On what day of the cycle does ovulation occur - we determine the best days to conceive a child. Planning pregnancy during late ovulation. The most common causes of late ovulation

It would seem that a young woman can get pregnant quickly and effortlessly. Especially if your periods are regular, your health indicators are excellent, and your spouse dreams of a child no less than yours... But how to calculate what day of ovulation on a cycle of 28 or 30 days in order to finally catch this elusive egg and conceive a long-awaited little life?

The mechanism of conception is both simple and complex. Nature designed it in such a way that a woman is given the opportunity to become pregnant every month. However, some women easily take advantage of this opportunity, even planning a date upcoming birth. And others, no matter how much they want, cannot get pregnant. What's the matter? Maybe you should just make a simple calculation and figure out a good day for conception?

Normal menstruation is a periodic phenomenon, repeating from month to month, and it is not for nothing that the interval between the beginning of the previous and the beginning of the next menstruation is called a cycle. It is this cyclicality that allows you to calculate the days when you can get pregnant. And also safe days when unprotected lovemaking is not undesirable consequences. A natural biological method of contraception is based on this calculation. "Classical" female cycle is 28 days. A duration of 30 days is also the absolute norm.

Around the seventh day of the cycle, it is determined dominant follicle– it will grow for about another week and then rupture, releasing a mature egg. The egg will begin its journey through the fallopian tube to the uterus, remaining viable for about a day. If sexual intercourse occurs at this time, and sperm are given the opportunity to penetrate the cervix (express methods of contraception will not be used, the woman will not rush to the shower immediately after ejaculation, etc.), one of the achieved fallopian tube The sperm will fertilize the egg and conception will occur.

As a rule, symptoms of ovulation do not appear externally, but some women note nagging pain in the abdomen, changes in well-being, and engorgement of the mammary glands. All these signs are called ovulation syndrome. However, you should not trust such “tips” entirely.

How to define “these days”

  • Ultrasound of follicles;
  • blood test to determine the concentration of luteinizing hormone (ovulation hormone);
  • maintaining a schedule basal temperature;
  • ovulation test.

Every woman can independently calculate ovulation at home by measuring her basal temperature daily or using a test. Test diagnostics are done repeatedly, starting from about 11-12 days of the cycle. The mechanism of action of the test is simple: the reagent applied to the strip strip is sensitive to luteinizing hormone, which controls the release of the egg.

On the eve of ovulation, the test shows clear 2 stripes. On average, on the fourteenth day of the cycle, the test will show positive result- this means you can’t waste precious time: the egg lives for about a day or two! And if you miss the opportunity, you will have to wait at least another month for the favorable moment.

Keeping a temperature chart and buying tests - all this requires a certain discipline and financial investment. Or you can simply calculate the day of ovulation, knowing the start date of your last menstruation. How to do it?

Useful formulas

The arithmetic of calculating ovulation is simple. If the cycle is 28 days, then we divide 28 in half, remembering that ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle, and we get the number 14. This means that with a 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs on the 14th day from the start of the last menstruation. For example, the last period came on January 5, which means that ovulation will occur in 14 days. It will be January 19th - the most successful day for conception. However, minor disruptions are possible even in the body of healthy women, and the egg may be “delayed” in being released or released earlier. Plus, don’t forget that sperm have their own “ideas” about what is considered life expectancy. So, if the egg is given 12 to 24 hours, the sperm can survive up to a week!

Textbooks on gynecology describe a simple way to calculate the monthly time of fertility (ability to conceive).
Beginning: divide the number of days of the cycle in half and subtract average term life of sperm: 28:2-4= 8. Therefore, conception is possible already from the 8th day of the cycle.

End: divide the number of days of the cycle in two and add the lifespan of the egg (1 day) and a possible error of 2 days (if the definition is approximate) - 28:2 + 1+2 = 17. Consequently, the ability to conceive remains until the seventeenth day of the cycle.

For a 30-day cycle, the calculation is similar. The fertile phase begins on the 9th day of the cycle, and its end on the 18th day.

Why is ovulation delayed or comes earlier?

