The term “ovulation” itself comes from the Latin ovum - egg; This is the name given to the process of release of a mature egg capable of fertilization from the ovary into the abdominal cavity.

Physiologically, ovulation is one of the stages of the menstrual cycle. Ovulation in women of childbearing age occurs periodically, every 21-35 days - in the middle of the menstrual cycle (the cycle is usually counted from the first day of menstruation). The frequency of ovulation is regulated by hormones from the pituitary gland, an endocrine gland located in the brain, and ovarian hormones (estrogens and progesterone). Ovulation stops with the onset of pregnancy and after the cessation of menstrual function.

The most favorable time for sexual intercourse for the purpose of conception is when ovulation is about to occur and sperm have enough time to enter the fallopian tubes, where they “wait” for the release of the female germ cell, or immediately immediately after ovulation, when the egg is already in fallopian tube.

Day of Conception

If you correctly calculate what day ovulation will occur and have sexual activity during this period of time, then there is a high probability that the woman will become pregnant.

So, how can you determine ovulation? First of all, using subjective signs. This may include short-term pain in the lower abdomen, a feeling of a “bursting bubble” in the middle of the cycle, some women note an increase in sexual desire - this is due to the release of estrogens during ovulation - female sex hormones that are produced in the ovaries. Some signs can be detected during a routine gynecological examination, although it is difficult to imagine that a woman who believes that she has no reproductive problems will consult a gynecologist just to determine ovulation. However, a woman can notice a number of signs herself.

The day of ovulation can be determined by observing the secretion of mucus from the cervical canal. The maximum secretion of mucus is associated with a sharp increase in estrogen levels and coincides with the moment of ovulation. In addition, sometimes the stretchability of mucus is used, and its crystallization is also observed. During ovulation, the mucus becomes very viscous, it can be stretched between the fingers up to 8-10 cm. The more pronounced the crystallization, the greater the likelihood of ovulation. This phenomenon is most clearly manifested 3-4 days before ovulation and reaches a maximum on the day of expected ovulation. Crystallization is the result of biophysical and biochemical changes in the cervical mucus. During this period, there is an increase in the amount of mucus and an increase in the concentration of salts, primarily sodium chloride, which, along with potassium ions, is responsible for the phenomenon of crystallization. With pronounced crystallization, mucus looks like a fern under a microscope. There are special microscopes for home use that you can apply mucus or saliva to. The main changes occur precisely in the vaginal mucus, but they also affect the entire body, so for convenience they began to work with saliva, in which it is also possible to determine the symptom of crystallization. The action of the Baby Plan ovulation detection device is based on this phenomenon.

The next most accurate and informative method for determining ovulation is measuring basal temperature - the temperature in the rectum. The method is quite simple and does not require virtually any special equipment other than a regular medical thermometer.

Basal temperature is measured with the same medical thermometer in the morning, immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed. The measurement must be carried out at the same time, inserting a thermometer into the anus to a depth of 4 - 5 cm. Temperature measurement data is plotted on a graph, the vertical axis of which is the temperature, and the horizontal axis is the day of the menstrual cycle. The chart also shows days of sexual intercourse.

For many women, careful monitoring of the basal temperature chart can reveal that before the temperature rises, there is a short drop in temperature. According to this method, it is believed that the moment of ovulation occurs 12 hours before the increase in basal temperature or between the decline and the beginning of its rise.

Is it possible to choose the gender of the child?

When planning a pregnancy, few potential parents do not think about how to choose the sex of their unborn child in advance. Some need a boy, others need a girl. Such planning becomes especially relevant when the family already has one child. As a rule, parents dream of having a second child of the opposite sex.

