Welcome to POPSUGAR Uninhibited: The Fertility Edition, a space where anyone who ovulates can come for information, advice and support. Here, we’ll tackle topics like fertility in your 20s, conception and egg freezing. You can find all of the stories here.
As humans, we’re super connected to our bodies, especially when it comes to our reproductive system. How else do you think our periods sync up with our closest friends!?
Part of growing into your body — that is constantly changing physically and hormonally — learning about how your menstruation cycle works is a really important factor of feeling connected and in control.
Your menstrual cycle can teach you so much; from your mood, to your skin break-outs, to how fertile you are and how to better care for yourself.
“Getting to know your menstrual cycle is one of the best things you’ll ever do,” says Sophie Walker, founder and host of Australian Birth Stories and author of The Complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth.
“You’ll understand yourself on a much deeper level once you know your cycle and understand the ebb and flow of your energy levels and your moods throughout the month,” Walker tells POPSUGAR Australia, adding that “the wisest” people track their cycles.
Enough said. Below, we dig into everything you need to know about ovulation, your menstrual cycle and what it all means for your fertility.
What Is Ovulation?
According to Walker, Ovulation typically occurs halfway through a regular menstrual cycle.
“It describes the process where the egg is released from the ovary in preparation for conception. There is a rise in three hormones during this phase — oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone — which can make you feel fun, flirty, generous and most definitely in the mood for sex,” she says, adding, “Nature is clever!”
How Do You Know When You’re Ovulating?
There are also some subtle signs that ovulation is occurring, says Walker, but you need to be observant and practice body awareness throughout your entire cycle to really notice them.
Below, are the three main signs of ovulation.
Rise in Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
“Many natural conception methods encourage you to take your temperature first thing in the morning (under the tongue) and write down your reading – this is your basal body temperature, the temperature of your body before you do any physical activity,” Walker explains.
Basically, if you want to know when you’re at your most fertile, your BBT will tell you.
“Generally speaking, once you have ovulated the production of progesterone will increase your BBT by an average of 0.4 degrees Celsius,” she says. “If you record your temperature over a few months, you’ll be able to calculate the average day before the temperature increase (which is when you ovulate).”
Change in Vaginal Mucous
Describing it as “essential”, Walker says that changes in vaginal mucous throughout the month can offer a lot of insights into where you are in your cycle.
“As you journey towards ovulation, where your follicles are maturing and you produce more oestrogen, your cervix makes more fluid and you’ll notice it as slippery and stretchy like egg whites,” Walker explains, adding that this is “the ideal consistency to carry sperm”.
This is because “without it, the sperm would get exhausted and never make the long journey to the egg in the fallopian tube” — the more you know!
“Sperm can actually live for five days in this fluid, anticipating ovulation and the release of the egg that they’re racing to reach,” she says.
Abdominal Pain
Cramps. If you’re someone who menstruates, you likely know this one already, but abdominal pain outside the days right before your period can be linked to your cycle, too.
“In the moments before or during ovulation, you may feel a twinge, a dull ache or a pang in your lower abdomen,” Walker says. “The German word mittelschmerz — which translates to “middle pain” — is the technical term, because this pain occurs in the middle of your cycle.”
So what’s the deal with that?
“This is the egg releasing,” Walker says, “and the pain can be caused by two things: the follicle bursting or the release of fluid that the egg floats around in. If your pain is severe, it may be a symptom of endometriosis or ovarian cysts and, if so, it’s a great idea to chat to your GP about your experience.”
Does Our Fertility Window Happen During Ovulation?
The short answer is yes. And, according to Walker, if you’re considering falling pregnant, it’s a really good idea to become aware of your fertile phase; which is a 3-5 day window during which you are most likely to conceive.
“This window occurs when the follicle releases the egg from the ovary (a different side each month) and it travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus,” she says. With every person’s cycle being different, Walker says that “there’s no particular day that you can mark ovulation”.
Therefore, on a “regular” 28-day cycle, you could typically ovulate on day 14.
“But what is normal and typical with our bodies?” Walker says. :We are all different and our menstrual cycles often reflect this. You may have a 28-day cycle but ovulate on day 19.”
In order to tell when you’re ovulating, it’s good to pay close attention to your cycle and learn your body’s cues. However, there are a few ways to get a little more insight, as well.
“There are ovulation kits that you can find in your local pharmacy which will give you a strong indication of when you’re ovulating, Walker says, adding that for people who are struggling with fertility issues, there’s further testing that can be done, also.
Those tests can include “ultrasounds and blood tests”, which “work together to determine exactly when the follicle will be releasing the egg”.
How Can We Keep Track of Our Fertility Window?
“Tracking your cycle is a powerful way to embrace or avoid conception,” says Walker, “but it also helps you better understand yourself as your mood, energy levels and the way you interact with the world are dictated by the rise and fall of hormones in your cycle.”
But first, in order to track your fertility window, it’s helpful to know the different phases in your menstrual cycle.
According to Walker, there are two overarching phases, which include:
- The follicular phase — This begins on Day 1, which is the first day of bleeding. Even though you’re menstruating, your follicles (eggs) are starting to mature within your ovaries for the next cycle.
- The luteal phase — This begins once the egg has been released from the ovary, and when your ovary creates a temporary gland to replace the released egg. It’s this gland that produces the hormone progesterone, which can make you feel your very best. It gradually declines over the following weeks and your next period arrives once your progesterone and oestrogen levels have finished dropping.
There are also four distinct phases in your cycle:
- Menstruation — This is the time of the month to rest, lay low, restore your energy and dream about all that’s to come. Your hormones flatline during this stage of your cycle so you feel flat, you crave comfort, and your body is letting go. Your body needs rest so that you can be energetic and productive in the ovulatory phase of your cycle.
- Pre-ovulation — This is the busy ‘doing phase’ of your cycle, when your oestrogen levels rise and you emerge from the dreamy, restful menstruation phase with a renewed sense of energy and motivation.
- Post-ovulation — Oestrogen and testosterone are swirling around your body and once the egg is released, you receive a big hit of progesterone. You’ll be positively glowing, you’ll want to do all the things, and you’re feeling playful and abundant.
- Pre-menstruation — Your hormones are quickly receding, you’re starting to feel weary. Suddenly, there’s a need for you to retreat from the world and be a little quieter. Surrender to this phase, you’re coming down from the high energy of ovulation and moving a little slower.
“The best way to keep track is with a pen and a journal,” Walker suggests.
Get yourself a cute little menstruation journal!
Do We Still Need Other Forms of Contraception?
“Tracking your menstrual cycle helps you to embrace or avoid pregnancy but it does not protect you from STDs,” says Walker. “I would always recommend using it alongside a form of barrier protection.”
It’s also important to emphasise that if you are using cycle tracking as your primary method of contraception, you need to be vigilant with tracking your symptoms and do it for at least four months before you can rely on it, according to Walker. That means monitoring and making note of your symptoms at the same time of day, every single day, for four months.
