Ovulation

Ovulation is a crucial part of the menstrual cycle for women who are trying to conceive. During ovulation, an egg is released from one of the ovaries and begins to travel down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. The egg will only survive for about 24 hours after ovulation, so it is important for couples who are trying to conceive to have sex in the days leading up to ovulation and on the day of ovulation itself.

The timing of ovulation can vary from woman to woman, and even from cycle to cycle within the same woman. On average, ovulation occurs about 14 days before the start of the next period, but it can occur anywhere from 11 to 16 days before the start of the next period. Women who have a regular menstrual cycle may be able to predict when they will ovulate based on the length of their cycle, but other methods such as basal body temperature tracking or ovulation predictor kits may be more accurate.

For women who have difficulty ovulating, there are medical treatments available such as fertility drugs or assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF). In IVF, eggs are retrieved from the woman's ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory before being transferred back to the woman's uterus. This process can help women who are struggling with ovulation or other fertility issues to conceive.