There is only one way to more or less scientifically soundly try to plan the gender of the child. A sperm with a male set of chromosomes moves faster, but lives shorter than a sperm with a female set. Therefore, the coincidence of sexual intercourse with ovulation (about 14 days before the onset of menstruation in a 28-day menstrual cycle) increases the likelihood of having a boy, and the birth of a girl is more likely if intercourse occurs 2-3 days earlier. However, this rule does not always work, since it concerns the classic situation of parents who are “super healthy” in all respects. If one of the partners has health problems, this, as a rule, affects the “speed characteristics” of sperm. For example, this happens when the acid-base balance of the genital tract is disturbed or the qualitative composition of the secretion changes in women, or when physical fatigue occurs in men (it also affects the mobility of the “livelings”).

But all these listed methods give only approximate results. Their accuracy makes it possible to determine the moment of ovulation only by using all of them in a comprehensive manner and with fairly long-term observation. What allows you to accurately determine the moment of ovulation and guarantee it to be documented? Strictly speaking, there are only two such methods.

The first is ultrasound monitoring of the growth and development of the follicle - the vesicle in which the egg matures, and determining the moment of its rupture - ovulation itself. Often, with the use of modern devices, it is possible to see even the moment of release of the egg, if the study is carried out at the right time.

The second method is the dynamic determination of luteinizing hormone in urine (this is also an ovarian hormone, the amount of which increases during ovulation). This method is much simpler and can be used at home, for which special tests are used. Tests begin to be carried out 2 times a day (every 12 hours) 5 - 6 days before expected ovulation, strictly following the instructions attached to them. The determination is stopped after receiving the first positive result. Ovulation occurs approximately 16-28 hours after the first positive test result. To control, you can immediately conduct another test. The most convenient and informative use of tests for luteinizing hormone in conjunction with measuring basal temperature. Dynamic determination of luteinizing hormone was previously used only in specialized medical institutions, but now there are test strips, the same as for determining early pregnancy. Such tests are sold in pharmacies. Thus, the problem of determining the moment of ovulation should be considered practically solved.

It must be said that if there are no alleged problems with conception, then you can start with a simpler method - calculating your ovulation based on the duration of the menstrual cycle. To do this, as we have already said, the duration of the menstrual cycle must be divided in half. You can start “working” on conception, taking into account the fact that some sperm live up to 7 days, a week before the expected ovulation, the favorable period will end 3 days after ovulation.

Keep in mind that pregnancy may not occur immediately during the first “dangerous” period, because... Even healthy young women have 1-2 cycles a year in which ovulation (the release of an egg) does not occur.

In addition, ovulation is affected by stress, climate changes, etc.

Conception position

After you have calculated the most favorable days for conception, you must avoid douching, any soap and similar products after sexual intercourse. Firstly, the very fact of washing contributes to the mechanical removal of sperm, and secondly, hygiene products create an environment in the vagina that is unfavorable for sperm. And before sexual intercourse, you should take a shower in advance (30-60 minutes) so that a normal, natural environment can be restored in the vagina.

Couples who want to conceive often wonder: is there a special position they should use? It's safe to say that any position acceptable to both partners will do. After sex, it is better to lie on your side or with your pelvis elevated for 15-20 minutes to prevent sperm from leaking out.

We hope that our tips will help you move into the category of future parents as quickly as possible.

What days are the most dangerous for pregnancy, when conception can occur? Every educated woman knows that she cannot conceive every day. It is possible to get pregnant only on the days of ovulation, when an egg is “born” in the ovary. Before and after this event there is no egg, which means there cannot be a child. However, in this case, different nuances are possible. Let's talk about dangerous days for pregnancy, the accuracy of their calculation, and why women, even those who know their physiology well, still get unplannedly pregnant.

So, the female menstrual cycle is divided into three phases. The first begins with the next critical days. In the first days of the cycle, 5-7 days, bleeding is usually observed. The dominant follicle in the ovary is determined, and hormonal changes occur, due to which it ruptures, and a mature egg, ready for fertilization, is released into the internal genital organs. This process is called ovulation. This is the second, ovulation phase of the cycle, which falls approximately in the middle of the cycle.

