Ovulation Symptoms

If you're planning to have a baby, pay attention to the ovulation symptoms - it's the easiest way to get pregnant exactly when you want to.

Knowing how to recognize the ovulation symptoms is essential when trying to conceive a baby, as during this period the woman's body reaches the maximum of fertility. Being given that a single mature ovule is released from the follicles that develop inside the ovaries and this egg only survives for 12-48 hours, synchronization becomes very important for getting pregnant.

Although a woman's fertility and procreation capacity is not limited to the day in which the ovule is released, there are greater chances for her to remain pregnant during the days around ovulation, due to the changes that take place inside the woman's uterus.

The first sign announcing the ovulation period is the change of cervical mucus consistency. Prior to ovulation, this vaginal discharge is rather dry, sticky or cloudy and in some women the volume of vaginal secretion is very low. But right before the ovulation most women notice an increase in cervical mucus, which becomes clearer, slippery and resemble raw egg whites.

This vaginal discharge is meant to sustain the sperm cells in a healthy environment and help the ovule get fertilized, so it continues for 2-3 days, until the beginning of the ovulation. In the last day of the excessive vaginal discharge the woman is considered the most fertile therefore she can conceive easier. Also, the other ovulation symptoms occur when the slippery vaginal discharge ends.

Abdominal cramps called mittelschmerz (middle pain) are less common but they may precede the ovulation period. These cramps are typically felt only on one side of the lower abdomen and they're probably caused by the pressure that the ovule exerts when it is released from the ovary and travels through the fallopian tube.

Next on the list of ovulation symptoms is the increased tenderness of the woman's breasts. Lots of woman experience this sign just before ovulation occurs or right after it, due to the changing hormonal levels inside the woman's body. As the organism gets ready for conceiving a baby, increased amounts of hormones are produced and one direct consequence is the higher breasts sensitivity.

Then, a woman may notice a change in her basal body temperature, which increases slightly before and during the ovulation period. However, the temperature differences aren't big so if you're planning to have a baby using this method, you should keep a graph with the basal temperatures measured each morning. For this purpose you can use a digital thermometer or a tool specially designed for basal body temperature measurement.

Last, the increased sexual desire should be listed among the ovulation symptoms, as most women experience this when they're most fertile. Typically, this increased desire appears few days before the ovulation, so in case you're trying to have a baby this is the right time for you and your partner to have intercourse. Still, don't stress too much if you don't manage to get pregnant after your first attempt - this may squash your sexual desire and lead to frustration.