Is it easy to get pregnant if you ovulate early? Is it easy to get pregnant if you ovulate early? Using ovulation tests

The body of a healthy woman of childbearing age is “programmed” to give birth to a child. The starting point in the process of conception is ovulation, due to which mature eggs appear, ready to meet the sperm. It is important to calculate exactly when the follicle will burst so that this favorable time is not wasted.

It is generally accepted that the fertile period occurs in the middle of the monthly cycle. However, the timing of this process is very individual. Both late and early ovulation in most cases are natural characteristics of a woman’s body. In addition, this phenomenon may also be temporary.

The menstrual cycle consists of three phases:

• . This time is needed for the maturation and growth of the dominant follicle;
• Ovulation time;

The phases of the menstrual cycle always successively replace each other. However, their duration is different for each woman.

The average “correct” timing of the onset of the fertile period occurs approximately in the middle of the menstrual cycle. So, it falls on the 16th day (fluctuations of 1-2 days are possible). If the maturation and release of the egg occurs earlier than the 14th cyclic day, such fertility is called early.

Women mistakenly believe that pregnancy immediately after menstruation is impossible. However, it is not. Early ovulation can occur as early as the 9th day of the cycle. If we take into account that the average duration of menstruation is 5 days (and sometimes 7-8), then in this case a woman becomes fertile shortly after it ends.

The reasons for early ovulation are still not fully understood. Often their occurrence cannot be explained by any of the known reasons: this is the individual characteristic of a particular female body. However, in most cases, the occurrence of early fertility is associated with one of two factors.

Reason 1: short cycle

A significant decrease in the interval between menstruation is associated with reasons of both physiological and psychological nature. So, for many women, a cycle of 21-25 days is the norm, and its duration does not change throughout life. It is normal for them to ovulate on day 10.

Changes in time frames can also be observed with a long cycle. Many factors can reduce it:

• Excessive passion for smoking and drinking alcohol;
• Prolonged stress and depression;
• Chronic fatigue associated with overwork and poor sleep quality;
• Poor nutrition, adherence to strict diets, lack of vitamins and minerals;
• Disturbances in the hormonal system;
• Constant use of potent medications;
• Inflammatory process;
• Changes in climatic conditions;
• Increased physical activity;
• Abortion or other surgical intervention;
• Postpartum period;
• Beginning of menopause;
• Disturbances in the functioning of the ovaries.

Almost always, early ovulation is observed after discontinuation of OCs (oral contraceptives). This phenomenon can be explained simply. OK are hormonal drugs, therefore both taking and stopping the contraceptive leads to changes in the concentration of hormones in the blood, which affects the functioning of the ovaries. As a rule, after eliminating the negative factors that caused the shortening of the cycle, its duration is restored.

Reason 2: “double” ovulation

This should not be confused with premature maturation of the follicle. This opportunity appears in the female body when the eggs mature in two ovaries at once. In this case, a woman can become pregnant even on the “safest” days.

Symptoms and diagnosis of early ovulation

The signs of early ovulation are no different from regular ovulation: some women clearly “feel” its onset, others do not notice it at all.

Normally, ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle.

Let us list the symptoms that can help you determine that “Day X” has arrived:

• Viscous and thick vaginal discharge, reminiscent of egg white;
• Aching pain in the lower abdomen;
• Sudden mood swings;
• Fatigue, headaches and dizziness;
• Particular sensitivity of the mammary glands;
• Increased sexual desire.

It is not possible to determine the onset of ovulation, which began ahead of schedule, using the calendar method. For example, the average statistical ovulation in a 28-day cycle occurs by day 14 (errors of 1-2 days are possible). The timing of early fertility can vary from 7 to 12 cyclic days.

The process of releasing a mature egg can be diagnosed using several methods:

• Using special tests;
• Using .

Each technique has a number of pros and cons.

In order to calculate the onset of fertile days using basal temperature, no financial investment is required. It is enough to have a thermometer, pen and paper on which you need to record your rectal temperature daily. The method is simple, does not require costs and, subject to the rules of implementation, gives accurate results.

However, its use also has a number of disadvantages:

• Diagnostics are carried out daily for at least six months;
• Measure temperature readings at the same time early in the morning;
• Any changes in your usual lifestyle or daily routine will affect the reliability of the results.

Ovulation tests always show true results. According to the principle of operation and appearance, they do not differ from conventional devices for determining pregnancy. The only difference is that they record the onset of ovulation, not conception.

The disadvantage of this method is significant financial investments. After all, the test must be used daily, starting from the end of menstruation and ending with the day when the strip shows a positive result. To make sure that this period is the norm for a particular woman, it is recommended to carry out diagnosis for 2-3 months.

Ultrasound diagnostics will allow not only to track the moment of ovulation, but also its quality. However, this technique will also require significant financial investment. In government institutions, the procedure costs much less than in private clinics, but it is done only according to a doctor’s indications.

Can ovulation occur immediately after menstruation?

Ovulation immediately after menstruation is not a myth, but a very real situation. However, it should be noted that this phenomenon is not very common, since it is most often caused by the maturation of eggs in two ovaries at once. In this case, ovulation is possible already on the 7th day of the cycle.

It happens like this:

• In one ovary, the follicle matures and bursts. If the fertilization process has not occurred, menstruation begins;
• At the same time, the second ovary “releases” a ready follicle, thanks to which ovulation occurs.

