Xtra
Determining
when you Ovulate
Knowing the right time maximizes your chance of conceiving
O
24
VULATION takes place around
two weeks before menstruation.
Although the process involves
the release of eggs from the
ovary, it is not picked up for fertilisation.
As most women believe that the time
of her ovulation is her most fertile period,
KL Fertility Centre Fertility specialist,
Dr Agilan Arjunan believes that the term
ovulation period and fertile period can be
interchangeably used.
“For instance, being fertile comes
around the time of the ovulation. It could
either be a day before or even a day after.
These are when the eggs are released with
a 24 hour window to be fertilised.”
The most common method to detect the
ovulation period is the calendar method
which helps one to predict the fertile days
by tracking the length of the menstrual
cycles over several months.
The calendar method can only predict
what are most likely to be safe and unsafe
days and as such, cannot tell you for sure
exactly when you are fertile. Furthermore
it is hard to use if a woman’s cycles are
inconsistent and shorter than 27 days.
Agilan pointed out that the calendar
method is not as effective due to the fact
that the first half of the cycle is varied and
the day a woman ovulates varies time to
time.
“A cycle is counted from the first day of
the period to the first day of the next period.
If on average, the cycle is every 28 days, you
would ovulate around day 14. There is a high
likelihood of conceiving between days 11 to
14. However if you have a shorter interval
between periods, for an instance 24 days,
the ovulation takes place around day 10 and
your “fertile window” is between day seven
and 10.”
“There are natural ways for a woman to
detect if she is ovulating. This is by keep-
ing track of the various phases of cervical
mucus that comes before ovulation.”
“Other tests include the urine Luteiniz-
ing Hormone (LH) tests also known as the
ovulation home tests. When women are
approaching ovulation, the LH hormones
are at a peak for around 20 to 24 hours.”
“Ovulation prediction tests kits often
come with five to seven sticks. One would
need to test for several days to detect a
surge in LH. Other symptoms indicating
the nearing of ovulation period is the ten-
derness of the breasts, increased ovulation
pain in some women and also heightened
sexual arousal”, said Agilan.
Hormonal
Disorder
Cause For
Irregular
Cycles
Dr Agilan Arjunan.
There are natural
ways for a woman
to detect if she is
ovulating. This is
by keeping track of
the various phases
of cervical mucus
that comes before
ovulation.
POLYCYSTIC ovary syndrome
(PCOS) is a hormonal disorder
syndrome common among women
of reproductive age.
KL Fertility Centre, Fertility
specialist, Dr Agilan Arjunan
explained that women with PCOS
may experience frequent or
prolonged menstrual periods or
excess male hormones levels.
“In PCOS, many small fluid-
filled sac grow inside the ovaries
and this causes infertility in
women. Treatment for PCOS
usually starts with lifestyle
changes like weight loss, diet and
exercise. Losing weight can help
regulate the menstrual cycle and
improve the symptoms. Doctors
would then apply high dosage of
medication in order to stimulate
the eggs.”
Agilan stressed that those
changes to the lifestyle has to be
made. Practices such as smoking
have to be stopped completely
while drinking is at moderation.
As ovulation is only one part of
the fertilisation process, getting
healthier will help to prevent
faster depletion of eggs.