How to detect ovulation

Are you trying to get pregnant? Of course, you can't decide exactly when you will have that positive pregnancy test. But you can do many things to boost your chances. Besides being healthy and fit, and having a similar partner, knowing how to detect ovulation will really swing those baby odds in your favor. How do you do it?

Ovulation calendar

Ovulation calendars are a low-tech tool that can be very handy. An online ovulation calendar allows users to enter data about their own menstrual period, to help them find out when they can expect to be fertile. Of course, this can also be done manually, but it's a lot more work. An ovulation calendar makes things much easier, and some even send you an email when you are about to ovulate, to remind you!

Ovulation predictor kits

Ovulation predictor kits offer a more high-tech solution to ladies who want to keep track of their menstrual cycle and their fertile days. With an ovulation test, you start "peeing on the stick" around the time your ovulation is expected, until the kit indicates that you are ovulating. These kits actually detect a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), which happens when you are right on the verge of ovulation.

Fertility charting

Fertility charting is quite a complex method, but it is made easier through websites like Fertility Friend. Charting to conceive (and even charting to avoid!) involves measuring your basal body temperature every day at the same time usually early in the morning. A mid-month temperature spike signifies ovulation. If you use an online system, it will automatically tell you when you are ovulating.

Cervical mucus

Monitoring your own cervical mucus may seem like a gross thing to do, but it is quick and easy and provides an awful lot of information about the menstrual cycle! It is possible to tell whether you are ovulating by looking at nothing more than your cervical mucus. Fertile mucus is stretchy and looks similar to egg white.