Ovulation

Ovulation is a natural process that occurs within a woman’s body each month in order to achieve reproduction. During this time in a woman's reproductive cycle, a hormonal signal is received within the ovary, where a woman's eggs are stored. The protective follicle that surrounds the egg breaks open and a mature egg is released from the ovary and floats down the fallopian tube, where it waits to be fertilized. Fertilization and successful implantation will mean the woman has become pregnant. If the egg is not fertilized, the lining of the uterus and unfertilized egg will be shed during menstruation.

The ovulation process most commonly occurs during day fourteen to fifteen of a woman's monthly reproductive cycle and usually marks the midpoint between menstruations.http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4711 Ovulation can happen during other days of the cycle, and is typical during days 11 to 21. At any point during a woman's cycle though, she may ovulate—sometimes more than once.http://www.americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/understandingovulation.html

Understanding how ovulation works and when it occurs during the cycle can help women who are trying to become pregnant. As a result, many women who are trying to conceive will begin tracking their ovulation cycles and many use ovulation predictor kits to confirm that ovulation has occurred.

In order to track your ovulation, you need to first understand the cues that your body gives off as ovulation is about to take place. As your body prepares for ovulation to begin, the production of estrogen in the body ramps up and the uterine lining thickens in anticipation of the arrival of sperm. This rise in estrogen coincides with a spike in luteinizing hormones (commonly referred to as LH). It is this LH spike that triggers the release of the egg itself about two to three days later.http://www.clearblueeasy.com/ovulation.php

For this reason, LH spikes can be a clear signal to women that they are about to ovulate. Ovulation Predictor Kits test for higher-than-normal levels of LH in urine, indicating that the woman is likely to ovulate within the next three days.

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