Immediately after ovulation, a corpus luteum appears in the ovary, which begins to produce the hormone progesterone. The endometrium is transformed and becomes favorable for egg implantation. And if fertilization of the egg occurs, and it exists only for a maximum of 48 hours, and more often 24 hours, then the level of progesterone remains high. This is expressed as tenderness of the mammary glands, as a rule. If conception does not occur, then shortly before the onset of menstruation, progesterone levels decrease. And these hormonal changes provoke endometrial detachment and the beginning of a new menstrual cycle.

Is it possible to get pregnant immediately after menstruation, say, on the seventh day of the cycle? Ovulation cannot happen that early. However, sperm have the property of not dying in the female genital tract for up to three days. Therefore, there is a small chance of pregnancy if a woman has a shortened menstrual cycle, its duration is less than the statistical average. Just over 20 days.

Well, according to most women, after menstruation, the days dangerous for pregnancy begin around the tenth day. And ends 2 days after ovulation. Thus, to avoid unwanted conception without using medically recommended contraception, you just need to learn how to calculate or determine ovulation. Ovulation has some pretty noticeable symptoms.

1. Copious, mucous discharge from the vagina that “stretches.” Similar to egg white. They are often found on toilet paper.

2. Minor spotting, stabbing pain in the ovarian area. Injection in the ovary begins immediately at the “birth” of the egg. Well, spotting is a small detachment of the endometrium that occurs in response to a temporary decrease in hormones. It doesn't happen to everyone. They often go unnoticed due to their small numbers.

3. Increased libido. Sexual desire is at the highest level. This can be explained by some natural pattern. This ensures better fertility.

4. Increase in basal temperature. Its measurement is best done in the rectum. Be sure to do it in the morning, without getting out of bed and without making unnecessary movements. In general, in order to create your own conception calendar, that is, to calculate online days that are dangerous and safe for pregnancy, it is enough to enter the start date of the last menstruation and indicate the duration of the cycle. But by charting your basal temperature changes, you can get even more accurate data.

So, just before ovulation, a few hours before it, the temperature drops slightly, and immediately after it rises to 37 degrees or higher. At the same time, it remains elevated almost until the beginning of the next menstruation. And in case of pregnancy it does not decrease at all.

However, no calculation of dangerous days for pregnancy or otherwise safe days of the cycle provides 100% guarantees of accuracy. Often calculations and subjective feelings turn out to be erroneous, and an unwanted pregnancy occurs. It will be more correct and effective to use contraception approved by doctors.

So, a woman and a man really want to have a child, but how can we increase the likelihood that conception will occur as quickly as possible? Sometimes it’s just enough to know all the “subtleties”!

The main thing is to catch ovulation! Determine the day of ovulation (when the egg leaves the follicle into the abdominal cavity). This usually occurs on days 14-16 from the first day of the last menstruation (with a cycle of 28-30 days). But this is usually the case, but in reality, it happens differently; ovulation can occur even during menstruation (but this is rather an exception, but it still happens). A mature egg lives from 12 to 24 hours, and only during this time can fertilization occur.

And only a woman who carefully monitors her body can guess for herself that the time has come for ovulation. In pre-ovulation days and on the day of ovulation, a woman may feel slight nagging pain in the lower abdomen, breast tenderness, increased libido, feel slight pain in one of the ovaries, and also notice that daily discharge has become similar in consistency to raw egg white.

Have sex three times a week. You will do the wrong thing if you direct all your energy to sex at the time of expected ovulation and forget about intimacy during the “safe days”; it would be more correct to start having sex immediately after the end of the menstrual period.

Since we have already understood that ovulation can occur on any day, especially if the girl does not have a regular menstrual cycle, therefore, sex 3 times a week will help not to miss the very moment when conception is possible! But no need to go to extremes! It is strictly not recommended to have sex every day, because... Daily ejaculations will negatively affect the quality and quantity of sperm. Daily sexual intercourse makes the male body sterile. A man needs up to 48 hours to save up. And from this point of view, the most optimal regimen, according to sexologists, is three times a week, or in other words, about once every two days. Various studies by scientists have shown that abstaining from sex for more than seven days can cause a decrease in male fertility (ability to bear children): with abstinence, the number of sperm increases, but not its morphological characteristics.

