How to Know When You Ovulate
Do you know when you ovulate?
Have you felt the slippery wet of your fluids, the shift in your energy, your magnetism, and even your temperature rise?
Ovulation is a sensual experience.
It’s the star of the show in the menstrual cycle— and it’s the reason that conception is even possible.
Let’s break it down! 👇🏽
During the follicular phase (first half) of the cycle as estrogen rises, follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) makes the egg follicles in your ovary grow.
When estrogen peaks, luteinizing hormone (LH) is produced, releasing an egg from the mature follicle, and it breaks through the ovary.
From there, it travels down the egg tube (also known as fallopian) where it might be fertilized by sp3rm!
Important things to know about ovulation are:
💧 it happens once a cycle, on one day.
In fact, doctors have witnessed the process of ovulation during surgery, and it takes about 15 minutes for an egg to be released from the ovary!
💧 you cannot completely predict ovulation — but you can notice the signs, and confirm it.
If you are tracking your cycle, your “peak” day is considered the LAST day that you have stretchy or watery mucus.
You’ll want to check to see that your temperature rises and stays high after that— that’s how you confirm ovulation.
LH strips can be a useful tool, but even these do not guarantee a predicted ovulation. LH strips are urine strips that measure lutenizing hormone, which typically peaks 24-36 hours before ovulation occurs. However, it is possible to get an LH peak, but the body doesn’t quite have what it needs to get over the hump of ovulation – that’s why temp tracking is so useful!
💧ovulation doesn’t happen on the same day each cycle.
The “day 14” medical standard is a myth. You typically do not ovulate on the same day every cycle— which is one reason why apps that “predict” your fertile window are inaccurate!
💧ovulation is essential for optimal health. It’s not just about fertility!
Most hormonal contraceptives work by shutting down ovulation. Doctors are often taught that this is safe and even “good” for our health to limit ovulation— but ovulation is key for our health.
Ovulation produces progesterone, which supports our mood, blood, bones and brain health.
It protects against many cancers by keeping estrogen in check, reduces inflammation, supports the immune system, thyroid and more.
If you want to learn how to track your ovulation for preventing pregnancy, preparing it for it, or deeply understanding your health, check out my free fertility awareness 101 workshop!