Despite the apparent simplicity and accessibility of calculating a day favorable for pregnancy, there may be some nuances here. Even with regular cycle Ovulation can occur not just a day later or a day earlier - these deviations from the norm can also be longer. For example, such a concept as early ovulation- This premature ripening eggs. This phenomenon can occur for a number of reasons, among which the most common are:

  • failure in the hormonal system;
  • stress;
  • treatment with drugs that affect hormonal levels;
  • sports overload;
  • establishing a cycle after childbirth or abortion, etc.

When it happens premature ovulation, you can accurately calculate her day at home only by measuring basal temperature or using a test. As practice shows, early ovulation can occur immediately after the last day of menstruation, and therefore, when asked whether it is possible to get pregnant on the 6th day of the cycle, an experienced gynecologist will answer positively, noting that, although unlikely, this option is also possible.

And the opposite situation also happens, when ovulation occurs later than the middle of the cycle - we're talking about O late ovulation. Its onset is possible on the 18th and 21st day of the cycle, and even later. There are many reasons for late ovulation, among which the most likely are: hormonal disbalance, stressful situations, sudden weight loss, illness genitourinary system etc. In this case, it is not easy to keep track of the days when the egg is released; as usual, they will help you. basal method or using ovulation tests.

When to take a pregnancy test

With a cycle length of 28 days (or 30 days), when ovulation is clearly defined and a favorable day for conception has not been wasted, you can stock up on pregnancy tests. These little diagnosticians are able to show its onset with a high degree of probability at home.

On days 7-10 after ovulation, the fertilized egg is implanted into the uterine cavity, attached to its wall, and the production of hCG begins ( human chorionic gonadotropin human) – pregnancy hormone. The reagent applied to the pregnancy test strip is sensitive to this hormone.

The concentration of the hormone sufficient for its recognition by the test increases 12-13 days after ovulation. Thus, good test may show a positive result a day or two before the delay. The optimal time is considered to be at least from the first day of the delay. The test is carried out with a morning urine sample, however, if there is pregnancy, the hCG concentration will be sufficient at other times of the day.

Ovulation is required condition for natural conception. Learning to monitor it with a regular cycle of 28 days is not only possible, but also necessary to control own health and planning a long-awaited pregnancy.

Hello Irina.

It has long been known that the probability of pregnancy does not depend at all on what day menstrual cycle sexual intercourse occurred. The most important condition for pregnancy is that a woman ovulates on the day of sexual intercourse. Pregnancy can also occur if sex precedes the appearance of a mature egg. Moreover, from the moment of sexual intercourse until conception, several days can pass, from 1 to 3 - 5.

When does ovulation occur in a woman's body?

Average duration A woman's normal menstrual cycle is considered to be 21 to 28 days. Naturally, the time of egg maturation also varies, so the period of ovulation can occur from the 10th to the 16th day of the menstrual cycle.

Sometimes women notice an increase in the duration of their menstrual cycle. At the same time, the time of ovulation may also change. If the follicle maturation phase is delayed a little, then there is nothing to worry about. However, there are cases when this period lasts much longer than expected. This can happen by various reasons, incl. because of hormonal imbalances, taking certain medications, stress, etc. Unfortunately, a woman cannot predict at what point this will happen. That is why calendar method protection from unwanted pregnancy has long established itself as not very reliable. This explains the fact that it is very difficult to find out the time of the next ovulation. For this, women use following methods:

  1. Special tests for ovulation;
  2. Basal temperature measurement;
  3. Observation of own body, for example, changes in vaginal mucus, etc.

However, most women do not know when ovulation actually occurred, so it is very difficult to determine the likelihood of conception, as well as to find out the day on which pregnancy occurred.

Can pregnancy occur on the 18th day of the menstrual cycle?

Due to the fact that the follicle maturation phase is not stable, ovulation can occur not only in the period from the 10th to the 16th day of the cycle. This may happen a little earlier than this, or much later. Naturally, pregnancy can occur on the 18th day of the menstrual cycle. However, at the most early stages a woman may not even be aware of her pregnancy" interesting position“, especially if, according to many, sexual intercourse took place on so-called “safe” days.

