11 Ovulation signs — know when you are most fertile

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11 signs that you are ovulating

There are several signs of ovulation that you might notice in your cycle, but because each person is different, we don’t all necessarily get the same ovulation symptoms. We may also experience these symptoms in different ways, and it might even vary from one cycle to the next. However, knowing what to look out for can make it easier for you to understand what’s going on in your own body, which can help you become aware of your ovulation. So, what does ovulation feel like? Let’s go through some common ovulation symptoms! 

1. Surging hormones

Around 24-48 hours before ovulation, there is a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH). You can measure this hormone by using ovulation tests (also known as LH tests). These tests detect the presence of LH in a urine sample. However, ovulation tests only indicate that ovulation is about to happen; they do not guarantee or confirm the release of an egg cell.

2. Changing cervical mucus

Cervical mucus levels ebb and flow throughout the cycle. In the days before ovulation, this discharge becomes clear, and is very stretchy with a high water content. Cervical mucus with this consistency is sometimes called “egg white” cervical mucus and is often a sign that ovulation day is approaching.

Working out whether or not you are fertile simply by looking at cervical mucus alone is tricky because it varies a lot between individuals. On top of this, sexual discharge can also make interpreting cervical mucus more complicated. However, taken with other fertility indicators, cervical mucus can be a useful sign of ovulation.

3. Spiking sex drive

Also known as libido, sex drive reflects our desire for sex and can fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. An increase in libido is linked to the hormone estrogen, which is high during the days before ovulation. If you’ve noticed you feel friskier in the middle of your cycle, this may be the cause! 

Sex drive tends to slump after ovulation day as the estrogen levels drop, progesterone rises, and your period approaches. Once your period arrives, a new cycle begins, and libido levels start to build up again…

4. Increasing energy levels

As the fertile window approaches, a rise in activity level isn’t restricted to the bedroom. In fact, we’re likely to feel at our very best in the days leading up to ovulation. Energy levels are high, so it’s a good time to take on new challenges or channel that motivation into something that needs you to be at the top of your game! 

After ovulation day, energy levels can slump down again due to a rise in the hormone progesterone. This might leave you feeling a bit sluggish, a common symptom of PMS, and, to make things confusing, it’s also one of the signs of early pregnancy.

5. Breast tenderness

It’s not all high sex drives and boundless energy. Some people do experience some soreness as a sign of ovulation too, and breast tenderness on ovulation day is a common symptom. This is one of the reasons why we recommend doing that all-important self-breast exam right at the start of the cycle and not around ovulation.

6. Ovulation pain

Some of us also get a one-sided abdominal pain known as ovulation pain or Mittelschmerz, which happens as the egg cell is released from the ovary. Exactly how the pain feels is individual; for some, it feels like a sharp pain while for others, it’s more of a dull ache or cramps.

7. Cervix position

Did you know that the position of the cervix changes during the menstrual cycle? During ovulation, the cervix position is high in the vagina. Because of the higher estrogen levels at this time of the cycle, the cervix also becomes softer. You can learn to check your cervix position at home, and it can be a useful indicator of where you are in your cycle.

8. Shining complexion

Many of us have probably noticed skin changes during the menstrual cycle, and there is actually a link between skin and hormones. In the days before ovulation, some experience clearer skin and a glowing complexion caused by the presence of estrogen. Others might get the occasional breakout around ovulation day instead. 

These breakouts are caused by rising progesterone levels that happen alongside ovulation. However, we’re more likely to experience spotty skin after ovulation itself when estrogen levels have dropped, but those progesterone levels remain high.

9. Spotting

Spotting is a type of light bleeding that’s different to your period. It’s not unusual to experience spotting when we ovulate due to the hormonal changes that happen at this time of the cycle. Spotting around ovulation can also be caused by a small amount of blood being released from the follicle along with the egg cell.

While spotting can be a symptom of ovulation, if you experience any unexplained bleeding, it’s a good idea to check in with a healthcare professional to rule out any other causes.

10. Heightened senses 

There is some research that suggests that our sense of smell is heightened during ovulation. Other studies have also found that we are more sensitive to pain during ovulation. 

It might be best to hold off on those routine tasks like hair removal until the days after your period begins since we’re less sensitive to pain at the start of our cycle. 

Whether you view this as a nuisance or a superpower, we think it's pretty cool that our perception of the world can change due to hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle.

11. Rising body temperature

One way to confirm that ovulation has happened is to measure basal body temperature. The progesterone level in the body increases after ovulation, which causes our resting body temperature to rise along with it. 

