Table of Contents
Roughly 84% of couples achieve pregnancy within a year of regular and unprotected sex.[1] However, how long it takes to get pregnant varies widely between couples, based on factors ranging from age to general health. Knowing which days of your menstrual cycle you’re most fertile, though, can increase your chances.
Trying to conceive can be stressful, but some of that stress can be alleviated by tracking your cycle and calculating your ovulation. The Forbes Health ovulation calculator below can help you estimate what days of your cycle might result in a pregnancy.
How to Calculate Ovulation Using Our Calculator
Enter the first day of your last menstrual period and your cycle’s typical length. Our calculator will then provide your expected ovulation date and the range of days when you’re most fertile.
Note: Many people have variable cycle lengths that change from month to month. Experts recommend assessing your average cycle length over the course of three months before calculating your fertile window.
What Is Ovulation?
Ovulation is when a mature egg makes its way from the ovary through the fallopian tube to be fertilized by sperm. The uterine lining thickens during the preovulatory phase in anticipation of a possible pregnancy, preparing the uterus for a fertilized egg.
Ovulation occurs at the end of the follicular phase, which starts on the first day of your menstrual period and ends with ovulation. If the egg does not fertilize, the uterine lining is shed during the part of the cycle known as menstruation.
When Do You Ovulate?
Most people ovulate anywhere between days 10 and 17 of their cycle, which is counted from the first day of your last menstrual period. However, ovulation dates can vary from one cycle to the next, and ovulation can even occur even in the absence of a menstrual period. Tracking your cycle and using an ovulation calculator can help give a clear understanding of your ovulation schedule when trying to become pregnant.
Curious About Your Fertility?
Whether you’re looking to have kids soon or thinking about it for the future, explore a range of Female Fertility Tests that can help you stay informed about your hormonal health. Order yours today from LetsGetChecked. Get 30% off with code FORBES30.
Ovulation Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of ovulation can be different from person to person, and some may experience no symptoms at all. The primary signs used to predict ovulation include:
- Changes in cervical fluid
- Changes in basal body temperature
- Changes in cervical position or firmness
Some people also experience secondary symptoms of ovulation including:
- Cramping or pain on one side of the lower abdomen
- Tender breasts
- Bloating
- Light spotting
- Heightened sex drive
- Heightened senses of smell, taste or vision
How to Get Pregnant
Frequent sex on your fertile days, which includes five days before and the day of ovulation, can increase the odds of conceiving in a given month.
If you’re trying to get pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends having sex on your fertile days, ideally every day or every other day. Maintaining a healthy weight can also help increase the chances of conceiving, as being overweight or underweight can increase the risk of complications.
Use our ovulation tracker in conjunction with tracking your own symptoms to determine which days of your cycle you’re fertile. Consider tracking and charting your basal body temperature and monitoring changes in your cervical mucus as well, for additional accuracy. In order to increase the chances of pregnancy, avoid alcohol, smoking and consider limiting caffeine.
For additional information and help, discuss your pregnancy plans with your health care provider so they can assess any current medications you’re taking that might hamper fertility. Your doctor can also advise about other lifestyle changes that might better your chances of conceiving.
You May Also Be Interested In Modern Fertility Tests Available On Amazon
Modern Fertility Ovulation Kit
Buy Now
On Amazon
$14
4 per kit
99% accuracy at detecting LH
Modern Fertility Pregnancy Test
Buy Now
On Amazon
$16
20 per kit
99% Accuracy
(Note: Product details and pricing are accurate as of the publication date.)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is ovulation day?
Ovulation day is the day your ovary releases an egg for its journey down the fallopian tube to potentially be fertilized by sperm.
How long does ovulation last?
An egg lives for up to 24 hours after leaving the ovary. If fertilization does not occur after the egg is released, the egg dissolves.
How many days after ovulation can you get pregnant?
Your fertile days are the five days before your ovulation day and your ovulation day itself. You cannot get pregnant once ovulation has passed and your egg has dissolved.
What does ovulation feel like?
For some people, ovulation comes with no feelings or symptoms at all, while others might experience mild cramping on one side of the lower abdomen. These cramps are known as mittelschmerz, or, “middle pain.”
How long does it take to get pregnant after sex?
Implantation of a fertilized egg occurs roughly six to 10 days after ovulation.
What are the chances of getting pregnant?
The chances of getting pregnant each month decline with age. Healthy couples in their 20s and early 30s have up to a 30% chance of getting pregnant in a single menstrual cycle, according to ACOG. By age 40, that number drops to less than 10%.