If the time to use a pregnancy test is not right, a woman can find out about the pregnancy by measuring her basal temperature. As menstruation approaches, it should decrease. If the level of basal temperature in the second half of the cycle is 37.0 - 37.2 degrees and remains this way until the time when a new menstruation should begin, then this may indicate a developing pregnancy. Naturally, such conclusions can only be drawn if the temperature was measured according to all the rules:

  1. Temperature is measured in the morning, at horizontal position;
  2. The measurement must be preceded by long sleep;
  3. You cannot measure the temperature if there are inflammatory processes genital area, colds, etc.

If we talk about your case, we can conclude that pregnancy is quite possible. Increased level basal temperature can also indicate that conception has occurred. However, conclusions about pregnancy cannot be drawn from this alone. Therefore, it is necessary to take a pregnancy test or a blood test for hCG.

Maria Sokolova


Reading time: 9 minutes

A A

Every young couple wants to “live for themselves”: to share joys in half and enjoy a carefree life in which there is no place for problems, lack of finances and... responsibility. But sooner or later there comes a time when the dream of a child begins to occupy the thoughts of both, and, alas, this dream does not always come true right away - sometimes you have to work hard.

And for your efforts to be crowned with success, you need to know exactly the days on which the baby’s conception rate is highest.

On what day of the cycle does ovulation occur - determine the best days to conceive a child

Ovulation is usually called the process of the release of an egg (note: already mature and ready for fertilization) from the follicle and directly into the fallopian tube.

Each healthy woman this process occurs every 22-35 days or 10-18 days after menstruation.

Unfortunately, there is no exact periodicity of the cycle, because everything depends on the individual characteristics of each organism. specific woman and from a hormone produced by the hypothalamus.

In essence, ovulation occurs approximately 14 days before your period—regardless of the length of your cycle.

  • With a cycle of 21, ovulation will occur on the 7th day.
  • With a cycle of 28 days - on the 14th.

However, it is worth noting that when late maturation follicle, even with a 28-day cycle, ovulation will occur on the 18-20th day, and in the case early maturation– on the 7-10th day.

The maximum probability of conception, of course, is achieved on the day of ovulation, and it is 33%. It will be 2% less the day before ovulation, and only 27% will be 2 days before it. Which, however, is also not bad at all.

But 5 days before the start of ovulation, the chances of conception are negligible.

Does ovulation occur during menstruation, before or after menstruation?

As a rule, ovulation does not occur during menstruation - this is quite rare case. One could even say that it is practically impossible if the cycle remains stable without failures.

But still, this happens, and it is not an anomaly at all.

The main reasons why this can happen include:

  • Changes in climatic conditions.
  • Severe stress.
  • Hormonal disbalance.

That is, ovulation during menstruation is possible only in case of menstrual irregularities.

As for ovulation occurring immediately after menstruation - the probability similar case higher than in the previous situation. As you know, the time of ovulation depends on many reasons.

For example…

  1. With a 21-day cycle, ovulation may well begin immediately after menstruation.
  2. It can also come after menstruation if the duration of menstruation exceeds 7 days.
  3. Such cases are not uncommon when irregular cycle.
  4. Hormonal medications can also provoke ovulation immediately after menstruation.

Video: How to determine ovulation?

Signs and symptoms of ovulation - how does a woman feel?

The female body always reacts sensitively to any changes in its hormonal background. And the body responds most actively to pregnancy and ovulation.

Symptoms of ovulation include...

  • An increase in the intensity of vaginal discharge, as well as changes in its consistency (note - it becomes more viscous and thick). Discharge with blood is also possible.
  • Pain in the lower abdomen (“pulls” the stomach, almost like before menstruation).
  • Increased gas formation.
  • The appearance of pain or a noticeable increase in breast sensitivity.
  • Drastic changes taste preferences, increased sensitivity even to familiar odors.
  • Increased desire.

All these symptoms appear one or two at a time - or immediately at the same time, after ovulation they usually go away.

But, of course, you shouldn’t rely only on these symptoms! It is important to understand that these signs can also appear due to diseases that affect a woman’s hormonal background.