In this case, ovulation after menstruation can occur on any day of the beginning of the cycle. The earliest ovulation was recorded already on the 5th day of the cycle, that is, during the period when menstruation had not yet completely ended.

With any cyclical time period, women should remember that protection from unwanted pregnancy using the calendar method is unreliable, because a fertilized egg can be ready to meet a sperm as early as the seventh day from the start of menstruation. The onset of ovulation on the 8th day of the cycle is the norm in women with a very short cycle.

Early ovulation and conception

The onset of ovulation on the 10th day of the cycle is no different from this process on the 16th day. During the period of premature release of the follicle, you can become pregnant without medical intervention if the woman has released a full-fledged mature egg that has met active sperm.

Pregnancy with early ovulation will occur in a woman under two conditions:

• Active intimate life of a couple. Since sperm are active in the uterine cavity for up to a week, their entry into the body directly on the day the egg is released is not necessary;
• Absence of inflammation, hormonal imbalance and other deviations from the natural functioning of the reproductive system.

This means that early ovulation and pregnancy are not mutually exclusive concepts. In this case, the only problem is that it is difficult to calculate the onset of fertile days. Therefore, a complication of premature follicle exit is an unwanted pregnancy or the absence of a planned one.

Is treatment necessary?

The onset of premature ovulation can be either episodic or permanent. This phenomenon does not depend on the duration of the cycle, so every woman can encounter it. It is impossible to independently influence the timing of fertility. They can be changed with the help of medications, if necessary.

The fact is that the early release of an egg does not pose a threat to a woman’s health. If the condition of her reproductive system is normal and her hormonal levels are not disturbed, then no treatment is required.

However, the situation is completely different if pathological reasons contribute to the disruption of the ovulatory period. They can only be recognized with the help of specialists who, after a detailed examination, will identify the causes and possible consequences of such violations.

Most often, the “culprit” of early fertility is hormonal changes. They are regulated with the help of drugs that contain the missing hormones or suppress their excess. The treatment process requires mandatory clinical monitoring of changing hormonal levels.

During therapy, it is important to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, eat well and get good sleep. If these conditions are met, early ovulation will certainly result in a long-awaited pregnancy.

Normally, the egg is released from the ovary in the middle of the menstrual cycle. If this happens ahead of time, early ovulation is observed.

What does this term mean?

It is believed that with a 28-day cycle, the release of a mature germ cell develops on the 14th day. This is what happens to most women. However, in some cases, ovulation in a 28-day cycle may occur on the 12th day or even earlier.

Women with this form of cycle disorder have a short follicular phase. This is the time from the start of menstruation to the release of the egg from the ovary. Usually its duration is 12-16 days. During this phase, the egg is protected by the follicle, where it grows and matures.

If the duration of the follicular phase is less than 12 days, early ovulation occurs, and pregnancy is less likely in this case. The egg in such a situation is not fully mature and is not ready for fertilization.

Can such a condition occur normally?

This can happen to any woman. But constant premature rupture of the follicle can cause infertility.

On what day of the cycle does early ovulation occur?

It occurs earlier than the 12th day after the start of menstruation. At 12-16 days, the egg is ready for fertilization with a cycle of 25 days.

Why is this happening

The main reasons for early ovulation:

• time before the attack;
• short follicular phase;
• smoking, alcohol and caffeine abuse;
• stress;
• sudden loss or sudden weight gain;
• early ovulation may occur after discontinuation of OCs (oral contraceptives);
• sexually transmitted diseases;
• a sudden change in normal daily activities;
• Irregular menstrual cycle caused by gynecological hormonal diseases.

Any hormonal imbalance can disrupt the duration and staging of the menstrual cycle. The maturation of the egg in the ovarian follicle is stimulated by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and its release is associated with the action of luteinizing hormone (LH). Both of these substances are produced in the pituitary gland under the control of the hypothalamus. A change in the level of these hormones leads to disruption of the ovulatory mechanism.

Premature onset of the ovulatory phase is associated with high FSH levels.

A decrease in ovarian activity inevitably occurs with age. At birth, a girl has about 2 million eggs. During each menstrual cycle, hundreds of them die, and only one matures. The exception is hyperovulation, when more than one egg matures in one cycle.

By the age of 30, a woman has lost more than 90% of all eggs. As menopause approaches, the pituitary gland, through a feedback mechanism, begins to secrete more and more FSH to compensate for the lack of ovulating follicles. This leads to menstrual irregularities.

The consequences of constant early ovulation are the release of immature eggs and infertility.

According to research, smoking causes disruption of the ovulatory cycle and affects female fertility. When a woman smokes more than 20 cigarettes a day, it is almost impossible for a woman to fully mature her egg. The same can be said about the effects of alcohol and caffeine.

Signs and symptoms

To detect premature egg release, you need to track your cycle for at least 3 months. With a 28-day cycle, ovulation should be expected on days 12-16, with a 30-day cycle - on days 13-17.

If a woman begins to feel the following symptoms shortly after her period, most likely she has entered the ovulatory phase earlier than usual:

• increased viscosity of cervical mucus;
• soreness of the mammary glands;
• increased sexual desire;
• aching pain in the abdomen.

Signs of premature egg release can be monitored by determining the level of LH in the urine using.

How else can you determine early ovulation?

Questions about pregnancy with this condition

Is it possible to get pregnant if you ovulate early?