Charting basal body temperature is no new breakthrough when it comes to fertility indicators, but developments in technology have made this method more accurate and easier to use. Gone are the days when you needed to track your fertility with pen and paper. With Natural Cycles, you can easily track your temperature in the app, and it will calculate your fertility status for you. You can also choose if you want to measure your temperature with a basal thermometer, or if you prefer to measure throughout the night by wearing a compatible Apple Watch or Oura Ring.

When do you ovulate?

Ovulation happens roughly two weeks before your next period starts. This is because the luteal phase (the cycle phase after ovulation) is usually around that length, and it also doesn’t change much from cycle to cycle.

A common misconception is that ovulation always happens on day 14 in the menstrual cycle (and that the standard cycle is 28 long), but our study on over 600,000 cycles found that the average ovulation day was actually cycle day 18! 

However, since cycles vary in length, ovulation doesn’t always happen on the same day in each cycle. On the contrary; it’s more common for the ovulation day to vary a bit from cycle to cycle, even if your cycle tends to be regular. Those with irregular cycles will experience even more variation in their ovulation day.

How to predict ovulation

So, if the ovulation day changes, is it possible to predict when ovulation will happen? Keeping track of symptoms during your cycle (either using an app or on your own) can help you find your own pattern and identify your signs of ovulation. 

1. Measuring your basal body temperature

During the menstrual cycle, your basal body temperature follows a distinct curve, so tracking your temperatures throughout your cycles can help you see when you ovulate. Your temperatures will be lower before ovulation (during the follicular phase), and when you ovulate, your temperature will rise as the body releases progesterone. This temperature shift is only about 0.3°C or 0.5°F, so you need to use a sensitive thermometer (called a basal thermometer) that shows two decimal places and measure first thing in the morning before you get out of bed.

2. Using a period tracker

Another way of tracking your ovulation is to simply keep track of your periods along with any ovulation symptoms that you experience during your cycle. This way, you can get an idea of when your ovulation happens.

One thing to keep in mind when predicting ovulation by tracking ovulation symptoms is that they are highly subjective, and not everyone experiences them. Focusing more on the biological changes happening in our bodies that are easier to measure (body temperature and LH) can help us pinpoint ovulation day with more accuracy. 

3. Taking ovulation tests

Ovulation tests, also known as ovulation prediction kits (OPKs) or LH tests, can be a great help for predicting ovulation. A surge in LH happens around 24-48 hours before ovulation, so getting a positive test is a good indication that your ovulation day is approaching. However, some struggle to get a positive test as the LH surge can be difficult to catch (since you have to test at the right time). It can help to combine using ovulation tests with other ways of tracking ovulation, like measuring temperature or tracking other symptoms.

Keep in mind that ovulation tests do not confirm ovulation has happened but are instead a prediction that it is likely going to happen. 

4. Using Natural Cycles

The Natural Cycles algorithm will give you a personalized prediction for your ovulation in each cycle by taking into account all your past cycle data, like when you usually ovulate and how much that changes from cycle to cycle. The NC° app will also confirm when you have ovulated and calculate which day it happened based on your body temperature – which takes away the guesswork!

How long does ovulation last?

Ovulation only lasts for a short period of time — the egg cell can survive for up to 24 hours at the most once it’s released from the ovary during ovulation. After that time, the egg cell dies and can no longer be fertilized.

While the actual ovulation only happens for one day each cycle, the fertile window can be up to six days long. This is because sperm can survive in the female reproductive system for up to five days under the right conditions. When trying to get pregnant, you’ll have the best chance of conceiving if you’ve had sex in the days before ovulation happens so that the sperm is already waiting for the egg once it’s released (having sex the day before ovulation gives the highest chances of conceiving). 

What does ovulation feel like?

As we’ve seen in this article, ovulation can feel like many things — some of us get more energy, a higher sex drive, and feel like we’re on top of the world, while others might experience pain and tenderness around ovulation. There are also plenty of people who won’t notice their ovulation happening at all. 

In the end, only you will know what your ovulation feels like, but hopefully, this article has given you some pointers for what you can look out for!

Know when you ovulate with Natural Cycles

We know that planning a pregnancy can sometimes be stressful since there are so many things to think about in the process, and trying to pinpoint ovulation can definitely be one of them. When using NC° Plan Pregnancy, Natural Cycles’ unique algorithm will learn your individual cycle pattern, and let you know both when you ovulate and the days when you are most fertile. 

Our research shows that Cyclers become pregnant in three cycles on average with NC° Plan Pregnancy. All you have to do is track your body temperature, use optional ovulation tests, and log your period in the app. You’ll also have the option to add any other cycle symptoms if you’d like to track them, and the NC° algorithm will do the rest!