Well, in addition, ovulation can occur completely asymptomatically.

Methods for calculating and determining ovulation during a regular menstrual cycle

In your specific case (with a regular cycle), you can use one of the methods suggested below.

Traditional calendar method (note – Ogino-Knaus method)

If you have kept records in your calendar for at least a year, then determining ovulation will be more accurate. You should mark the day your period started and the day it ended.

  • Determine the earliest possible days ovulation according to the formula: the shortest cycle minus 18 days. For example, 24 days – 18 days = 6 days.
  • We determine the latest day of ovulation using the formula: the most long cycle minus 11 days. For example, 30 days – 11 days = 19 days.
  • The resulting interval between these values ​​is equal to the ovulation period. That is, from the 11th to the 19th day. Is it true, exact date, of course, it will not be possible to determine.

Other methods:

  1. Blood analysis . It is taken to check progesterone levels.
  2. Regular test strips to determine pregnancy: 1-2 days before ovulation they may show a positive result (or they may not).
  3. Ultrasound diagnostics. During the ultrasound procedure (during examination of the ovaries), you can notice characteristic features ovulation, if the procedure takes place after it began. For example, the size of the follicle (it will reach 20 mm) will indicate the imminent ovulation. An ultrasound will also allow you to see the release of the egg.
  4. The method is long and difficult: the temperature should be measured daily for 3 months and at the same time. Usually, a day before ovulation, there is a decrease in temperature, and then an increase of 0.5 degrees within 12 hours.
  5. And, of course, the symptoms – a set of signs of ovulation indicated above.

How to calculate the days of ovulation if a woman has an irregular cycle?

First of all, you should understand which cycle will be the norm.

It can be considered normal under the following conditions:

  • The duration of the cycle is about 28 days. An error of 7 days (in one direction or the other) is quite acceptable.
  • Regularity. That is, the cycle is always the same.
  • Duration of menstruation. Normally - from 3 to 7 days. Moreover, bleeding is observed only in the first days, the remaining days are only light spotting.
  • The volume of blood lost during menstruation – no more than 100 ml.

Discrepancies that are also variants of the norm include...

  1. Lack of ovulation once or twice a year.
  2. Slight shift of the day on which the cycle begins or ends.
  3. Violation of the regularity of the cycle during breastfeeding.

All other discrepancies and disturbances in the cycle and its features are pathology.

You can confidently talk about an irregular cycle if...

  • The start date of your period changes constantly.
  • Ovulation can occur on any day of the cycle.
  • The duration of the cycle “jumps” in different directions.

How to calculate the day of the onset of ovulation if the cycle is irregular?

The methods are approximately the same as with a regular cycle:

  • Measuring basal temperature. It is better to do this in the morning, without getting out of bed - rectally and using an ordinary (same) thermometer. We draw a coordinate system, where vertical axis is the temperature, and the horizontal line is the days of the cycle. After 3 months, draw a temperature graph, carefully connecting all the dots. The interpretation of the curve is based on a temperature drop of 0.4-0.6 degrees and a subsequent upward jump, which are noticeable immediately after flat indicators. This will be your ovulation.
  • All the same test strips. Stock up on them without saving, because you need to start testing ovulation in case of an irregular cycle from the 5-7th day. We do the test not with morning urine, but during the day, refraining from drinking liquids and urinating for about 2-3 hours before the procedure.
  • Symptoms characteristic of the period of ovulation.
  • Saliva analysis . It is done using a special device that can be purchased for home use. In the absence of ovulation, the pattern of saliva on glass under a microscope has no pattern and looks chaotic. But a day or two before ovulation, the pattern takes on a pattern that looks like a fern.
  • Ultrasound. In case of an irregular cycle, the procedure should be performed on the 5-7th day, and then again on the 10-12th day. And sometimes you can do something extra.

What secrets are hidden behind the concept of ovulation?

The cycle begins on the first day of menstruation - many people know this, but not all. Not every woman understands that ovulation of an egg is not a momentary release of troops. Everything happens much more slowly and gradually, which is why it is called the ovulation period.