Yes, it is possible, but the probability of such an event is less than normal. With premature ovulation, an immature egg is released from the follicle. She may not be fertilized or may not develop further. Such an egg is difficult to implant into the wall of the uterus, so even a pregnancy that occurs is terminated early.

Early onset of ovulation is a sign of decreased ovarian reserve capacity. The lower they are due to a woman’s age or illness, the earlier she releases the egg from the follicle.

An ovulation test performed early in pregnancy may measure the amount of hCG (these hormones have a similar chemical structure) instead of the LH level, and thus give false information about premature rupture of the follicle and the absence of pregnancy.

Another obstacle to pregnancy, for example, with a long cycle: a woman expects ovulation in the middle of the cycle, but the release of a mature egg has already occurred long ago, and all attempts to get pregnant are unsuccessful.

Can there be a cycle failure after an abortion?

Yes, this happens quite often. You need to wait at least one full cycle after this for ovulatory function to recover.

After a miscarriage, some women consistently ovulate earlier than usual, leading to infertility. This may be due to stress or hormonal imbalance. In this case, you need to consult a doctor.

Treatment

Most infertility problems in women are caused by ovulation problems. Therefore, before starting treatment, you need to consult a doctor and check your hormonal levels.

First of all, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and smoking. In addition, it is better to sleep in complete darkness. This helps restore FSH levels, which are responsible for the first phase of the cycle. This way the normal cycle is regulated and consolidated, which facilitates conception and implantation of the embryo.

Other measures to restore reproductive function:

• complete fortified diet;
• auto-training techniques to cope with stress;
• sleep at least 7 hours a day;
• hardening, physical activity in the fresh air.

Drug treatment includes the prescription of drugs that stimulate the maturation of the egg and its timely release - FSH and LH (Cetrotide). They are administered subcutaneously from the first days of the cycle until the period of normal ovulation. Taking such medications on your own is strictly prohibited.

To normalize ovulation, glucocorticoids are often prescribed, mainly against the background of hyperandrogenism. It is not recommended to suddenly stop taking them. In this case, early ovulation may occur due to Metipred, Prednisolone or other glucocorticoid drugs. Their cancellation can only be carried out by a doctor according to a certain scheme.

If a woman constantly experiences early ovulation on the 8th day of the cycle or a little later, she needs to consult a doctor. This is especially important with a short menstrual cycle - 24 days, since the ability to conceive in this case is sharply reduced.

Sometimes, to restore hormonal levels, for example, with, women take various dietary supplements. Their effect on hormone levels is unknown. Therefore, it is impossible to say whether early ovulation can occur from Ovariamine or some similar means.

Independent restoration of timely ovulation is a complex process, which is difficult to influence only on your own. Therefore, all treatment recommendations boil down to general health promotion and restoration of the functions of the neurohumoral system. This should cause hormonal restoration in a physically healthy woman.

The use of progestogens (Duphaston) is aimed at maintaining an already established pregnancy, that is, at stabilizing the second phase of the cycle. Progestins do not affect the first half of this period and cannot cause early ovulation. The same applies to the popular drug Utrozhestan.

Use of Cetrotidna to prevent early ovulation

This process is most dangerous for women who plan to use assisted reproductive technologies. Indeed, with early ovulation, the eggs may be immature, which means their suitability for artificial insemination may decrease.

Cetrotide blocks the action of gonadotropin-releasing factor, secreted by the hypothalamus and stimulating the production of FSH. Thus, through a chain of chemical reactions, the early release of FSH, which is responsible for the premature release of the egg, is stopped. During ovarian stimulation, which serves as an essential part of preparation for pregnancy, early ovulation is a common occurrence. This drug is used to prevent it.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone stimulates the release of LH and FSH from pituitary cells under the influence of estradiol, the content of which increases towards the middle of the cycle. The result is a surge in LH levels, which causes normal ovulation of the dominant follicle.

The drug is administered subcutaneously. There may be short-term soreness or redness at the injection site. Other side effects include nausea and headache. It should not be used during pregnancy, with renal and liver failure, or in postmenopause. The drug is dosed individually and prescribed only by an experienced doctor at the center of assisted reproductive technologies. Independent use of such hormonal drugs can cause serious disruption at the level of the hypothalamic-pituitary system.

The question of what ovulation is is usually asked only by women planning a pregnancy.

And for good reason, because understanding this process is simply necessary for quick conception if you seriously set out to get pregnant. Based on fragments of knowledge about ovulation and certain “favorable days,” it might seem to you that this is a very complex science. But we will now prove that everything is much simpler and more interesting than it seems at first glance.

About ovulation, simple and clear

From birth, the ovaries of a girl, and then a woman, contain about a million eggs. Not all eggs survive to puberty, but those that are mature are quite capable of fulfilling their main duty - the formation of a new human body.

But only a few eggs succeed in fulfilling their functions. From the moment a girl begins her first menstruation, every month one of these eggs matures and is released from the ovary.

Essentially, ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the ovary, somewhere in the middle of the menstrual cycle (normally 14 days before the start of menstruation). Naturally, ovulation does not occur during pregnancy.

In every woman's menstrual cycle there is a special day when there is the greatest chance of getting pregnant - this is the day of ovulation.

Ovulation occurs once a month, and the egg lives for about 24 hours. Ovulation itself is like a small explosion, when a mature follicle bursts in the ovary and the egg is released. Everything happens very quickly, within a few minutes.

