Ovulation Calculator

The Two Phases of the Ovulation Cycle

Some people think that when your ovulation happens is dictated by when your period is, but this is inaccurate.  It actually happens the other way around.  Many reasons, such as stress or an increase in physical activity, can alter when you ovulate. 

This will then affect when you get your next menstrual period.  Many people refer to the menstrual cycle as the ovulation cycle for this reason.  The cycle is much more about ovulation than it is about the menstrual period.  If you are planning on starting a family and becoming pregnant, you will likely want to learn as much as you can about the menstrual cycle.  This is important because learning more about your body will help you understand it more.  You will do a better job of knowing when you are most fertile.

The ovulation cycle is usually divided into two parts.  The first is called the follicular phase.  You will notice, when filling out your own ovulation calendars, this difference in phases.  The follicular phase starts on the first day of your last menstrual period.  Then, no matter how many days this period lasts, the phase ends once you start ovulating.  They separate this phase from the other because it is hard to predict how long it will last.  It really depends on who you are.  Some women’s follicular phase will only last fifteen days while it could last forty days for others.  Also, outside factors can affect this.  Stress is a big factor in postponing when you ovulate.  Even one person can have fluctuating follicular phases.  This happens with irregular periods that come at unpredictable times.

The final stage of the ovulation cycle is the luteal phase.  This is different from the follicular stage because it can be better predicted.  It starts at the first day of ovulation and ends the day before your next period.  The amount of days that this happens is very uniform and much easier to predict.  Generally it lasts twelve to sixteen days depending on the person.  This is not as much affected by stress or other aspects of life.  When women chart their ovulation calendars, they will notice this to be the case. 

There is an importance of knowing your ovulation cycle.  It can help you better prepare for a pregnancy.  Most women who have swift success getting pregnant usually used calendars to chart their ovulation cycle progress.  This can help them know when they are the most fertile.  During ovulation, they have a much better chance of getting pregnant than any other time during their cycle. 

The best way to chart your progress and to find when your ovulation usually lands is by making a calendar.  Every day, you should check your basal body temperature and right the results in the calendar.  This helps because most women notice a spike in their temperature while they are ovulating.  They can be as much as one degree warmer at this time.  You will notice this trend after a few months of using the calendar.  The calendar is also helpful because you can right your daily results of any ovulation predictor kits that you take.  These kits test your urine to let you know if you are ovulation.  While they are not one hundred percent accurate, they are still very helpful to the process. 

To learn more about your own personal ovulation cycle, it may be a good idea to visit a doctor.  Gynecologists and obstetricians specialize in this kind of information.  They can tell you individual, personal information.  They can also help you plan for your pregnancy so that it can be as healthy and happy as possible.