When it comes to sperm, it is true that quality is more important than quantity! Thus, the established opinion that abstinence is necessary before conception is not entirely correct.

It's better to have sex before ovulation, not after. There is a short period of time during your cycle when you can get pregnant. After ovulation, the egg can be fertilized within about 24 hours. Sperm, in turn, live from three to five days. This is why sex 2-3 days before ovulation increases the chances of successful conception.

But, I repeat, there is no need to wait until the day of ovulation to make love, since the partner’s sperm will live in the woman’s body for several days and the woman will not miss the chance to get pregnant.

Sex should be fun! Thanks to desperate attempts to get pregnant, sex in a couple can become mechanical and stop bringing pleasure. Meanwhile, this also plays an important role. It turns out how aroused you are can affect your chances of conceiving. Many researchers claim that orgasm increases your chances of getting pregnant!

Don't focus on wanting to get pregnant! Don’t stress, don’t get hung up, don’t fall into despair, “turn off” what is called your head and relax. A healthy and reasonable desire for pregnancy helps conception much more than tense, gloomy calculation of cherished days, hysterics over the arrival of menstruation, blaming each other for the inability to conceive.

Is posture important? The best position for those who want to become parents is missionary. It makes sense to place a pillow under your buttocks during sex. The likelihood of pregnancy is reduced if, after ejaculation, sperm immediately flows out of the vagina or simply does not come into contact with the cervix. Therefore, say, the “woman on top” position or the standing position cannot be considered optimal for conceiving a child, since in such positions sperm flows out easily (although conception is by no means impossible in these positions). Also keep in mind that the first portion of ejaculate contains the largest number of sperm.

Many people believe that after intercourse a woman should lie with her legs raised for half an hour. True, the effectiveness of this method has not been scientifically proven, but you can still try it to be more likely. But if you look at this issue from a medical point of view, it turns out that sperm have a special means of transportation - a flagellum, so couples do not have to worry about the position they take. When seminal fluid enters the vagina, millions of sperm rush up to the uterus and are there in just five minutes. Only diseases of the cervix can prevent them. And the fact that a small part of sperm leaks out after sexual intercourse is completely natural, and there is no need to worry about this.

Be careful with oral sex! It turns out that saliva has a negative effect on sperm, as most studies have shown.

Be careful with sports! Increased physical activity causes a protective reaction of the body: it has no time for pregnancy, it devotes all its energy to muscle development. So the chances of conceiving are somewhat reduced. In addition, excessive muscle tension can lead to a reflex change in the contractile activity of the fallopian tubes and the uterus itself, and this is both an obstacle to the meeting of sperm and egg, and reduces the chances of attachment of the fertilized egg to the uterus.

So it makes sense, a couple of months before the expected conception, to reduce the load so that it remains at a level that does not strain the body too much, and it is also important not to overly pump the abs.

Stop dieting! Eating low-calorie foods or not eating enough food and, as a result, losing weight, negatively affects the hormones responsible for fertility.

When planning a pregnancy, it is better to say goodbye to the diet at least several months before trying to conceive.

What's the probability? For most couples who are planning to conceive, the chances of getting pregnant in any given month are approximately 15% to 25%. According to statistics, a healthy married couple who has sex 2-3 times a week without contraception usually takes six months to a year to conceive. So don't worry if you don't succeed the first time.

Average chances of getting pregnant while having unprotected sex:
25% of couples manage to conceive in the first cycle
40% during the first three months of trial
65% within 6 months trial
75% within 9 months
85% within the first year
90% within 18 months

Difficulty conceiving. For conception, a combination of certain circumstances is necessary. Here are just a few of the factors that sometimes cause such a delay.

– Women's underweight(especially if you weigh less than 50 kg) may interfere with ovulation.

– Overweight woman often causes an increase in estrogen levels, which leads to cycle irregularity and ovulation disorders.

– One of the factors for delayed or absent ovulation may be psychological stress in a woman. And also studies have shown that the less stress and troubles a man experiences, the more germ cells his testicles produce.