Now the task of the egg is to meet with the sperm within 24 hours for the conception of a child to occur. If a meeting with a sperm occurs, the fertilized cell passes through the fallopian tube and is implanted into the uterus. As a result of this process comes. If for some reason pregnancy does not occur, then menstruation occurs and the egg is released from the body.

In very rare cases, ovulation can occur 2 times a month, but at approximately the same time, with an interval between the first and second of no more than 2 days. It is during this short period of time that conception is possible. Without ovulation, conception is impossible.

Therefore, to successfully plan a pregnancy, you need to have a good understanding of ovulation issues and be able to calculate days favorable for conception.

How to seize the moment?

Each woman's egg matures and is released approximately 14 days (plus or minus 2 days) before the next menstruation begins. And what day it will be from the date of the start of the last menstruation depends on the length of the cycle of a particular woman.

This is where all the complexity of calculating ovulation using the calendar method lies. If you have a 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs around day 14 of your cycle. If your cycle is 32 days - on the 18th day of the cycle, and so on.

Based on this knowledge, you can calculate the date of ovulation using. But, if a woman has an irregular cycle, then its length changes each time, for example, from 30 to 40 days, and it is almost impossible to calculate ovulation in this way. That’s why they came up with ovulation tests and the basal temperature method, which help in realizing our maternal destiny. But more on that later.

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There are terms such as early and late ovulation.

If the egg is released, for example, on the 12th day instead of the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, then this ovulation is early. Therefore, late ovulation is when the egg is released later than the middle of the cycle. There are several reasons for such phenomena:

• Irregular periods
• Hormonal disbalance
• Postpartum period
• Regular stress
• Post-abortion
• Gynecological diseases
• Premenopausal period in women over 40 years of age.

How does ovulation occur?

Just recently, scientists for the first time captured the moment of ovulation on video during an IVF operation. Previously, it was a mystery, shrouded in darkness, and one could only guess about what was happening in the female body.

The process only takes about 15 minutes. A hole forms on the wall of the follicle, resembling a wound, from which a small cell emerges. It is small and invisible to our eyes, but in fact it is the largest cell in the human body.

Some women are able to feel ovulation. They notice some dull or stabbing pain that is growing, which is barely noticeable if you don’t pay attention to it. Then a fairly sudden cessation of pain occurs - this means that ovulation has occurred.

The egg, leaving the ovary, is picked up by the villi of the fallopian tube, and they direct it towards the uterus and towards the sperm. The egg waits only 24 hours to meet them, and if not a single sperm reaches it, it dies.

If during these 24 hours the sperm merges with the egg, we can say that conception has occurred. As you can see, the moment of ovulation and conception are somewhat different in time.

Signs of ovulation

As already mentioned, some women feel pain in the ovary at the time of ovulation. It is difficult to tell whether this pain is caused by a burst follicle or simply tension in the ovarian area. According to doctors, ovulation cannot be felt, since the follicle does not contain nerve endings.

But it can definitely be said that the ovulation process is controlled by sex hormones, which affect the emotional state of a woman and even her body temperature.

A day or two before ovulation, the level of the hormone estrogen in the blood rises sharply, due to which a strong emotional and physical uplift is felt, and the feeling of sexuality and self-confidence increases. This hormone also helps increase vaginal discharge - cervical mucus, which becomes thinner and clearer.

All this is not in vain, because these days are the most favorable conditions for conception. Ovulation has not yet occurred, but the sperm has just enough time to reach the location of the egg after it is released from the ovary. And cervical fluid has a composition that helps sperm reach their destination and remain active longer.

The hormone estrogen also affects basal body temperature, which is measured in a state of complete rest immediately after waking up in the rectum, vagina or mouth. Only with this measurement method can you see how the temperature before ovulation, under the influence of the hormone estrogen, decreases by 0.1 or 0.2 degrees.

At the very moment of ovulation, the temperature usually returns to its previous level, but the next day it increases significantly by several tenths of a degree. It is on this principle that the method of determining ovulation by basal temperature is based.

To summarize, the following signs of ovulation can be identified:

• Pain in the ovarian area (doubtful sign)
• Improved mood, increased activity and sexual desire
• Liquid, copious and clear discharge
• Decrease in basal temperature

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Methods for determining ovulation

There are several ways to determine ovulation.

Let's look at each of them.

1 Calendar method used for stable menstrual cycle. Any girl can do the counting herself. With a menstrual cycle of 28 days, ovulation will occur on days 13–16. If the cycle length is 30 days, then on days 14–17.

2 Also, with determining the time of ovulation, it can help determine Ultrasound – ultrasound diagnostics.

To do this, it is necessary to observe the process of maturation of the follicle in the ovary, from which the egg will subsequently be released. At least three ultrasounds will be required, but it will be worth it. At the beginning of the cycle, several follicles of approximately the same size are visible in a woman’s ovary. A follicle is a sac in the ovary that contains an egg.

Then one of the follicles begins to grow and it becomes clear that it is from this follicle that ovulation will occur. Its size increases gradually from 1 mm to 20 mm. When the follicle reaches its maximum size, the doctor concludes that ovulation is imminent and sends the woman home.

A few days later she visits the ultrasound room again, and if the follicle is no longer there, then it has burst and an egg has been released from it. In other words, ovulation has occurred.

