Not every woman knows that pregnancy may not always occur when sexual intercourse occurs, but only in a certain period. Unfortunately, doctors almost never talk about the so-called fertile days. If a couple fails to conceive for one year or more, they are diagnosed with infertility. But it often happens that both husband and wife are absolutely healthy, and pregnancy does not occur! What's the matter? It turns out that they simply can "not fall" on favorable days for conception. In addition, there are other factors affecting this process. Let's see what days you can get pregnant, how to determine that the body is ready for conception. But remember that the organisms of women are different for everyone, and everything also depends on age, health and lifestyle, including the psycho-emotional state.
About oocyte cycles and maturation
Before we begin various calculations of favorable days for conception, we still study how the woman’s body functions, and more precisely, how the reproductive system works.
Even in the womb of each girl, with the formation of organs, a huge number of eggs are laid in the ovaries. At birth and before puberty, the reproductive organs "rest". When the first periods come, the girl becomes a girl, her body is now ready to bear and give birth to children. Since then, until menopause (occurs at the age of about 45-60 years), the ovaries work cyclically, hence the phrase “menstrual cycle” appeared. It can last the same for many years, or change under the influence of hormones, depending on the sufficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body, stress.
Below are examples on which day of the cycle you can get pregnant. The fact is that for every woman, menstruation can be irregular, for example, the last time the cycle was 29 days, at the moment it was 31, and the next one could be short - only 24 days.
The first day of the cycle is always considered the day when spotting from the vagina appears. They can last from 3 to 7 days. During this period, the follicles located in the ovaries begin to mature. It is the follicle that contains the egg, which, when meeting with the sperm, is fertilized. 14-16 days before the next menstrual follicle should mature and burst. Only then will the egg leave the ovary and move through the tubes into the uterus, where it will meet with the sperm.
If fertilization has occurred, then pregnancy will occur. In this case, the ovaries cease to secrete follicles every cycle, menstruation also ceases. And if pregnancy has not occurred, then with the next menstrual period, the unfertilized egg will leave the body.
Mysterious Ovulation
Sometimes women ask the question: "On what day after menstruation can I get pregnant?" It is worth immediately responding that you should not calculate the conception period for menstruation alone. After all, they can last from 3 to 7, or even more days or less. And spotting does not affect when you can start trying to get pregnant.
In the previous chapter, we talked about the maturation of follicles and the release of an egg - this process is called ovulation. It lasts from the moment the follicle ruptures until the death of the egg (if fertilization has not occurred) and until conception (if everything worked out).
The egg itself can live from 1-2 hours to 1 day. Such a difference in the duration of her life depends on the age of the woman, physiology and genetics. It is impossible to guess how long the egg will live in one or another period - this is the mystery of the female body.
Cycle phases
To make it easier to understand at which day you can get pregnant, it is advisable to study the basics of the monthly cycles:
- From the first day of menstruation to the day of ovulation - this is the first phase, which is called follicular. During this period, the follicles mature to release the eggs. Follicles can be either one or many. The quality of maturation depends on the level of luteinizing hormone.
- Then comes ovulation itself. In this case, the first phase ends. This moment is considered the most favorable for conception.
- Immediately on the day after ovulation, the second phase begins, in which the corpus luteum is formed. This phase will proceed normally with a sufficient level of the hormone progesterone, regardless of whether pregnancy has occurred or not.
- If pregnancy has not occurred, menstruation comes 14-16 days after ovulation. It is worth noting that the second phase in a woman can be shorter or longer.
It happens that a woman’s menstrual cycle is very short - only 21-23 days, and the second phase is slightly longer than usual. Therefore, sometimes the question arises as to what day of the period you can get pregnant and whether it is possible.
How to understand that ovulation has come
Some girls and women in the middle of the cycle appear pain in the left or right ovary, the stomach hurts as if the menstruation begins. A sensation of moisture in the genitals may appear. But ovulation may occur asymptomatically, or everything will happen so quickly that it is not noticed.
As a rule, a few days before ovulation, vaginal discharge appears - first they are creamy white, then they become more transparent and liquid. On the eve and on the day of ovulation, these secretions should gain the consistency of egg white. This means that the body is ready to safely take sperm, in addition, thanks to this mucus (cervical fluid), the egg moves through the fallopian tubes into the uterus.
You can observe your condition for several cycles to understand which days of the cycle you can become pregnant.
When to try to conceive
Unlike an egg, which leaves the follicle once per cycle, sperm are produced in the male body constantly, from puberty to old age. In addition, sperm in the uterus can live up to 7 days, if the internal environment in the woman’s body allows.
Thus, there is a chance of conception in the event that sexual intercourse took place only 1 week before ovulation. Of course, if all the favorable factors are observed, both on the male and on the female side.
So what days can you get pregnant? It is assumed that only shortly before ovulation and on the day of ovulation. Therefore, you need to try to calculate fertility days, so as not to miss the chance. Let's look at some examples:
- The duration of the cycle is 28 days. Presumably ovulation can occur from the 13th to the 17th days, but ideally on the 14th.
- The cycle time is 35 days. Ovulation can be expected from the 18th to the 22nd day.
- Irregular cycle 28-35 days. In this case, tracking will take much longer, that is, from the 13th to the 22nd day.
Often, a woman cannot determine when she has precisely ovulated, not only in a calendar way, but also from her own feelings. In addition, cervical fluid secretions can be very small.
Supporting methods for calculating ovulation days
You can start a special notebook, or you can use the ladies' app on your smartphone, where you should every day note the basal temperature (measured rectally or orally) immediately after waking up.
In the first phase, the temperature will be lower than in the second. Between the two phases on the day of ovulation, the temperature becomes minimal, and on the first day after it increases sharply and the entire progesterone phase is held.
For several cycles, you can figure out which days you can get pregnant. It will only be possible to calculate based on previous graphs.
Determination of favorable days by tests
You can use an expensive, but more convenient method - an ovulation test. This test has a special tool that is applied to a paper strip that responds to an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH). When the test strip becomes as bright as the control, you can try to conceive. That is, the period of ovulation begins.
Often, women cannot deal with paper tests, so if possible, a digital test with a smiley face is purchased. When there is every chance to conceive, the smiley shows a smile.
Thanks to tests, you can find out which days you can get pregnant. But it makes sense to carry out the procedure earlier than the day of ovulation is supposed.
Is it possible to get pregnant before menstruation
But if ovulation has already passed a few days ago, is there a chance? Theoretically, no. After all, the egg has already stopped its life. Therefore, attempts can begin only at the end of the next menstruation. That is, the period after ovulation and before critical days is safe for those who are not going to become pregnant.
There are early and late ovulation in practice, which are almost impossible to calculate. They can only be "caught" by tests or by folliculometry in the ultrasound room. Only after such a study can a competent doctor tell you what days you can get pregnant.
If conception does not occur
Each couple who wants to have children, it seems that, after reading the article, they have already figured out why they can not conceive for a long time. And now everything will surely work out. Of course, if everything is in order with the health in the reproductive sphere of both, then everything should work out. But it happens that nothing. Why? There can be many factors. Among women:
- inflammatory processes in the pelvis;
- psycho-emotional stress, fears;
- deficiency of hormones, minerals and vitamins;
- Unhealthy Lifestyle.
In men, factors also relate to inflammation in the urogenital area, as well as poor spermogram and psychological reasons. If you eliminate the causes, then conception will certainly come.
You learned on what day after your period you can get pregnant, and how to correctly determine fertile days in general. We wish you good luck and the birth of a healthy baby.