– Vaginal microflora must be balanced. Artificial vaginal lubricants (lubricants, etc.) often contain spermicides - substances that destroy sperm. Vaginal sprays and douches affect the acidity of the vagina, which can make it difficult for sperm to survive. In addition, douching (among other things can lead to infections and inflammation), the use of vaginal aerosols, scented pads and tampons, etc. can disrupt the pH balance of the vagina and can cause allergic reactions that kill sperm, as well as flush out the cervical fluid, making it impossible for sperm to move towards the egg.

– Effect of caffeine and nicotine the ability to conceive has not yet been studied in detail, however, there is noteworthy data indicating that these substances can reduce spermatogenesis, in other words, delay the formation of sperm and impair their motility, as well as complicate the processes of fertilization and egg implantation.

Therefore, both partners need to at least limit, or better yet, completely abandon coffee consumption and smoking. Try to reduce the amount and strength of your coffee and tea. And also do not forget that there are also other caffeine-containing drinks (for example, Coca-Cola, etc.).

– Taking antibiotics in the recent past, it may have provoked disturbances in the bacterial flora in the vagina, which can interfere with conception.

After completing antibiotic treatment, a woman needs to use contraception for 1-2 cycles, and only then think about conception. But if a man was treated with antibiotics, then he should abstain for 3 months, because sperm mature in approximately 70-90 days.

– Some may find this very funny, but still properly selected men's trousers and underwear can actually increase your chances of success to a certain extent if you are planning to conceive a child. It’s quite simple to explain: the optimal temperature for sperm maturation is about 2 degrees below the general body temperature. To ensure this temperature in the testicles, they need to hang freely in the scrotum. But wearing tight underwear or trousers, elastic panties, as well as underwear made of synthetic materials increases the temperature of the testicles, and this increase in temperature is sometimes so significant that it can reduce the formation of sperm and impair the ability to fertilize (mature sperm simply cannot survive or even cannot form from such a high temperature). Studies to establish the relationship between the type of underwear and fertility have shown that men who wore boxer shorts had a higher sperm count than those who wore tight underwear. For the same reasons, men who are concerned about procreation are not recommended to lie in a hot bath, steam in a sauna, use a heated car seat, or be overweight.

Therefore, avoid anything that directly or indirectly leads to an increase in temperature in the groin and perineum area. Try to wear loose cotton underpants. At home and wherever possible, wear loose clothing. Also, if a man sits for long hours, the temperature in the groin area certainly rises. Therefore, men, by the nature of their professional activities, who lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, must get up and walk from time to time so that the testicles move away from the hot body. If it is hot, it is recommended to use special breathable mats on the car seat to avoid overheating and sweating in the groin and perineum.

– Attention to the genitals! In addition, both partners should protect themselves from hypothermia and in every possible way avoid situations in which overheating or hypothermia of the genital area may occur.

It is also important not to allow the genitals to become numb (due to long or uncomfortable sitting or very tight clothing), because Poor circulation in this area negatively affects reproduction.

If pregnancy does not occur... First of all, you should remember that after stopping taking oral contraceptives, at least a month must pass (regardless of the duration of taking the OC) until your ovulation returns to normal. In general, in most cases, fertility is restored 2-3 months after stopping oral contraceptives.

Women aged 30 to 35 years old should visit a doctor 6-9 months after unsuccessful attempts to get pregnant, but 35-40 year old women should consult a doctor after 6 months of unsuccessful attempts, and women over 40 years old - after three months of having sex without protection.

If your pregnancy does not occur within this time, then it makes sense for you and your husband to visit the necessary specialists. And based on your general examinations, the doctor can recommend a specific way to solve this problem for you. Good luck!

Different married couples have different attitudes towards the possibility of planning a pregnancy and even the sex of the unborn baby. Some people prefer to trust chance, while others want to somehow influence nature or try to increase their chances by acting according to its rules.