3 There is also a traditional method for calculating ovulation - maintaining a basal temperature calendar.

Every day, as soon as the girl wakes up in the morning, measure the temperature in the rectum (insert a thermometer there).

Typically, the temperature at the end of menstruation stays at 36.6 - 36.9°, before ovulation it drops slightly, then rises sharply and remains between 37.0 - 37.3° until the next menstruation.

4 Most women use rapid tests, which are freely sold in pharmacies. Such tests react to the content of a special luteinizing hormone in a woman’s urine.

If the test result is positive, ovulation will begin within 16 to 26 hours.

Method for determining the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine.

The very peak of estrogen, which occurs on favorable days before ovulation, provokes the release of this hormone. Thanks to it, the follicle ruptures and the egg is released.

LH is detected in a woman’s urine 1-2 days before ovulation, and it is on its detection that the pharmacy ovulation test is based.

It should be done daily for several days, approximately in the middle of the cycle. It is important not to miss the moment when LH levels are highest.

This can be judged by the very bright 2nd line on the test. After this point, ovulation will occur in 1-2 days.

To achieve success in determining ovulation, it is not at all necessary to conduct several ultrasounds every month or endlessly buy tests. There is one plus to all this - every woman ovulates at approximately the same time in the cycle.

What is ovulation? How not to miss a good moment for conception? Everything is very simple - we focus on the signs and symptoms of ovulation, use basal temperature, an ovulation test and folk remedies - and pregnancy is in our pocket!

Ovulation: what is it?

Ovulation(from the Latin ovum - egg) is one of the stages of the menstrual cycle, which is the process of rupture of a mature follicle with the release of a mature egg capable of fertilization from the ovary into the abdominal cavity.

The process of ovulation is controlled by the hypothalamus by regulating (via gonadotropin-releasing hormone) the release of hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary gland: LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone). In the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle before ovulation, the ovarian follicle grows under the influence of FSH. When the follicle reaches a certain size and functional activity, under the influence of estrogens secreted by the follicle, an ovulatory LH peak is formed, which triggers the “maturation” of the egg. After maturation, a gap is formed in the follicle through which the egg leaves the follicle - this is ovulation. There is approximately 36 to 48 hours between the ovulatory LH peak and ovulation. During the corpus luteum phase after ovulation, the egg usually moves down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. If fertilization of the egg occurs during ovulation, then on days 6-12 the zygote enters the uterine cavity and the implantation process occurs. If conception does not occur, the egg dies in the fallopian tube within 12-24 hours.

Ovulation and conception

When does ovulation occur?

Average Ovulation occurs on the fourteenth day of the menstrual cycle(with a 28-day cycle). However, deviation from the average is often observed and to a certain extent is the norm. The length of the menstrual cycle itself is not a reliable source of information about the day of ovulation. Although usually with a shorter cycle ovulation occurs earlier, and with a longer cycle - later.

The ovulation rhythm, which is constant for every woman, undergoes changes within 3 months after an abortion, within a year after childbirth, and also after 40 years, when the body prepares for the premenopausal period. Physiologically, ovulation stops with the onset of pregnancy and after the cessation of menstrual function.

How does ovulation and conception occur?

The female body is endowed with two ovaries, located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce hormones, the most famous of which are estrogen and progesterone.

The ovaries contain eggs even at the stage of intrauterine development of a girl. There are hundreds of thousands of eggs in a newborn's two ovaries. True, all of them are inactive until the onset of puberty and the first ovulation, that is, until about 12 years of age. During this time, a certain number of cells die, but 300,000 - 400,000 full-fledged eggs remain. From the moment of the first ovulation until the onset of menopause, a woman will experience from 300 to 400 menstrual cycles, as a result of which the same number of oocytes will mature and can become fertilized. During the menstrual cycle, one of many eggs matures in the ovaries.

Under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) of the pituitary gland, an endocrine gland on the lower surface of the brain, the follicle (sac) with the egg selected for ovulation in a given cycle begins to grow. The diameter of the follicle at the beginning of the cycle does not exceed 1 mm, and after 2 weeks it reaches 20 mm. As the follicle grows, a bulge forms on the surface of the ovary, which by the middle of the cycle increases to the size of a grape. Inside the follicle there is fluid and a small nucleolus with a diameter of 0.1 mm.

The period of maturation of the egg until its release from the ovary can last from 8 days to a month, although on average it lasts about 2 weeks. The main factor influencing the duration of this process is the time it takes the body to reach its estrogen threshold. High levels of estrogen stimulate a sharp increase in the content of luteal stimulating hormone (LH), which causes the egg to break through the ovarian wall within one to two days after a sharp rise in its level. Midway through the cycle, approximately 12 days after the start of menstruation, the pituitary gland releases large amounts of luteinizing hormone (LH), and ovulation occurs approximately 36 hours later.

Chromosomes located in the nucleus of cells are carriers of the genetic code. The purpose of fertilization is the fusion of two sex cells (gametes) originating from individuals of different sexes. All cells of the human body contain 46 chromosomes. Therefore, two gametes must form a new cell, which also contains 46 chromosomes. A simple addition would result in 92 chromosomes, but this would lead to a biological error, the consequence of which would be the termination of the race. Consequently, each partner must halve its number of chromosomes (to 23). In the egg, a reduction in the number of chromosomes occurs after the pituitary gland releases luteinizing hormone several hours before ovulation. For such a transformation, 20 - 36 hours are enough for her. Preparing itself to receive a sperm, the egg pushes half of its chromosomes to the periphery, into a small sac called the first polar body. The meeting with the sperm must occur at a strictly defined time. If this happens earlier, the egg will not be ready to receive the sperm, since it will not have time to divide its chromosomes; if - later, then she risks missing the period of maximum readiness for fertilization.

