the vagina starts traveling upwards toward the fallopian tube in search of the egg. This journey takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- If you have ovulated anywhere between the 1st to 5th of January, conception can take place.
- After conception, the fertilized ovum starts traveling to the uterus to get implanted on the uterine wall, which has thickened to receive the fertilized egg. This journey up to implantation takes 6 to 12 days.
- That is when it is no longer conception but the beginning of pregnancy.
Factors that can affect ovulation time
- Stress
- Hormonal imbalance
- Thyroid disorders
- Age
- Weight – both very overweight or underweight
- Systemic or autoimmune disease
- Regular exposure to toxic waste sites
Natural Ways to Induce Ovulation
- If overweight, reduce weight.
- If diabetic, keep blood sugar under control.
- Have a well-balanced healthy diet.
- Acupuncture has been known to be useful in some cases.
- Chastberry herb (also called Vitex) is known to induce ovulation naturally and is used quite often in fertility teas and herbal supplements.
Ovulation after miscarriage
After a miscarriage, the human body heals very quickly. You could start ovulating two to four weeks after your miscarriage has taken place.
Most medical experts report that a woman’s normal fertility level usually returns within the next four to six weeks after the miscarriage has occurred. That is when the ovulation period also starts and her monthly cycle begins to function normally again. She is ready to become pregnant again.
But, before going in for another pregnancy, the woman should get herself medically evaluated first to confirm that her body has healed completely and she is ready to bear the pregnancy.
Some women are ready within four to six weeks while some women may take four to six months.
You need to eat well, avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking and alcohol and learn to manage stress, which is usually present at such times.
How soon does ovulation occur after delivery?
Studies conducted showed that ovulation started, on average, between 45 and 94 days after the woman delivered. But again, some studies came across women who started ovulating 25 and 27 days after giving birth.
This only shows that variations in the ovulation period exist. How you feed your baby has a large impact on how soon you will start ovulating.
Mothers who are bottle-feeding their babies get their periods and start ovulating early about two months after delivery because prolactin and other hormones start receding early.
If you are breastfeeding, the levels of estrogen in your body are high and therefore ovulation is delayed. Breastfeeding mothers will start ovulating after a few months.
