How to track your cycle when trying to get pregnant

27 Jul

How to track your cycle when trying to get pregnant

Successful conception depends a lot on getting the timing of ovulation right. To figure out the ‘fertile window’ during the menstrual period, women need to track their periods over a few months to learn the length of each period, work out the average, and predict the days they are most likely to be fertile. Tracking menstrual cycle is the first step when trying to get pregnant, as the length of each period can vary in many women.

Length of a typical menstrual cycle

Generally, the menstrual cycle days are about 28 days long, but it can vary for many women depending on some factors. The length of the same woman’s menstrual cycle can also vary from month to month. The cycle can still be considered regular if it varies between 24 to 38 days- meaning that the number of days between the first day of the current period and the first day of the next period is at least 24 days but doesn’t go beyond 38 days. For some women, the periods are regular enough to be predicted to the exact day and time, while the others can only predict it to an accuracy of a few days.

Tracking the menstrual cycle

Menstrual cycle period tracking is essential for the estimation of the fertility window in all women. As most women’s menstrual cycle varies by a few days over months, the average length needs to be calculated to get a working number. To get the average menstrual cycle length, add the total number of days and divide it by the number of periods.

Example:

Cycle 1 was 28 days; cycle 2 was 32 days; cycle 3 was 27 days; cycle 4 was 29 days.

28 32 27 29 = 116

116 divided by 4 = 29

Therefore the average length of the menstrual cycle was 29 days.

Working out the fertility window

When you know the average number of days, it is possible to work out the fertility window as ovulation occurs 14 days before starting the next period.

If the average is 29 days, then the ovulation would occur around day 14. Therefore the days 13, 14, and 15 are the most fertile days.
If the average menstrual cycle is 35 days, then ovulation occurs on day 21. The days leading up to it from 19, 20, and 21 are the most fertile.
If the cycle is 21 days long, then day 7 is when the ovulation occurs, and days 5, 6, and 7 are the most fertile days.

Predicting Ovulation

Knowing the pregnancy ovulation time from tracking the period gives an estimate of the day of ovulation. Women can also look for other signs to confirm ovulation, such as:

Rise in basal body temperature (BBT): By measuring and recording the body’s temperature immediately after waking up in the morning, women can track the average BBT. On the day of ovulation, you can see a slight increase in BBT.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Spike: Digital monitors for the hormone can detect an LH spike in the urine, indicating ovulation within 24 to 48 hours.

The menstrual cycle needs to be tracked over months to narrow down the fertility window – the time frame when a woman has the best chances of getting pregnant. The average number of days of a cycle needs to be first extracted through observation, and then you can estimate the fertility window.

References:

https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/your-menstrual-cycle

https://www.yourfertility.org.au/everyone/timing

https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/what-cycle-tracking-can-tell-you-about-your-health/