Next 14 days after ovulation, the second part of the cycle, take place in preparation for conception of the uterine mucosa. All preparation is in vain if conception does not occur, and its biological consequences will pass along with menstrual bleeding. But in one of the ovaries a new egg is already preparing for ovulation.

What happens after ovulation during conception?

The egg released from the follicle, having reduced the chromosomes, enters the fallopian tubes, which are connected to the ovary with their soft fimbriae. The fringes resemble an open flower at the end of the stem. And its living petals capture the egg as it moves. The fusion of the egg and sperm usually occurs in the fallopian tube itself.

The fallopian tube is a cylindrical muscular organ; inside it is lined with a mucous membrane covered with villi and containing glands that produce secretions. This structure facilitates the movement of the egg and (if fertilization has occurred) the embryo into the uterus.

To fertilize an egg, sperm must enter the body at approximately the same time that the egg leaves the follicle. This may seem easy to achieve, but the egg only lives for 24 hours or less after ovulation, and the sperm remains capable of fertilizing it for only a few days. Thus, sexual intercourse must happen at your most opportune time if you want to get pregnant.

Thus, ovulation period– the most successful period for conceiving a child. In this regard, it is important to be able to determine when does ovulation occur. You can do this yourself at home, for example, by measuring your basal temperature. Special devices have also been developed (for example, ClearPlan Easy Fertility Monitor), which, based on the hormone content in urine analysis, can more accurately determine the moment of ovulation: ovulation tests. More accurate determinations can be made in a clinical setting, for example, by ultrasound monitoring the growth and development of the follicle and determining the moment of its rupture.

When planning conception naturally, the procedure of in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination, one of the most important points is the moment of ovulation itself.

Symptoms of ovulation:

How to determine ovulation?

Symptoms of ovulation that a woman can notice without a doctor:

• short-term pain in the lower abdomen,
• increased sexual desire.

During a gynecological examination during ovulation, an increase in the amount of mucus secreted from the cervical canal is observed. In addition, sometimes they use the stretchability and transparency of mucus, and also observe its crystallization, which can be done using a special microscope for home use.

The next most accurate method for determining ovulation is measuring basal temperature. An increase in mucous discharge from the vagina and a decrease in rectal (basal) temperature on the day of ovulation with an increase the next day most likely indicates ovulation. The basal temperature chart reflects the temperature effect of progesterone and indirectly (but quite accurately) allows you to determine the fact and day of ovulation.

All of these listed signs of ovulation and methods for determining it provide only approximate results.

Signs of ovulation, which are stated by the doctor:

How to accurately recognize ovulation?
There are methods that help to absolutely determine the moment of ovulation:

Ultrasound observation (ultrasound) of the growth and development of the follicle and determination of the moment of its rupture (ovulation), see photo. Ultrasound monitoring of follicle maturation is the most accurate method for determining ovulation. After the end of menstruation, approximately on the 7th day of the cycle, the gynecologist performs an ultrasound using a vaginal sensor. After this, the procedure should be carried out every 2-3 days to monitor the preparation of the endometrium. Thus, it is possible to predict the date of ovulation.

dynamic determination of luteinizing hormone (LH level) in urine. This method is simpler and can be applied at home using ovulation tests. Ovulation tests begin to be carried out 2 times a day, 5 - 6 days before expected ovulation, strictly following the instructions.

Ovulation test at home

Home ovulation tests work by detecting a rapid rise in the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. A small amount of LH is always present in the urine, but 24-36 hours before ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary), its concentration increases sharply.

Using Ovulation Tests

On what day should testing begin? This day depends on the length of your cycle. The first day of the cycle is the day when menstruation begins. Cycle length is the number of days that have passed from the first day of the last menstruation to the first day of the next.

If you have a regular cycle, then you need to start doing tests ~17 days before the start of your next menstruation, since the corpus luteum phase after ovulation lasts 12-16 days (on average, usually 14). For example, if the usual length of your cycle is 28 days, then testing should begin on the 11th day, and if 35, then on the 18th.

If your cycle lengths vary, choose the shortest cycle in the last 6 months and use its length to calculate the day to start testing. If your cycles are very inconsistent and there are delays of a month or more, using tests without additional monitoring of ovulation and follicles is not reasonable due to their high cost (using tests every few days can miss ovulation, and using these tests every day is not worth it ).

When used daily or 2 times a day (morning and evening), these tests give good results, especially when combined with ultrasound. With simultaneous monitoring by ultrasound, you can not waste tests, but wait until the follicle reaches approximately 18-20 mm, when it is able to ovulate. Then you can start doing tests every day.

Performing an ovulation test

You can take an ovulation test at any time of the day, but you should stick to the same test time whenever possible. You should refrain from urinating for at least 4 hours before the test. Avoid excess fluid intake before testing, as this may reduce the amount of LH in the urine and reduce the reliability of the result.

