An ovulation chart is a way to help you predict when you’re going to ovulate. This is perhaps the most important knowledge to have if you want to get pregnant.
If you’re trying to conceive, you need to know when you ovulate.
And charting your ovulation is one of the most important steps you can take to increase your chances of getting pregnant.
Using the simple ovulation charts I’ll share in this article, I conceived a healthy baby girl at age 41 without any external aids – no fertility drugs, IVF, or even herbs and acupuncture.
What is an Ovulation Chart
An ovulation chart is a way to help you predict when you’re going to ovulate.
If you want to get pregnant, this is perhaps the most important knowledge to have because ovulation is the first crucial step in the conception process. Without ovulation, there can be no pregnancy.
Why Do You Need an Ovulation Chart
No matter how you look at it, getting pregnant is a miracle.
For an average healthy couple, the odds of conceiving in any given cycle is only 20-25%. The chances are even lower if you’re older or have other barriers to overcome.
One of the reasons for this low “success rate” is an incredibly narrow ovulation window.
Once ovulation takes place, the egg only remains alive for 12-24 hours.
If during this time the egg is fertilized by the sperm – which can generally live up to 3 days – the conception process begins.
Otherwise, the egg is reabsorbed into the body and the menstrual cycle starts again.
So getting pregnant is pretty much all in the timing. If you have sex after you ovulate, you’ll probably have missed your fertile window.
Your peak fertility is during the 3-day period before ovulation.
That’s why it’s so important for you to know the exact time you ovulate.
Three Types of Ovulation Charts
Using an ovulation chart is an effective strategy to get to know your ovulation timing. There are three types of ovulation charts, with varying degrees of accuracy.
1. Menstrual Cycle Ovulation Chart (Rough Estimate)
You can estimate your ovulation based on the number of days in your menstrual cycle.
Regular Cycles
If you have a regular cycle, ovulation is likely to occur 14 days before your next expected period.
Since you won’t be able to pin down the exact day you ovulate from this method, you’ll need to add 5 days before and 5 days after this date in order to get a date range.
Generally speaking, from day 9 to day 19, you’re fertile and more likely to get pregnant.
Irregular Cycles
What if your cycles are irregular? If so, this is how you can calculate your ovulation:
First day of fertility = the shortest cycle length – 18 days
Last day of fertility = the longest cycle length – 11 days
For example, if your shortest cycle lasts 25 days and the longest lasts 35 days, your ovulation window could be from day 7 (25 minus 18) to day 24 (35 minus 11).
As you can see, the date range can be pretty wide if your cycles are irregular. This, therefore, is a less accurate chart to calculate ovulation when compared to the other two charts discussed below.
2. Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Ovulation Chart (Accurate but Less Timely)
After ovulation, the empty egg follicle becomes the corpus luteum, which releases progesterone.
Progesterone helps the endometrium to secret nutrients, creating a cozy place to receive and nourish a potential embryo.
This warming hormone causes your BBT to rise (which is favorable to implantation), normally by at least 0.4 F.
You’ll know when you ovulate by taking your body temperature every morning and noting it on a BBT chart.
To get an accurate chart, you’ll need to take your temperature first thing in the morning before any activities, after a minimum of 5 hours of sleep if at all possible, and preferably at about the same time every day.
As you can see, this method takes some work. And it’s not very helpful for planning purposes because by the time your BBT rises, you’ll probably have missed the fertile window since ovulation has already occurred.
However, charting your BBT is very useful for getting to know your unique fertility patterns (for example, in my ovulation chart, I ovulated on day 19 instead of the typical day 14).
It can also help you and your doctor identify possible fertility barriers, such a shorter than normal luteal phase, abnormally short or long follicular phase, absence of ovulation, etc.
3. Cervical Mucus Ovulation Chart (Accurate and Timely)
As the estrogen level rises and falls during a menstrual cycle, the cervix produces 4 types of discharges –from dry to creamy, to egg white-like to watery, and back to dry again.
The cervical mucus you need to keep your eye on is the egg white-like discharge, which is a clear sign of ovulation.
This fertile discharge typically lasts for 3 days. Younger women may have it for up to 5 days, while older women may only have it for 1-2 days.
Regardless, you’re at your most fertile during this time – and this is the golden window for intercourse.
Charting the cervical mucus is my favorite method for getting pregnant because it’s simple, accurate, and well-timed. And it worked like a charm for me!
How to Create Your Own Ovulation Chart
So far I’ve share three types of ovulation charts to help you identify your fertile periods. Now it’s time to apply this knowledge to create your own personal ovulation chart.
Use a Period Tracker with an Ovulation Calculator
Thanks to modern technology, you can easily make your personalized charts by using a period tracker with an ovulation calculator. There are a number of apps that allow you to do this.
Ideally, find an app that can forecast your ovulation days for the upcoming 12 months, and enables you to track your BBT and cervical mucus.
Alternative: Use an Ovulation Monitor
If charting doesn’t excite you much because you don’t have the time or interest to pay such detailed attention to your bodily fluids and temperature, you can always use an ovulation monitor.
Easy@Home Ovulation Test Kit is an excellent, easy-to-use, do-it-yourself kit, which contains 50 ovulation and 20 pregnancy tests.
I hope you find this article useful on your fertility journey. If you want to learn more about how to chart your BBT and cervical mucus, here’s a great book on this subject: Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
Conception Planning
Easy@Home Ovulation and Pregnancy Tests Kit
Fertility Supplements
Vitamin Code RAW Prenatal Multivitamin (Specially formulated women’s multivitamin made from nutritious RAW whole foods)
Vitex (Supports progesterone, regulate the menstrual cycle, and prevent miscarriage)
Royal Jelly (The only food for the Queen Bee, which enables her to lay up to 2,000 eggs each day throughout her life, and outlive worker bees 30 fold)
Pink Stork Fertility Tea (Comprised of 7 organic herbs including red raspberry, nettle, and chasteberry, designed to support fertility)
Recommended Reading
Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler
Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility, by Sami S. David
Pls I had unprotected sex on 29th before the month of my period which is always first week of the month. Can I be pregnant?
Pls I need feed back
Hi Joyce, it’s generally safe to have unprotected sex after ovulation (during the week before your period). Once the egg-white like discharge disappears for 3 days, you’re infertile and will not get pregnant if you have unprotected sex.
Hello, I had unprotected sex on 18th July whereas my period ended on 11th July. So, is there any chances of me getting pregnant? Please help.
Hi Imna, it depends on when you started your period. It ended on July 11th, which was 8 days before you had unprotected sex. If your period lasted 3 days, that would make it 11th day (8+3) from the first day of your period, which might fall within your fertile window. Next time, count the days from the day you start your period, not the day it ends. Hope this helps.
I struggled with fertility issues for years. It was a hard road filled with doubt and self-loathing. All we wanted was a baby and we tried for years to have one. I tried every medical and old wives tale I could think of to try and get pregnant. I even slept on red sheets to promote fertility. It was starting to get crazy and I was overwhelmed. My husband found out about California Fertility Partners through a good friend. I was skeptical because I thought we had tried everything but I was wrong. My first IVF transfer at the clinic was successful and I am 5 months pregnant! Anyone who is struggling to get pregnant should check this clinic out. https://www.yelp.com/biz/california-fertility-partners-los-angeles
What is the position to have sex when trying to conceive
Hi, can I take Flagyl an anti-bacterial drug during my fertile period, I also want to know if I can be having sex all through my fertile period and the spam will stil be good enough to fertilize my eggs.i will appreciate if I get a reply,thanks.