Cyclic processes constantly occur in the female body due to the activity of the hormonal and reproductive systems. They find their manifestation in the menstrual cycle, which normally repeats every month. The period of egg maturation, ovulation and menstrual bleeding replace each other, and all these processes are aimed at a common goal: fertilization of the egg maturing in each cycle, the potential conception of a child and the onset of pregnancy. But, unfortunately, in some cases, a woman and a man who decide to become parents fail to find the most suitable moment for this.

Calculating the conception calendar will be especially useful for those women who want to get pregnant as quickly as possible: using the calendar, you can select the most favorable days on which to schedule sexual intercourse, so that pregnancy is highly likely to occur.

To do this, you just need to enter some data into the interactive windows of our calculator: the date of the first day of your last menstrual period, the average length of your menstrual cycle and the period you are interested in getting pregnant.

Using this service, it is possible to calculate the most favorable days for your body specifically for conception in this or the next menstrual cycle, as well as create a schedule of the best days for a longer period of time - from several months to a year. This function will significantly increase the likelihood of pregnancy if you apply the data obtained in practice, as well as use some tips to get pregnant faster: refuse sexual intercourse on the eve of the fateful act, restore physical strength with prolonged sleep and emotional peace, direct your efforts to improve

blood circulation in the pelvic organs, reconsider your eating habits and, possibly, lifestyle, and so on. Moreover, you must understand that these recommendations apply equally to both potential parents - both women and men.

It is believed that if you calculate the conception calendar, you can to some extent plan the gender of the unborn child. There are various methods for planning the gender of the unborn child: by blood type, by blood renewal, by horoscope, by date of conception, etc. But our service provides the opportunity to calculate the conception calendar using a table compiled using empirically derived patterns based on average statistical data.

How to determine the days when you can get pregnant?

When can you get pregnant, or more precisely, on what days of the cycle? This question worries both girls who want to quickly become mothers and those who do not plan motherhood in the near future. When is conception most likely to occur?

Take, for example, a couple in which the partners are not infertile. As you know, a woman can conceive a child only in the middle of the menstrual cycle, during a period called “ovulation,” when an egg ready for fertilization awaits sperm. Ovulation occurs on different days for all women, depending on the individual characteristics of the body and the length of the menstrual cycle. And there are also “sterile” cycles, when the egg does not mature at all, the ovaries rest. And this does not mean that the woman is not healthy. Also, ovulation is absent during pregnancy, it may not occur during the entire period of breastfeeding, in those girls who have not yet had menstruation, when taking hormonal contraceptives, certain medications, etc. And so, in a healthy woman with a menstrual cycle length of about 28-30 days (average duration) ovulation occurs on days 12-16. With a shorter cycle - earlier, with a longer one - later.

How to accurately calculate the days when you can get pregnant? This can be done in several ways:

  • using an ovulation test;
  • method of measuring basal temperature;
  • according to subjective feelings;
  • according to the results of ultrasound examination.

Not all women have such sensitivity to be able to determine the days when you can’t get pregnant and when you can, not everyone has the time and money to go for an ultrasound and buy special tests, so the most popular method is measuring basal temperature. By regularly measuring the temperature in the rectum and plotting graphs, it is possible to predict “dangerous” and “safe” days with fairly high accuracy.

Are there cases when conception occurs outside of ovulation and how soon, or more precisely, when can you get pregnant after menstruation? In fact, even sexual intercourse at the beginning of menstruation can give new life. To do this, only 2 conditions must be met: the period from one period to another must be short, and the sperm must be viable. Thus, ovulation can occur, for example, on the 10th day, on this day conception will occur, although intimate relations took place 3-4 days before. After ovulation, the egg remains viable for no more than 2 days. This means that if ovulation has definitely passed, then the period after it until the next period (approximately 2 weeks) is the safest for those who are not yet eager to have children. This is a kind of contraceptive method called “calendar”. However, it does not differ in accuracy. And the question “when can you get pregnant before or after your period” is not correct.

For reference:

The beginning of the menstrual cycle occurs on the first day of menstrual flow. This is where the calculation is made.