Determining ovulation using test strips: place the test strip in a jar of urine up to the line indicated on the test for 5 seconds, place it on a clean, dry surface, and watch the result after 10-20 seconds.

Determining ovulation using a test device: Holding the tip of the absorbent pointing down, place it under a stream of urine for 5 seconds. You can also collect the urine in a clean, dry container and place the absorbent in the urine for 20 seconds. Keep the tip of the absorbent pointing downwards and remove the absorbent from the urine. Now you can put the cap back on. The result can be seen in 3 minutes.

Ovulation test results

Results of determining ovulation using a test strip: 1 strip means that an increase in LH levels has not yet occurred, repeat the test after 24 hours. 2 stripes - an increase in LH levels is recorded, the intensity of the strip next to the control one indicates the amount of the hormone. Ovulation is possible when the stripe intensity is the same as the control or brighter.

Results of determining ovulation using a test device: Look at the result window and compare the result line on the left near the arrow on the body of the stick with the control line on the right. The line closest to the arrow on the body is the result line, which shows the level of LH in the urine. Further to the right of the arrow on the body of the stick there is a control line. The control line is used for comparison with the result line. The control line always appears in the window if the test was carried out correctly.

If the result line is paler than the control line, the LH surge has not yet occurred and testing should be continued daily. If the result line is the same or darker than the control line, then the release of the hormone in the ear has occurred, and within 24-36 hours you will ovulate.

The most suitable 2 days for conception begin from the moment when you determine that the LH surge has already occurred. If sexual intercourse occurs within the next 48 hours, your chance of getting pregnant will be maximized. Once you have determined that an outlier has occurred, there is no need to continue testing.

Types of Ovulation Tests

The most common are disposable test strips for determining ovulation, similar to pregnancy tests, their price is not high.

There are also devices for determining ovulation, which are gradually replacing expensive one-time tests; they also quite accurately determine the moment of ovulation, but they are also multifunctional and more economical, they do not need to be changed every time after use and they are designed for many years of work.

The tests allow you to fairly accurately determine ovulation; experts attribute the existing errors in the results of ovulation tests only to their incorrect use.

Thus, by combining several methods to determine the moment of ovulation, you can track the long-awaited ovulation with an absolute guarantee. After all, it is on these days that the chance for successful conception is the highest: there is ovulation - conception is possible.

Ovulation calendar

Using ovulation data from a basal temperature chart or tests for at least 3 months, you can create an ovulation calendar. The calendar allows you to predict the day of the next ovulation, thus making it possible to plan conception and pregnancy.

Ovulation and pregnancy

For a woman, the few days before and after ovulation represent the fertile phase during which conception and pregnancy are most likely.

There is a noticeable difference in the timing of ovulation among different women. And even for the same woman, the exact timing of ovulation varies from month to month. Menstrual cycles may be longer or shorter than average and may be irregular. In rare cases, it happens that women with very short cycles ovulate around the end of the menstrual bleeding period, but in most cases, ovulation occurs regularly at the same time.

Not only the actual conception of the child, but also its gender depends on the time of conception in relation to the time of ovulation. Directly at the moment of ovulation, there is a high probability of conceiving a boy, while before and after ovulation, a girl is more likely to be conceived. This is explained by the fact that sperm with the Y chromosome (boys) are faster, but live shorter and are less stable in an acidic environment before ovulation than with the XX set (girls). If the egg is already moving toward fresh sperm, the “boys” will reach it faster. If sperm “wait” for an egg for a long time, most of the sperm remain in it to conceive a girl.

The likelihood of conception and pregnancy is generally highest on the day of ovulation and is estimated at approximately 33%. A high probability of pregnancy is also noted on the day before ovulation - 31%, two days before it - 27%. Five days before ovulation, the probability of conception and pregnancy is 10%; four days - 14% and three days - 16%. Six days before ovulation and the day after it, the likelihood of conception and pregnancy during sexual intercourse is very low.

Considering that the average “lifespan” of sperm is 2-3 days (in rare cases it reaches 5-7 days), and the female egg remains viable for about 12-24 hours, then the maximum duration of the fertile period is 6-9 days and the fertile period corresponds to a phase of slow increase (6-7 days) and rapid decline (1-2 days) before and after the day of ovulation, respectively. Ovulation divides the menstrual cycle into two phases: the follicle maturation phase, which with an average cycle duration is 10-16 days and the luteal phase (corpus luteum phase), which is stable, independent of the duration of the menstrual cycle and is 12-16 days. The corpus luteum phase refers to the period of absolute infertility; it begins 1-2 days after ovulation and ends with the onset of a new menstruation. If for one reason or another ovulation does not occur, the endometrial layer in the uterus is thrown out during menstruation.

Ovulation stimulation

Lack of ovulation is one of the common causes of infertility.

Ovulation disorders are caused by dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system and can be caused by inflammation of the genitals, dysfunction of the adrenal cortex or thyroid gland, systemic diseases, tumors of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, intracranial pressure, and stressful situations. Ovulation disorders can be hereditary in nature (primarily, it is a tendency to certain diseases that interfere with ovulation). Anovulation - the absence of ovulation during childbearing age - is manifested by a disturbance in the rhythm of menstruation such as oligomenorrhea (menstruation lasting 1-2 days), amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Lack of ovulation is always the cause of a woman's infertility.

