When is ovulation? Here’s how to figure it out

Ovulation is the point in your cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg. But there’s a bit more to it than that.

If you’re currently trying for a baby, then it’s the big moment in your cycle to know about because it signals your fertile window (aka when to have conception sex). 

And, even if you’re not thinking about pregnancy, understanding when you’re ovulating can help you understand your body better. You’ll ovulate around 400 times in your life, so being able to spot the signs and symptoms may also explain why you feel certain ways at different points in your cycle. 

So, here’s the lowdown on all things ovulation, including how to figure out when it’s happening and how long it might last.

Key takeaways

• Ovulation is the part of your menstrual cycle when one of your ovaries releases a mature egg. 
• The egg is viable for 12 to 24 hours after it’s been released, which means if you have unprotected sex during this time, it may be fertilized by a sperm, and you might get pregnant. 
• The timing of ovulation varies from person to person. It can also change throughout your lifetime. But knowing roughly when it is for you can help you understand any cycle symptoms better and get pregnant. 
• There are lots of different ways you can track when you’re ovulating, including using a cycle-tracking app like Flo. 
• Some people experience signs and symptoms around the midpoint of their cycle. This could be your body indicating to you that you’re ovulating.
• If you’re already a pro at tracking your cycle, then you may notice that sometimes you ovulate on different dates or ovulation is late one cycle. This is really common

What is ovulation, and when does it happen?

Before we dig into when you might ovulate, here’s what it actually means. Ovulation is the point in your menstrual cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg. After it leaves your ovary, the egg moves down one of your uterine (or fallopian) tubes. It can remain there for 12 to 24 hours. If you have unprotected sex during this time, then a sperm may fertilize it, and you might become pregnant. If this doesn’t happen, then it will disintegrate. 

While it can differ from person to person and throughout your lifetime, ovulation generally occurs midway through your menstrual cycle. You may release an egg in between your follicular phase which starts on the first day of your period and sees your ovary prepare the egg for release, and the luteal phase. During your follicular phase (just before ovulation), your estrogen levels rise, helping the lining of your uterus to grow and thicken. This creates the perfect environment for your egg to implant should it be fertilized by a sperm after you’ve ovulated. 

So, if you have an average cycle of 28 days, you will ovulate around day 14. In reality, we all have slightly different cycle lengths — meaning the exact day of ovulation varies. Just know that if your cycle is between 21 and 35 days long, then it’s considered typical, and ovulation will usually happen 14 days before your next period.

How do I know when ovulation is for me?

“First up, I always recommend my patients use an ovulation-tracking app like Flo, where you’re monitoring your cycle every month,” says Dr. Sara Twogood, obstetrician and gynecologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group, California, US. Flo uses your personal cycle data to predict your most fertile days, plus your specific day of ovulation, each month. Neat, huh? 

“But no method is 100% accurate,” Dr. Twogood continues, “So, for people who want to feel as confident as they can — that is, people who are trying to get pregnant — I recommend using multiple ways to track ovulation at once.”

“For a second method, it’s about whatever makes the most sense for you. It could be ovulation predictor kits, which are at-home tests that check your urine. Or it could be monitoring your cervical mucus or basal body temperature (BBT).” More on these methods below.

What signs and symptoms of ovulation should you look for? 

There are certain bodily changes you may notice when you’re ovulating. “Some people feel ‘different,’” describes Dr. Twogood, “because hormone levels during the menstrual cycle change.” 

“But a lot of people don’t have any symptoms,” she adds, “which is why, if you want to know when you’re ovulating, those other tracking methods [like BBT] are important.”

For those who do experience ovulation symptoms, among the most common are:

• A change in your cervical mucus (a stretchy, clear vaginal discharge the color of raw egg whites — which tends to be the biggest telltale sign of ovulation) 
• A slight increase in basal body temperature (this is your body’s temperature at rest — and can be monitored using a basal thermometer)
• Higher sex drive 
• Breast tenderness 
• Ovulation bloating 
• Mild abdominal pain or cramping 
• Light vaginal bleeding or spotting 
• Mood changes

How long does ovulation last?

Unlike how long your period lasts, ovulation is really just a brief moment in time. Rather than thinking of it as a phase, it can be handy to see it as a one-off event. However, since your egg can live for 12 to 24 hours in your uterine tube, your fertile window lasts a little longer than just your day of ovulation. 

Your fertile window describes the days in your cycle when you’re most likely to get pregnant. It’s classed as a window as your egg can remain viable for up to 24 hours. As sperm can live in your body for as long as five days after sex, your fertile window is classed as the five days before you ovulate and the day after. If you’re trying for a baby, then this is the best time to have sex.

What if ovulation is late or doesn’t happen?

Your cycle doesn’t always run like clockwork. There are times when you might ovulate later than usual or you may not release an egg at all. This is what doctors call anovulation. 

It’s pretty typical to experience slight changes in your cycle, and lots of things can cause it, including: 

• Stress 
• Being underweight or overweight 
• Excessive exercise
• Hormonal conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) 
• Perimenopause 

If you’d like to have a baby at some point, then the good news is it’s still possible to conceive if you ovulate later. However, it may be a good idea to speak to your doctor about changes you’ve seen in your cycle. “If you’re having regular periods,” says Dr. Twogood, “that’s a sign you’re ovulating as normal. But if your periods are consistently irregular or being missed altogether — or you’re worried about infertility for other reasons — that’s when it’s time to see your health care provider.”

If you currently take hormonal birth control and are curious about when you ovulate, then here’s the thing: Hormonal birth control is designed to stop you from ovulating. That’s how it prevents you from getting pregnant.

Getting to know your menstrual cycle 

So there you have it. Ovulation itself may just be a short moment in time, but it’s pretty monumental. That’s why understanding when it happens and how it fits into your menstrual cycle is important — whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not.