Trying to piece together the puzzle that is “getting pregnant”?

One huge piece that is missing from our sexual education and conversations is ovulation — What’s it like? When does it happen? How does it affect my fertility?

Well, we’ve answered aaallll that and more in Part 1 of this blog, so make sure to check it out here.

Ovulation is basically when the “egg of the month” is out and about, looking for sperm.

And the fertile window is the duration where, if fate permits (AKA, you time those baby making sessions right), they meet and the rest is history.

But for this, we need to time it well. Which is exactly why we calculate fertility window.

How do we do it? Well, we’re diving into exactly that!

How many days does the fertile window last?

In a nutshell, your fertile window describes the period in the middle of your menstrual cycle when conception is most likely.

For the average person, the fertile window lasts about [6 days] — 1 day of ovulation (when the egg gets released from the ovary) and 5 days before that.

Now that’s done, let’s get to the math bit.

How to calculate your fertile window?

There are several ways to calculate your fertile window, and , the best method differs for each of us! Here are a few popular ways to calculate it:

1. Period tracker

Every single one of us has forgotten to track our period once in our life. We’ve woken up in the middle of night, panicking about a pregnancy that wouldn’t even be possible.

So we fully understand that this might be a difficult habit to form. But trust when we say that this is the key! Tracking your menstrual cycle can help you determine patterns in your behaviour and symptoms.

Generally during ovulation, women experience a heightened sex drive, sore boobs, nausea or headaches.

Keep an eye out for any of these especially around Day 14 if you have a regular 28-Day cycle.

If you're unsure about your fertile window, you can use the "Standard Days" method as a general guideline. This method suggests that if your cycle falls between 26 and 32 days, the most fertile days for pregnancy are usually between Day 8-19 of your cycle. This range is not based on your specific ovulation window but is a common approximation.

And if you’re unsure how to start or go about it, there’s always support (and us, at Arva👋) Reach out to us and our team of doctors and fertility specialists can help take some of the pressure off you!

2. Cervical mucus

You know what school didn’t teach us? How to communicate with our bodies! Cervical mucus (any of the discharge you see on your underwear) can give you valuable information on your health, and even your fertility window.

Researchers have discovered that when cervical mucus becomes clear and stretchy (like the consistency of egg whites), it indicates that the body is at its most fertile.

Tracking ovulation with cervical mucus is something you’re already probably doing! But the right way to do it is to swipe a clean finger against your vaginal wall (inside, not just at your vulva), and observe the colour and consistency. If its stretching against your fingers (like egg whites), you’re in the zone! Provided, of course, that your menstrual cycle and health are regular.

3. Basal body temperature

Simply put, basal body temperature is when you are at rest, without activity or strain. When you’re ovulating, there’s generally a 0.5°F increase in your basal temperature that lasts for 3 days.

All you need to track your ovulation this way is a thermometer (there are specific basal body temperature thermometers out there 🌡️)and a notebook to record your temperature right after waking up. If you own a smartwatch like a FitBit Sense 2 or Apple Watch Series 8, they’re already tracking this for you.

This is the oldest method of fertility tracking but as you can guess, the least reliable. You can only note the increase in temperature after ovulation has already happened, which isn’t particularly helpful when you’re trying to conceive.

Plus, basal body temperature can be affected by various factors like fevers, illness, alcohol, stress, and disruptions in sleep. To put it simply, it's not a metric we recommend at Arva.

4. At home fertility tests

Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs or At-home fertility tests) are some handy dandy pee strips that track ovulation through your urine.

Generally, ovulation is triggered in our body through the release of a hormone called Luteinizing Hormone (LH). 24-36 hours before ovulation, there is a surge of LH which these OPKs can detect through our pee.

LH surges can happen without ovulation too sometimes. So some newer OPKs test for progesterone as well which is only released after ovulation.

The first pee of the day is the most concentrated, so try to consistently test that a few days before you expect to ovulate. And if you get a positive result, it's go-time!

5. Fertility trackers

Welcome to the 21st Century! There’s an app for everything, including tracking your fertility. Many apps even integrate data from smart watch temperature checks, or at-home fertility tests for more accurate predictions.

But no app is ever a replacement for your healthcare provider. So if you’re having trouble calculating or understanding anything on your fertility journey, don’t hesitate to reach out or make that call to the gynaec!

Reproductive endocrinologists or OB-GYNs can use bloodwork and ultrasounds to help you along your way.

Fertility is a team sport — so if things aren’t progressing as expected, consider a semen analysis for your partner, or a different consultant! We’ve curated our very own non-judgemental panel right here.

How Arva can help you on your fertility journey

The fertile window is basically when your body’s like “hey, we can try for that baby now!”, given that its the phase in the woman's menstrual cycle when pregnancy is most likely to occur.

We get it, ovulation itself is difficult to predict, but knowing about the fertility window can help. Various methods like cycle tracking can help you identify this fertile phase and increase your chances of conception.

At any stage, it’s always okay to consult your healthcare provider for any personalised guidance and specific concerns you may have.

And if you’re wondering where to get started with understanding your body, fertility and hormones, you can start with Arva’s fertility test.

TL;DR

• The fertile window is the time during your period when conception is most likely.

• You can calculate your fertile window, you can use 5 different methods (or a combination of a few).

  • Use a fertility calendar or digital tracker that suits your preference.

  • Pay attention to changes in cervical mucus as an indicator of fertility.

  • Track basal body temperature changes to indicate ovulation.

  • Test your fertility at home using OPKs.

  • And if you have any queries, don’t hesitate to make that call to your healthcare provider or talk to the Arva Care team