One of the common causes of infertility is the lack of ovulation, most often due to hormonal imbalance, which, in turn, can occur due to stress, brain injury, abortion, etc. To treat this condition, a complex of hormonal drugs is used that stimulate ovulation and cause superovulation, when several eggs mature in the ovaries at the same time, which increases the chances of fertilization, and is widely used in the IVF procedure.

Another cause of infertility may be, for example, luteal phase deficiency - LPF, when ovulation has occurred and the concentration of progesterone in the second phase of menstruation is insufficient for implantation of the embryo into the uterus. In this case, treatment is carried out aimed at stimulating the function of the corpus luteum of the ovary and increasing the level of progesterone in the blood. However, correction of NLF is not always successful, since this condition is often associated with other gynecological diseases and requires a thorough examination.

If a woman has a disruption in the process of follicle maturation and, accordingly, ovulation, ovulation is stimulated. For this purpose, special medications are prescribed - ovulation inducers. Prescribing medications leads to stimulation of the development of one or more eggs in patients, which will then be ready for fertilization. Before prescribing such serious therapy, a full range of tests is carried out to determine the woman’s hormone levels. In addition to the use of ovulation stimulation, regular diagnostics using ultrasound are also carried out. After ovulation, if it is still not possible to become pregnant naturally, the patient undergoes intrauterine insemination or IVF. There is a big difference in the method of stimulating ovulation for IVF and for natural conception: in the first case, several eggs are achieved, in the second - 1, maximum 2.

Drugs to stimulate ovulation

The most commonly used drugs to stimulate ovulation are Clostilbegit and gonadotropic hormone drugs.

Preparations of gonadotropic hormones contain hormones of the endocrine gland of the pituitary gland - gonadotropins. These are follicle-stimulating hormone - FSH and luteinizing hormone - LH. These hormones regulate the process of follicle maturation and ovulation in a woman’s body and are secreted by the pituitary gland on certain days of the menstrual cycle. Therefore, when medications containing these hormones are prescribed, follicle maturation and ovulation occur.

Such drugs include Menopur (contains the hormones FSH and LH) and Gonal-F (contains the hormone FSH).

The drugs are available in injection form, administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously.

How is ovulation stimulated?

Various ovulation stimulation schemes are used depending on the type of ovulation disorder and the duration of the disorder. When using a regimen with Clostilbegit, the latter is prescribed from days 5 to 9 of the menstrual cycle. A combination of this drug with gonadotropins is often used. In this case, Clostilbegit is prescribed from days 3 to 7 of the menstrual cycle with the addition of Menopur (Puregon) on certain days.

When carrying out ovulation stimulation, a very important point is to carry out ultrasound monitoring, that is, monitoring the maturation of the follicle using an ultrasound machine. This allows you to make adjustments to the treatment regimen and promptly avoid such side effects of stimulation as the growth of several follicles. The frequency of ultrasound examinations during the treatment program is on average 2-3 times. During each examination (monitoring), the number of growing follicles is counted, their diameter is measured and the thickness of the uterine mucosa is determined.

When the leading follicle reaches a diameter of 18 millimeters, the doctor may prescribe the drug Pregnil, which completes the final process of egg maturation and causes ovulation (direct release of the egg from the follicle). Ovulation after Pregnil administration occurs within 24-36 hours. Depending on the type of marital infertility, during the period of ovulation, either intrauterine insemination is carried out with the sperm of the husband or donor, or the time of sexual intercourse is calculated.

Depending on the duration and cause of infertility, the woman’s age, the pregnancy rate per attempt is 10–15%.

Conditions for ovulation stimulation:

1. Examination of a married couple.
List of tests:
HIV (both spouses)
Syphilis (both spouses)
Hepatitis B (both spouses)
Hepatitis C (both spouses)
Smear for degree of purity (woman)
Bacteriological cultures: chlamydia, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, trichomonas, candida, gardnerella (both spouses)
Smear for oncocytology (woman)
Therapist's conclusion about the possibility of pregnancy
Ultrasound of the mammary glands
Blood test for antibodies to rubella, that is, the presence of immunity (protection) in a woman

2. Patent fallopian tubes.
Since fertilization occurs in the fallopian tube (“Physiology of Conception”), patent fallopian tubes are an important condition for pregnancy. Assessment of fallopian tube patency can be carried out using several methods:

• Laparoscopy
• Transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy
• Metrosalpingography

Since each method has its own indications, the choice of method is determined jointly by you and your attending physician at the appointment.

3. Absence of intrauterine pathology
Any abnormalities in the uterine cavity prevent pregnancy (“Intrauterine pathology”). Therefore, if a woman has indications of trauma to the uterine mucosa (curettage of the uterine cavity during abortion and bleeding, inflammation of the uterine mucosa - endometritis, intrauterine device and other factors), hysteroscopy is recommended to assess the condition of the uterine cavity (“Hysteroscopy”).

4. Satisfactory sperm quality
Satisfactory sperm quality – absence of male factor infertility. If intrauterine insemination is not planned, a postcoital test (“Postcoital test”) is recommended before inducing ovulation.

5. Absence of acute inflammatory process
Absence of acute inflammatory process of any localization. Any inflammatory disease is a contraindication for many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in medicine, since it carries a risk of worsening the patient’s condition.

It is best to use folk remedies to stimulate ovulation only after consulting a doctor.

Ovulation photo taken during IVF surgery

The 3rd photo shows that several eggs have matured (after preliminary stimulation of ovulation).