During this period of time, the egg leaves the ovaries and moves through the fallopian tubes. A nimble sperm is able to get even there - its weight is very small and its speed is high.

Misconception is dangerous! Rhythms female body unpredictable. Even for one woman, cycles can change in duration, and ovulation can shift either a few days earlier than this date or to later days. Ovulation on days 18, 20 and even 21 is also possible.

Taking the 28-day menstrual cycle as a solid norm, the middle of it is considered to be the time of ovulation. This is how the myth about the 14th day developed. What about irregular periods? With cycles of 30, 32 days or more, ovulation can be expected on the 18th and 20th day from the start of the cycle.

The doctor should tell you how to determine this period and whether it can be felt. Some women can clearly name the day when ovulation took place. Late ovulation can be both a gynecological problem and the norm for an individual female body.

Understanding the significance of the timing of ovulation gives a woman the opportunity to protect herself from an unwanted pregnancy, or, conversely, to plan and fulfill the dream of her long-awaited child.

Unplanned pregnancy: why?

Natural control over the ability to give birth or protect yourself from it modern people must be present in life. But why do unplanned pregnancies still occur so much more often?

Let's name the reasons:

  • Two did not use controlled methods of contraception because the pleasure of intimacy overwhelmed the mind;
  • They did not yet know anything about such a possibility and the happy moment overshadowed even the slightest fear;
  • The couple is familiar with all methods of contraception, but does not consider them acceptable;
  • One or both know and use control methods, but they do not work in a particular period.

Bad luck - many will say. No, this is a lack of certain knowledge on the part of the woman. The desire to become pregnant or to protect yourself from this should force a woman to track ovulation. With long cycles, it occurs 18, 20, 21 days from the start of menstruation.

When a woman clearly understands which days from the beginning of the cycle pregnancy is most likely to occur, she will take all measures for protection.
The time of ovulation, no matter what day it occurs, is the most dangerous period for an unwanted pregnancy. If intimacy occurred on the 18th, 20th or 21st day of the cycle and coincided with the ovulation period, conception is 100% possible. And abstinence or protection from days 10 to 17 will be useless.

Do you know this secret?

We hope that the reader is educated, but for inexperienced young people we will reveal another secret: sperm activity does not last for 3 days, as is commonly thought. If there is cervical fluid good quality, sperm viability is extended up to 5 days. So consider when and how you should beware and take action.

If this period of sperm vital activity coincides with the period of ovulation, no matter on the 20th day of the cycle or on the 18th, 21st, then fertilization of the mature egg will occur without your participation. Be carefull. This option is possible.

The statement that a woman cannot become pregnant during her menstrual period is equally incorrect. If its duration is not 3 days, but more, you will have to use protection.
This is why disbelief in contraceptives arises if they are used at the wrong time. Married couples, if they clearly understand physiological changes in the body of a woman and together monitor cycles, ovulation dates, successfully plan the birth of children and themselves determine the time for their birth.

It's actually important

One day suddenly a young woman feels slippery wet transparent discharge between my legs, but doesn’t see anything red on the pad.

Similar to " egg white"secretion indicates approaching ovulation. Many ladies feel this phenomenon, but only a few attach importance to them and understand the manifestations of their body. And this is evidence of the readiness of a young female body for fertilization. Ovulation Herald - please love and favor. And this happens on the 13th, 14th, or even 18th, 20th, 21st day of the cycle.

Complete control over the body, understanding oneself, the situation, and participation in protecting one’s health is possible thanks to drawing up schedules. Daily control measurements are carried out at the same hours. It takes no more than 2 minutes to compile them, but the graphs allow you to know your body and physiological processes, passing in it.

If an educated mother teaches her growing daughter to do all this and uses her example to show her the rules for charting basal temperature, the woman’s future health will be in her hands.

A clear understanding that ovulation occurred on the 18th, 20th, 21st day or any other day of the cycle will help plan the birth of a child at a time when the woman is mentally, financially and physically ready for such a responsible act.
This is a whole philosophy: sexual manifestations, the birth of children, a woman’s menopause, and graphs of menstruation and ovulation cycles are pages of knowledge of this science.

