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What Are The Symptoms Of Ovulation?

There are a number of definite symptoms of ovulation, although some of them can at times be rather subtle, and you may have to look hard for them. Not all women experience all of these symptoms, and one woman may experience a given symptom more strongly than the next woman does. Usually though, one or more of the symptoms will be pronounced, and the occurrence of ovulation can be recognized and steps can then be taken to predict the next occurrence if a woman wants to know that.

Recognizing one or more of the symptoms of ovulation can be very important if one is trying to become pregnant, and every bit as important if one is trying to avoid becoming pregnant. By knowing the symptoms, a woman can set up a calendar which can be used as an aid in predicting when the next ovulation is most apt to occur, and at the same time predicting when her period may start. Let's start by taking a look into what all is involved in ovulation.

The Monthly Cycle, Not Always One Month Long - A woman's cycle typically lasts around one month, or from 28 to 32 days. Some women have shorter cycles, others have longer, and the length of the cycle for an individual woman may often vary, though normally not by very much. The length of the cycle is calculated to be from the first day of the menstrual period to the first day of the following menstrual period. Ovulation normally occurs between the 11th and 21st day of the cycle. Since a cycle is close to, but not exactly one month long, ovulation will not start on the same date of every month, but rather a day or two earlier or a day or two later than the date of occurrence the previous month. Illness or stress can sometimes upset the ovulation process, and when this occurs the cycle of events may take on a revised schedule. It is commonly thought that illness or stress can upset the menstrual cycle or the period. What actually happens though it that it is the ovulation process that is interfered with, which in turn can cause changes in the menstrual cycle.

The Two Phases Of The Ovulation Cycle - The ovulation cycle can be described in terms of two distinct phases. The first phase is from the beginning of the menstrual period until ovulation occurs and is called the fallopian phase. During this period, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, acting in concert, release a hormone which triggers a few follicles in the ovary glands to begin developing into mature eggs. Though several will do so, usually only one egg dominates, and reaches full maturity, while the others will disintegrate. Although a woman can experience ovulation only one time during her cycle, and consequently become pregnant only once, there is always the possibility that two or more eggs will become mature, giving rise to twin births or triplets. In about 10 percent of all pregnancies, at least two eggs reach maturity, and are released into the fallopian tubes, but most of the time only one of the “twins” survives.

When the egg reaches maturity, the follicle sends out estrogen, another hormone, telling the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that things are "go". Yet another hormone is then produced which will cause the egg to break through the ovary and begin making its way down the fallopian tube. Release of these various hormones can sometime produce detectable symptoms of ovulation, such as mood changes.

The second phase of the ovulation cycle begins when ovulation occurs, and the egg is ready to be fertilized. It's at this point where most of the symptoms of ovulation become apparent. One of these symptoms will be a thickening of the mucus in the cervical area. This thick mucus, which can take on the consistency of egg white, has a definite purpose, which is that of providing a friendly environment for the male sperm. This mucus is present for several days prior to ovulation and sperm can live in the substance for 3 to 5 days, being ready to fertilize the egg even before it makes its appearance. The egg itself will only live 12 to 24 hours, after which it will disintegrate if it has not been fertilized. Pregnancy can therefore result from sexual intercourse which occurred up to 5 days before ovulation, but not long after. Detecting changes in cervical fluid or mucus, and the consequent discharge, is for most women the most recognizable of the symptoms of ovulation, and the best predictor. It is the changes in the body's hormones which is the underlying cause of these changes in the cervical fluid.  At times these secretions can take on a distinctly pinkish color. This does not however have any particular significance, and should not be a cause for alarm. Like so many other things in life, the color and consistency of these fluids can vary from person to person. The one constant appears to be that most if not all women experience the greatest amount of fluid on the day that ovulation occurs. (continued...)