What Is Ovulation? Signs And Symptoms Of Ovulation

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A woman starts to ovulate from the time she attains puberty and till the point when menopause begins. The point at the menstrual cycle where the ovary releases a mature egg is known as ovulation. Once released, the egg makes its way down the fallopian tube where it can be fertilized by a sperm, thus resulting in pregnancy. For a normal healthy woman, ovulation takes place once a month and a few weeks after menstruation begins.

What are ovulation symptoms?

The common symptoms of ovulation are usually:

  • Changes in cervical mucus consistency and quantity
  • Slight increase in basal body temperature
  • Mild abdominal pain or cramping
  • Breast tenderness
  • Increased sex drive
  • Nausea and headaches
  • Heated sense of smell

Note:  Not all women experience these symptoms and they may vary from person to person.

Fertile Window

Fertile window refers to the period when a woman has the best chances of getting pregnant. Normally, a woman is at her most fertile in the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. She has an even higher chance of successful conception in the two days before ovulation. A couple trying for pregnancy can use an ovulation calculator to predict the fertile window and engage in unprotected sexual intercourse accordingly.

Fertile window symptoms

A woman’s fertile window indicates her highest chances of getting pregnant. Some of the symptoms of fertile window include:

  • Changes in the consistency and quantity of  cervical mucus
  • Cervical mucus becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy, resembling raw egg white
  • Mild abdominal pain or cramping on one side of the lower abdomen
  • Breast tenderness
  • Increased sex drive

Note:  The symptoms of a fertile window are not always reliable indicators of fertility, and tracking your menstrual cycle and using ovulation predictor kits can give you more accuracy in identifying your fertile window.

Signs & Symptoms of Ovulation

An ovulation symptom most commonly observed is a change in body temperature. It drops slightly before ovulation and spikes again after it. Another quite common sign is a constant lower abdominal pain. Changes in the cervical mucus are also a good indicator of impending ovulation and the different degrees of fertility during it. Other symptoms reported by many ovulating women include a heightened sense of smell and recurrent nausea and headache.

Ovulation is a normal function of the female reproductive anatomy, which also makes the above signs and symptoms a part of any woman’s life when she is ovulating. However, if any of these signs are overbearing and get in the way of normal life, you must consult a fertility specialist as soon as possible.

Headache after ovulation

Headaches are relatively common after ovulation. This may happen due to hormonal changes in the body, and are often related to fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels that occur during the menstrual cycle. Along with this other factors such as stress, dehydration,  lack of sleep, or certain foods may also trigger headaches. But if this headache is getting severe it is advised that you reach out to your doctor to rule out any possible medical conditions. 

What is ovulation? Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation

What are the after ovulation symptoms?

Usually the after ovulation symptoms are: 

  • A drop in basal body temperature
  • Bloating, breast tenderness, and mood swings (due to increased progesterone levels)
  • Drying up of cervical mucus
  • A decrease in sex drive
  • Fatigue or a feeling of lethargy

Note:  The symptoms of a fertile window are not always reliable indicators of fertility, and tracking your menstrual cycle and using ovulation predictor kits can give you more accuracy in identifying your fertile window. 

What are the symptoms of anovulation?

Anovulation is absence of ovulation, which means the egg is not released from the ovary during the ovulation phase. No egg release ultimately leads to  irregular or absent periods, making it difficult to predict when ovulation is likely to occur.

Other anovulation symptoms to watch out for are: 

  • Changes in the consistency and quantity of cervical mucus (may be very inconsistent)
  • Acne, hair loss or growth, and mood swings (due to hormonal changes)
  • Irregular or no periods for a long time 
  • Difficulty conceiving, as anovulation is a leading cause of infertility in women

If by any chance you experience the above symptoms or are concerned about your condition, it is important to get in touch with your doctor and diagnose any underlying cause of the reason. 

What is ovulation?

Ovulation is the process in which a mature egg is released from the ovary and travels down the fallopian tube, where it may be fertilized by sperm. Ovulation usually occurs once in a menstrual cycle and plays a major role in a woman’s reproductive cycle.

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