Whether ovulation took place, at what time it happened, how the woman’s condition and mood changes, what to do to conceive or to prevent it - all knowledge of her body will help a woman to be independent and free.

All this applies mainly to marital relations of a couple or a permanent partner in sexual relations. Only in this case, tracking the timing of ovulation is of particular importance.

Ovulation on the 18th, 20th, 21st or any other day after the start of the cycle can occur, this is not what you should be afraid of. Her absence should worry the young woman much more. If sex life women go through with different partners, schedules will help, but to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and possible genital The only problem is using a condom. Don't forget about hepatitis, AIDS, sexually transmitted and simply fungal infections.

Take care of yourself and consult with specialists.

Timely release of the egg - important stage menstrual cycle. If ovulation is late, in some cases this can complicate the process of conceiving a baby, and if it is regularly “late”, it can serve as a sign of health problems.

When people talk about the menstrual cycle, they usually mean its “ideal” value – 28 days. In this case, ovulation occurs exactly in the middle - on the 14th day, and menstruation comes on the 29th day of the cycle. If the body is affected by any factors - stress, travel, illness - then the release of the egg may be delayed. Late ovulation with a 28-day cycle will be observed on days 16-17 or even later.

With a 30 day cycle normal indicators, naturally shift, and the release of the egg occurs around day 16, which is considered timely. It can be called late if it occurs on the 21st day of the cycle or just before your period.

If the cycle lasts 34 days, ovulation should normally occur on the 20th day. It will be later if it happens on the 23rd day or even later.

Special mention should be made about recovery after hormonal contraceptives. Ovulation after stopping OCs may be delayed or not happen at all. Typically, recovery takes approximately three cycles. To understand why this happens, you need to know how they work oral contraceptives. They suppress the activity of the ovaries, and after they are discontinued, it takes time for the work to improve. If, after stopping the OC, ovulation has not improved within three months, you should consult a doctor for advice; additional treatment may be required.

Why is there such a delay? What are the reasons for late ovulation? We have already found out that sometimes an egg can mature on the 21st day of the cycle. This situation can also arise in a completely healthy woman due to the individual characteristics of her body.

However, most often late ovulation occurs due to the presence chronic diseases or various influences, often of a psychological nature.

Normally, ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle.

Normal duration of the first and second phases

To better understand the nature of the cycle, you need to understand a little how it works. The menstrual cycle is divided into two phases. They may have different names - follicular and luteal, estrogen and progesterone, and even the banal first and second. Each phase is characterized by its own processes and symptoms. The first phase does not have a strict time frame; its duration can be different in each cycle, since it is influenced by everything - stress, diet, illness, a glass of wine with dinner, travel, lack of sleep or overwork. The same first phase is a sign of a calm, harmonious life.

But the second phase has specific instructions– normally it always lasts 13-14 days. How long does it last after ovulation? corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone. He supports elevated temperature body, necessary for the development of a fertilized egg. After its implantation, the body receives a signal about pregnancy, and the placenta takes care of the temperature for the next few months. If pregnancy does not take place, the corpus luteum dies, the temperature drops and menstruation begins.

Possible reasons

From this we can deduce two forms of late ovulation. In the first case, the first phase is extended and the development of follicles in the ovary slows down. In this case, there is late ovulation and a delay in menstruation, which is not associated with pregnancy - the timing of the cycle has simply shifted. In the second case, ovulation occurs before menstruation; the second, progesterone phase of the cycle is too short. The reasons for such phenomena will be different:

  • excess estrogen in the first phase. To help with conception, drugs with progesterone are prescribed in the second phase;
  • increased concentrations of luteinizing hormone and androgens. LH “bursts” the egg and is also responsible for the production of a certain amount male hormones in the ovaries. However, when increased concentration it slows down or even completely stops ovulation;
  • lack of estrogen in the first phase. This can be determined by the slow development of follicles, which leads to “lateness”.

Such violations may be one-time in nature and caused by various external reasons:

  • stress, prolonged or excessive psychological and physical stress;
  • change in climate or time zone;
  • abortion;
  • reception hormonal drugs and emergency contraceptives;
  • infectious diseases.

