OVULATION 101
Ovulation is an essential step in getting pregnant and occurs approximately once a month in women who have regular menstrual cycles.
The average woman has a menstrual cycle that is generally 28 days - which begins with the start of one period and ends just prior to the start of the next. The first day of your period is cycle day 1. Ovulation is the phase of your cycle when your ovary releases an egg, which travels down the fallopian tube where it may be fertilized by sperm. Ovulation occurs approximately 14 days prior to the start of your next period. So, for a woman with a “textbook” 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs on about cycle day 14. However, for women who have shorter or longer cycles, ovulation may occur earlier or later than day 14 (e.g. for a 30 day cycle - ovulation occurs around day 16; for a 26 day cycle - ovulation occurs around day 12).
The process of ovulation begins with the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the pituitary gland in the brain. FSH stimulates the growth and development of follicles in the ovaries, each of which contains an egg. A single, “dominant” follicle starts to develop more quickly than the others. As the dominant follicle matures, it produces increasing amounts of estrogen, which triggers a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), produced by the pituitary gland. This LH surge causes the mature follicle to rupture and release the egg into the fallopian tube.
If sperm are present in the fallopian tube at the time of ovulation, they may fertilize the egg, which could lead to pregnancy. The fertilized egg then travels down the fallopian tube and into the uterus, where it implants in the uterine lining and begins to grow.
It's important to note that not all women or people with ovaries ovulate regularly, and there can be various factors that affect ovulation, such as age, hormonal imbalances, and certain medical conditions. Additionally, even if ovulation occurs, there are many other factors that can impact ability to conceive, including the quality of the egg and sperm, the health of the reproductive organs, and the timing of intercourse in relation to ovulation.
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