Ovulation Calculator

Why Use the Ovulation Calculator?

When you're trying to conceive, it is very important to know your most fertile time so you can increase your chances of getting pregnant in the least amount of time. An ovulation calculator can be very helpful in determining this fertile period.

The average menstrual cycle runs for 28 days. While the time prior to ovulation can vary from month to month, the time after ovulation is the same for most women. The time after ovulation is called the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and it generally lasts from 10 days to two weeks and ends when you begin your period (or get pregnant).

An ovulation calculator, like the one we have for you here, takes the average menstrual cycle and subtracts the luteal phase. It then can give you the dates that you will be most fertile so that you can be sure to try for conception during that time. This can increase your chances of achieving a pregnancy sooner than when you try without knowing your fertile times.

Is It Accurate?

The answer to that is yes and no. Women with a very regular cycle will see much more accuracy than those who are irregular in their menses. The more you know about your own cycle, the more accurate the ovulation calculator will be.

An ovulation calculator can give you the starting date of your fertile period, or at least an approximation of it, but that isn't a guarantee of conception. Many things can interfere with ovulation, including stress or an abnormal luteal phase.

What the ovulation calculator does do is give you the time most likely to be your fertile days so that you can concentrate your efforts when it's most likely to be effective. It also gives you a starting point for further things you can do to increase your likelihood of getting pregnant.

Ovulation and Fertility

There are things you should keep in mind when using an ovulation calculator. It's very unlikely that it will give you an exact ovulation date because most women do not have exact 28 day cycles or the same exact length of luteal phase.

Your fertile time is not just the day you ovulate. Women are most fertile starting three days prior to ovulation and remain fertile for one day after ovulation. You also should realize that sperm stays active for around three days after sex so conception isn't always that same day.

To increase your chances of a successful conception, start trying a few days before the ovulation calculator says you'll be fertile and keep trying a few days after.

In Addition to the Ovulation Calculator

To increase chances of success even more, use the ovulation calculator to get the approximate time of fertility and then start a basal body temperature chart to confirm ovulation. You should do this for 2-3 months, unless of course you conceive before that time is up.

Make sure you take your basal body temperature within 30 minutes of the same time every day. Make sure you have at least four straight hours of sleep prior to taking your temperature as it will be off if you didn't. Use the same thermometer throughout the entire cycle, as there may be some variance.