It may also be due to changing hormonal balance after the birth of a child, during lactation or before the onset of menopause. In addition, one should take into account the possibility that late exit eggs may simply be an individual trait.

Is it easy to get pregnant?

Late ovulation and pregnancy are not mutually exclusive, unless the delay was caused by gynecological problems. In the case when after ovulation, even if it happened later than usual, approximately 12-14 days pass before the start of menstruation, pregnancy can occur without problems.

If there is a short second phase, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to get pregnant with late ovulation becomes more ambiguous. In this case, you may need the help of a doctor who will prescribe a course suitable drugs to normalize the cycle. In addition, pregnancy with late ovulation may require a maintenance course of hormonal medications that will compensate for the lack of progesterone.

Obstetrician-gynecologist, doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, comments:

— If ovulation is late, but pregnancy has occurred, you should consult a doctor for monitoring regarding pregnancy.

If ovulation is late and pregnancy does not occur for more than 6-12 months, you should consult a doctor to identify other factors that interfere with pregnancy (inferiority of the first or second phase of the cycle, tubal factor, etc.). The examination will be scheduled based on preliminary diagnosis. At a minimum - ultrasound, examination and assessment of the hormonal profile. Will be excluded if necessary concomitant pathology(for example, diseases thyroid gland and etc.).

When to take the test

If pregnancy occurs as a result of late ovulation, there are several things to remember: important points.

When to take a pregnancy test? First of all, it depends on the length of the cycle. If, with a 21-day cycle, ovulation normally occurs on days 8-10, then the test can be done around day 23 or 24 of the cycle. If ovulation is late at this time, the result will be negative; in this case, the test can be done no earlier than day 25-26. If the cycle lasts 35 days, pregnancy after late ovulation can be “caught” no earlier than 39-40 days.

If the test does not show a second line the first time, do not worry: the procedure can be repeated after a few days. Perhaps the concentration of hCG was still insufficient, since tests from different companies have different sensitivity to this hormone.

If pregnancy has occurred, the woman must inform the gynecologist about the specifics of her menstrual cycle so that the doctor can correctly calculate the due date. Since conception occurred later than generally accepted norms, the size of the fetus will be smaller.

It is very important to immediately inform the doctor that the pregnancy occurred due to late ovulation, otherwise he may suspect a frozen pregnancy or slow fetal development. This is due to the fact that the obstetric gestational age and the actual one visible on ultrasound will differ, because it is usually calculated from the date of the last menstruation, with ovulation “by default” in the middle of the cycle. With late ovulation, the gestational age will actually be shorter, so the “lagged” indicators actually correspond to the norm

The hCG level will also differ from what it should be at the current obstetric stage. There is no need to worry too much about this, but it is better to monitor the dynamics of this indicator for some time

Thus, late ovulation does not interfere with pregnancy, but when the test shows it, you should carefully monitor the health and development of the baby.

How to recognize it

Ovulation, as a rule, is manifested by a set certain symptoms, which are stronger or weaker in many women:

  • increased libido;
  • change of character cervical mucus;
  • change in the position of the cervix.

Additionally, some women may feel light nagging pain from one of the ovaries, called ovulatory, or observe slight bleeding on the day the egg is released. All these symptoms are purely individual in nature and are not mandatory. There is no need to explain what the displacement of these signs means - if they are always felt, then their “lateness” will be a symptom of delayed ovulation.

Basal temperature chart

The simplest method that any woman can use is. And although the majority modern doctors consider the method outdated and do not trust it, it still has many fans. The measurement is carried out rectally, using mercury thermometer immediately after waking up. The result must be recorded daily to create a graph.

Clear signs of late egg release can be seen when keeping a basal temperature chart. The graph will clearly show that the ovulatory surge does not occur at the scheduled time - in the middle of the cycle - but somewhat later. For BTT readings to be reliable, it should be monitored for at least 3 months.

The day before the release of the egg, a decrease in basal temperature is observed, and the next day it rises to 37 and above. To find out exactly what day the egg will be released, you need to take measurements long time(at least three months). Using the compiled graphs, you can clearly see the decrease and increase in indicators. The latter will indicate the onset of late ovulation.

