How to tell if you are ovulating

Why ovulation matters

Ovulation is when an ovary releases an egg. Without it, a pregnancy can't begin that month. Ovulation problems are one of the more common reasons for difficulty conceiving, and many of them can be treated. That is why checking for ovulation is part of almost every first fertility evaluation.

Your cycle: the first clue

Your cycle runs from the first day of one period to the day before the next. For most adults it lasts somewhere between about 21 and 35 days, and stays fairly similar from month to month.

Regular cycles usually mean ovulation is happening. Very irregular cycles, cycles much longer than this, or periods that have stopped suggest that ovulation may be happening less often, or not at all.

Ovulation usually happens about 14 days before the next period, not on day 14. In a longer cycle, it happens later. Writing down the first day of each period for a few months is simple and useful information for any doctor.

Tests a doctor may use

Method	What it shows	Points to know
Mid-luteal progesterone blood test	Whether ovulation happened in that cycle	Taken about 7 days before the next expected period
Follicle tracking scans	A follicle growing and then releasing its egg	Several transvaginal scans over a cycle
Other hormone tests	Possible reasons ovulation isn't happening	Such as thyroid, prolactin, FSH and LH

Mid-luteal progesterone

After an egg is released, the empty follicle makes the hormone progesterone. A blood test taken about a week before your expected period (around day 21 in a 28-day cycle) can show whether progesterone has risen, which suggests ovulation happened.

The timing is what matters. If your cycle is 35 days long, the test would be around day 28 instead. If your cycles are irregular, the test may need to be repeated until your period comes. Labs use their own ranges, so the result should be read against the range on your report, by your doctor.

Follicle tracking

Follicle tracking means having a series of transvaginal ultrasound scans, every few days, through part of a cycle. The scans watch one follicle grow and then collapse after it releases its egg. Tracking is often used during fertility treatment, especially with ovulation medicines, to check the response and time sex or IUI. It is less often needed just to confirm natural ovulation.

Home methods

LH urine kits (ovulation predictor kits). These detect the surge of luteinising hormone (LH) that happens a day or so before ovulation. A positive result suggests ovulation is likely to follow soon. Some limits:

• they predict ovulation is coming; they don't prove that an egg was released
• people with PCOS can get confusing results, because LH can be raised for much of the cycle
• testing every day can become stressful and costly

Cervical mucus. Around the fertile days, many people notice clear, slippery, stretchy discharge, a bit like raw egg white. This is a free and simple sign, though it can be hard to read at first.

Basal body temperature (BBT). Your resting temperature rises slightly after ovulation. But the rise only shows up after ovulation has already happened, it is easily affected by sleep, illness and alcohol, and charts are often hard to interpret. BBT charts are not recommended as a way to confirm ovulation.

Apps. Period-tracking apps estimate your fertile days from your past cycles. They are estimates, not tests, and are less accurate when cycles vary. You can use our fertile window tool for a rough guide.

Good to know. You don't have to track ovulation to conceive. Having sex every two to three days through the cycle covers the fertile days without the pressure of timing. If tracking is making things harder, it is fine to stop.

If ovulation isn't happening

Not ovulating regularly has many possible causes, including PCOS, thyroid problems, high prolactin, very low or high body weight, intense exercise, and the ovaries running low on eggs earlier than expected. None of these is anyone's fault. A doctor will look for the cause first, because that guides the next steps. Ovulation medicines should only be used with a doctor's monitoring.

Celova does not offer tests or scans, but a doctor can help you work out which checks make sense in an online consultation.

When to see a doctor

• Your periods are very irregular, much further apart than about five weeks, or have stopped.
• You have been trying for 12 months if you are under 35, or 6 months from 35, or sooner from 40.
• Your ovulation kits never show a positive result over several cycles.
• You have signs such as excess hair growth, milky nipple discharge, or symptoms of a thyroid problem.

For severe pelvic pain, heavy bleeding or fainting, call 112 or go to the nearest hospital.