Understanding your fertility cycle can be an important process when trying to conceive a child. The female fertility cycle lasts an average of 28 days and includes three distinct phases: the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/female-reproductive-system-overview?page=2 Knowing what is going on in your body during each phase will help you to pinpoint your window of fertility during the month.

If you and your partner are trying to get pregnant, keeping track of where you are in your fertility cycle by charting may interest you. The female body shows signs when ovulation is about to occur. Charting your fertility involves: recording the date that your menstrual period begins, taking your basal body temperature, checking your cervical mucus, and keeping track of when you have sexual intercourse.http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/fertility-tests-for-women

The follicular phase begins with the first day of your menstrual cycle and lasts for approximately two weeks. During the follicular phase, a hormone called the follicle stimulating hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland. The follicle stimulating hormone influences the development of egg follicles. Of all of the egg follicles that have developed, one egg follicle becomes dominant and matures on one of the ovaries.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNRWvJVmPPY

The process of your egg being released from the follicle is referred to as ovulation. Ovulation typically occurs approximately two weeks into your menstrual cycle. A second hormone called the luteinizing hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland. This hormone causes the dominant follicle to release its egg from your ovary. Your fertile window occurs in the five days leading up to, and including, ovulation.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNRWvJVmPPY

Ovulation marks the beginning of your luteal phase. The empty follicle that previously contained the egg becomes known as the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum secretes the hormones estrogen and progesterone. If pregnancy has not occurred within two weeks of ovulation, the corpus luteum stops producing estrogen and progesterone. The uterine lining is then shed during menstruation.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNRWvJVmPPY

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact a doctor before using the information presented here.