Ovulation Detection Methods

When trying to conceive, timing is, of course, essential! Egg needs to meet sperm in the fallopian tube, and together the newly attached couple waltzes ever so slowly (it can take 7+ days!) down the tube into the uterus. Next, if implantation occurs in the uterus, a pregnancy will have been achieved!

Your egg's mission is to be courted by a sperm. Your mission, should you be seeking conception, is to introduce Ms. Ova to some eligible sperm. And, imagine, hundreds of millions initially contend for your one little egg!

Now, back to timing. Once you ovulate, and the egg is released, it only has between 12 and 24 hours to live. If it doesn't mate up with a viable sperm - the chance in this cycle is gone, and you need to wait til your next menstrual cycle to start trying again.

To the rescue, sperm. They're a hardy lot and can survive in fertile quality cervical mucus for up to 5 days, meaning they can patiently wait for your egg to be released. Where do they wait? Some start their journey North, seeking THE EGG, while many - the stealthy ones - wait in cervical crypts, which are tiny structures in the cervix, which not only produce cervical fluid but also provide a safe-haven for sperm to hang out in!

Bottom line here: if sperm are introduced before you ovulate, they can be around to court your egg! Moreover, if sperm enter the picture at about the time you ovulate, or shortly after you ovulate, sperm and egg have a chance of uniting!

Hence, the all-important question: when do you ovulate during your cycle? If you know that -- or approximately when -- you can time intercourse for the best chance of conceiving during your cycle.

There are several ways to determine and understand your fertility cycles. These include ovulation/fertility prediction tests that you can purchase; And, the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which refers to techniques by which you can understand and predict your reproductive cycles. These are discussed below in the following sections: