Not all girls know whether it is possible to become pregnant before ovulation or after it. This is what will be discussed in the article.
Ovulation - what is it?
The female reproductive system works like a clock, repeating the same processes in a circle. The cycle lasts a month on average (28-35 days, depending on the characteristics of the body). Around the middle of the period, a viable egg matures in one of the ovaries, which breaks through the follicle and enters the fallopian tube, which is completely ready for fertilization. This moment, in fact, is called ovulation. It can be conditionally called the date of X, since in this period the risk of conception is most increased. On the day of ovulation, you can get pregnant with almost a 100% guarantee, therefore it is better for ladies who do not want to have a baby to take special care.
The main signs of ovulation
Without using any methods, a woman can determine the most suitable moment for conceiving a baby. So, ovulation can be independently detected by the following symptoms:
- Barely noticeable pulling pains concentrated in the lower abdomen.
- Increased sexual desire.
- Change in the amount and consistency of vaginal discharge. During the maturation period of the egg, they become more abundant and thick.
- Breast sensitivity.
However, it should be understood that all these are only subjective signs that do not always accurately indicate the arrival of the X date. In some cases, pregnancy may occur after ovulation that occurred in the middle of the cycle. This is due to the fact that sometimes two eggs mature in one menstrual period. For example, the first ovulation may occur on the 15th day of the cycle, as expected, and the second on the 20th.
The relationship of ovulation with pregnancy
After a mature egg enters the fallopian tube, sperm hunting begins on it. And the latter is not so easy to get to their goal. Once in the uterus, most sperm die in an acidic environment, and only a few reach its tubes.
The life span of a ripened egg is very short: it is literally several days. Sperm cells remain in the active state much longer. That is why the answer to the question of whether it is possible to become pregnant before ovulation is rather positive. A sperm that enters the fallopian tube a couple of days before the X date can easily wait for the egg to fertilize.
Methods for determining ovulation
If you don’t want to rely on chance, it’s best to plan your pregnancy using proven methods. It will not give an answer to the question of whether it is possible to become pregnant before ovulation or after it, but it will help to determine dangerous days. Each woman prefers the method that is most convenient for her. You can determine the moment of ovulation onset in the following ways:
- Calendar counting of dangerous and non-dangerous days.
- Ovulation test.
- Systematic measurement of basal body temperature.
- Ultrasound
- Lab tests.
Each of these methods has its own advantages and related disadvantages. It is advisable to use several methods at once, because pregnancy and ovulation are closely interconnected and it is extremely difficult to produce conception without accurately determining the date of maturation of the egg.
So, most ladies prefer to do the test, since this procedure is performed at home. The same can be said about measuring basal temperature, although the process itself is not pleasant. As for ultrasound and laboratory tests, these methods give an accurate result only after several visits to the doctor during the menstrual cycle. The calendar method is considered the simplest, but not reliable enough, since pregnancy and ovulation are physiological processes that do not always follow a specific schedule and can deviate from the norm.
Ovulation test
This method allows you to accurately determine the desired date. Ovulation tests are very similar to pregnancy test strips. The difference is in the substance to which the control strip reacts. A day before the date of X and immediately at her moment in the woman’s blood there is an increased release of luteinizing hormone, which is easily monitored in the urine. Doctors recommend couples to have sexual intercourse if the test passed shows a positive result, because it is likely to get pregnant the day before ovulation.
The peculiarity of the method is that to accurately track the date of the X, it must be used daily. Since the ripening period of the egg can fluctuate, this will allow you not to miss the jump in luteinizing hormone in the blood.
Basal temperature measurement
In a sense, this method is quite laborious. To use it to track the date of X, it is necessary starting from the first day of the menstrual cycle every morning, rectally measure body temperature. In this case, keep the supine position. So, about a day before the release of the egg, which has matured to fertilization, from the follicle, the body temperature decreases slightly. After ovulation, it rises to 37 degrees and above.
In order to be able to clearly track changes in the body, you need to make a schedule of morning measurements. It notes all the results obtained, by which one can easily notice any fluctuations in body temperature.
Ultrasound scan
Using a special apparatus, a doctor in a medical facility can track the growth of the follicle in which the egg is located. From the changes visible on the monitor, it is possible to determine with high accuracy that ovulation will occur in the next couple of days. It is recommended to do ultrasound regularly, starting from the 10th day of any menstrual cycle. Usually, 5-7 procedures are enough, after which the doctor reports that the egg is ready for exit into the fallopian tube. Given that the probability of becoming pregnant before ovulation is very high, sexual intercourse performed on the day of the last ultrasound scan may well contribute to conception. By the time the egg leaves the follicle, the sperm will be ready to fertilize it.
This method is perfect not only for women who plan to become mothers, but also for women who, for whatever reason, cannot get pregnant. Perhaps this is an irregular cycle or a complete absence of ovulation.
Pregnancy planning tests
You can determine the date of maturation of the egg by going to the gynecologist. The specialist will conduct a proper inspection and take all the necessary tests. For laboratory research on ovulation, mucus is usually taken from the surface of the cervix. By its composition and consistency, the approximation of the X date is determined. It is known that before the egg immediately enters the fallopian tube, the mucus becomes more dense and plentiful, while maintaining transparency.
Tests when planning pregnancy allow you to track ovulation, although they do not guarantee accurate results. Usually the error is 1-2 days. In addition, with the help of laboratory tests, you can not only find out the egg maturation date, but also reveal hidden infections, if any.
Pregnancy before ovulation
As has been said repeatedly, the female body does not always function according to a clearly established schedule. Therefore, it is impossible to calculate that ovulation will occur on a certain day of the menstrual cycle. Its date may deviate from the expected one for several days, or it may not come at all. Sometimes, against the background of stress and hormonal disorders, the menstrual cycle malfunctions, as a result of which the egg does not ripen.
That is why, faced with the problem of conceiving a child, many women are wondering whether it is possible to become pregnant before ovulation. Doctors say that this is more than possible if sexual intercourse occurred a few days before the desired date. Sperm activity can persist for up to 5 days, so even after such a seemingly long period, they remain quite capable of fertilizing the egg.
Pregnancy after ovulation
In principle, in a direct understanding of the conception process itself, any pregnancy occurs after ovulation. Until the ovum leaves the follicle, not a single sperm can fertilize it. But here is the period during which sexual intercourse was committed, does not have to clearly coincide with the ovulation itself. Sperm can enter the uterus both earlier and later on the X date. However, if you become pregnant 3 days before ovulation is quite realistic, then in the opposite case the chances are very small. This is due to the life of the egg. She retains the ability to fertilize for 24 hours, after which she dies. Therefore, even though the spermatozoa remain in the active state for quite some time, a day after ovulation, they will no longer be of any use.
Chances of getting pregnant during menstruation
It is believed that at the time of monthly bleeding, as well as a couple of days before and after the possibility of conception, the possibility of conception is practically zero. If on the day of ovulation it is possible to become pregnant with a high probability, then during the period of menstruation it is almost impossible. However, the nature of each representative of the fair sex is so individual that it is sometimes very difficult to scientifically explain how the conception still happened. It is assumed that cases of pregnancy during menstrual bleeding are associated with prolonged sperm activity and the irregular cycle of a woman.
If ovulation was late, then it is likely that the egg can be fertilized even on safe days. Therefore, girls with obvious fluctuations in the menstrual cycle should seriously approach the issue of contraception. Indeed, in this case, it is impossible to say exactly how much before ovulation you can become pregnant. An irregular cycle is much more difficult to track, since egg maturation can occur at any time.
If you decide to start planning pregnancy, then try to study the features of your body. So it will be easier to adjust to the fluctuations of the menstrual cycle and direct your efforts in the right direction.