Readings are taken immediately after waking up, in a state of complete rest, without getting out of bed. Temperature can be taken rectally, vaginally or orally. The first option is the most accurate, the last is the least.

Folliculometry

Another way to identify delayed ovulation is to conduct an ultrasound cycle with an interval of 2-3 days (). This will allow you to monitor the development of the follicles and notice the release of the egg.

Ovulation tests

You can also use homemade ones, which need to be repeated several times until the test shows a positive result. On the eve of ovulation, luteinizing hormone will be released and can be detected in the blood and urine. To wait for the day when the test shows the coveted second line, you need to use it daily during the period of expected ovulation. That is, starting from about day 12 of the cycle (if it is regular).

If the cycle is irregular, then use the shortest cycle in the last six months (for example, 25 days) as a basis and subtract 16 days. It turns out that with such a cycle, you need to start using the test from the 9th day of the MC.

For more reliable result the test must be done at the same time. Moreover, unlike a pregnancy test, an ovulation test is not done early morning, and in the period from 10 to 20 hours. , This method quite effective, but the tests are not cheap, and you will need quite a lot of them.

Important! All methods are uninformative when used once. To obtain reliable information, observations must be repeated over a period of 3-6 months - the longer, the more accurate the picture.

Ovulation before menstruation

Some women ask if ovulation can happen before their period. Yes, in some cases it can. But most often this indicates that the woman has serious hormonal imbalances.

After all, if the egg was released 5-7 days before menstruation, then the second phase of the cycle - luteal - is too short. In such a short period of time (less than 10 days), the endometrium will not be able to reach maturity, it will be too thin, and ovum will not be able to attach to the wall of the uterus. Conception becomes problematic.

Normally, if the follicle bursts late, the entire cycle is lengthened. And your period will come later - at least 10 days after the release of the egg. Late ovulation and delayed menstruation are interrelated concepts. However, a delay does not indicate pregnancy.

After discontinuation of COCs

Considering that many modern women use oral contraceptives as protection against unwanted conception; they are concerned about whether pregnancy is possible after stopping them. If, after stopping taking OCs, tests have not shown the coveted second line for more than a year, this is a reason to undergo a thorough gynecological examination.

The point is that it must advance in due dates after a few months. This time is necessary for the body to fully restore its reproductive function.

After all, oral contraceptives contain sex hormones that inhibit the following natural processes in the body:

  • do not allow the egg to mature;
  • reduce the number of cuts fallopian tubes, along which the fertilized egg must move;
  • contribute to an increase in the amount of cervical mucus, which interferes with the full passage of sperm.

Sometimes, immediately after stopping ovulation, ovulation does not occur immediately or it happens late. It happens that the body full recovery reproductive function it may take more than a year.

This is due to the following factors:

  • age after 30 years;
  • instability of the immune system;
  • presence of concomitant chronic diseases;
  • long-term use.

Gynecologists believe that each year of taking OCs is equal to three months of the recovery period.

Is it necessary to treat

A one-time delay in ovulation associated with external causes does not require intervention or serious treatment. It is enough to normalize your lifestyle and the cycle will also return to normal. More serious reasons for delayed ovulation can be a number of gynecological diseases. In this case, it is necessary medical assistance. Such pathologies include:

  • diseases in which the level of estrogen in the blood increases (endometriosis, some types of breast cancer, endometrial hyperplasia);
  • diseases characterized by increased levels of male hormones (polycystic ovary syndrome, pathologies of the adrenal cortex);
  • low-grade inflammation of the uterus or fallopian tubes, ovarian cyst, genital tract infections (chlamydia, trichomonas, ureaplasma).

Often late ovulation can serve as the only sign of these processes.

In addition to all of the above, late ovulation can be a symptom of various endocrine pathologies hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, ovaries. In addition, it is often found in obesity or underweight because adipose tissue actively participates in the functioning of the hormonal system.

Late ovulation is not a death sentence or an obstacle to conceiving the desired baby, but you should make sure that this is a random phenomenon or individual feature body, and not a manifestation of a serious illness.