Kiddipedia
Finding your most fertile days when you’re trying to conceive can be tricky. To clarify things and make your conception journey easier, leading Australian fertility specialist, Dr Raewyn Teirney, founder of the conceiveplease fertility tracking app, offers this advice.
1. Find Your Most Fertile Days by Tracking Your Cycle
Tracking your cycle is one of the best ways to find your most fertile days. Once you get into the groove of knowing when you are going to menstruate and when your body is preparing for conception (ovulation), you will easily find your ovulation window and begin the baby making business. As a fertility specialist, I know that couples who do this have an improved chance of falling pregnant.
A typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, though this may vary between individuals. Your menstrual cycle begins on the day you start your period. This is what we call The Menstrual Phase (Days One to Five). Some women may have longer periods, or shorter. You will be able to track your cycle by counting and noting the days. You’ll also begin the Follicular Phase too (day 1 to 13), where your ovaries begin to grow a follicle that contains the important egg.
Around day 13 in the cycle (late follicular phase) the brain releases the Luteinising Hormone (LH). LH is responsible for helping the follicle release the egg which is picked up by the Fallopian tube. Your Ovulation Phase begins at Day 14, which is when you move into your most fertile days.
The Luteal Phase (Days 15 to 28) is when your body starts producing the Progesterone Hormone important for supporting the early stages of pregnancy.
If you have timed intercourse around your fertile days, there is a chance the egg be successfully fertilised. If the egg is not fertilised, you will have your period and be back at the start of your cycle. So, it’s those crucial days around the Ovulation Phase that will help best locate your most fertile days. I tell my ladies to start baby-making the two days leading up to ovulation phase and including the day of ovulation. This gives the highest chance of a pregnancy.
2. Monitor Your Basal Body Temperature
Part of tracking your cycle and predicting your most fertile days is to monitor your Basal Body Temperature. Use a high-speed digital thermometer first thing in the morning, before you eat or exercise. If your cycle is regular, you’ll notice a tiny drop in temperature – about 0.2 degrees Celsius at the time ovulation starts. It will rise the next day and remain higher until your period. This window is the perfect time to start trying to conceive.
3. Test For Luteinising Hormone
You can pick up a simple urine test to do this at your local chemist. Simply follow the instructions and it will guide you as to when your LH levels are highest, and you are in the middle of your most fertile days.
4. Monitor Your Cervical Secretions
Getting to know your cervical secretions can guide you as to when your most fertile days have arrived. When you go to the toilet, check for changes in these secretions – they can indicate when you’re ovulating. When you are not ovulating, cervical secretions will be minimal. During your most fertile days, you will notice that they are clear to look at and thin, slippery, and stretchy in texture. The thin, slippery mucus helps your partner’s swimmers get through the cervix to the “promised land” which is your fallopian tube containing the egg awaiting fertilisation.
5. Pelvic Pain
Around the time of ovulation, you might notice pain in the lower pelvic region. This could be located on either side. This is a sign that you’re ovulating, that you are experiencing your most fertile days.
6. A Heightened libido
A 2003 study showed that women who were both entering and in the Luteal Phase had an increase libido. It found that sexual desire peaks about three days prior to the Luteal surge, when you are in your most fertile days. To make the most of this window, you should follow your urges and start trying to conceive 24 to 36 hours before your LH surge.
7. An Amplified Sense Of Smell And Taste
Again this comes down to hormonal surge. The sense of taste and smell are heightened primarily because your body is naturally attracted to the male pheromone androsterone.
8. Enlarged, tender breasts
Oestrogen and luteinizing hormones are high before and during ovulation, which might cause great tissue to become stimulated in some women. It also might cause breasts to become swollen and tender, with sore nipples.
9. Fluid retention and bloating
As with your breasts, this is caused by hormonal surge. It’s a good indicator that you’re in your most fertile stage of your cycle.
10. Acne
Some women will experience acne or oily skin around the time of their most fertile days. It is usually localised around the chin and jawline.
