Most women told necessarily to track their cycles before they have decided to become pregnant. They know when they are nearing the start of their cycle which the first day of their menstruation (period). Ever since girls start their periods near their pre-teen and early teen years they will always know around the time that they might "start" because they want to be prepared. However, a lot of women don't give their cycles much thought other than their periods. Once women decide that they want to become pregnant they become more aware of their bodies and they begin to notice a lot more about the changes their bodies make through different times throughout the month.
Women will begin to scour the internet when they have decided to start trying to conceive (TTC). They begin to realize a couple of things (a) there is a lot more to conceiving than just having sex (b) there is a whole group of women who have been trying for years and have not become pregnant and (c) there is a whole new set of vocabulary for women who are trying to conceive.
The first day of the cycle (cycle day 1: CD1) is the first day of menstruation. Women's periods will last from anywhere between 5-7 days. When you are in your period there is almost a 0% chance that you will become pregnant, however, it is not actually impossible. You shouldn't rely on your period to keep you from getting pregnant, but you shouldn't expect to get pregnant while menstruation. The monthly period is "shedding of the endometrium, the inner membrane of the uterus."
After you are done menstruation, you have a much higher chance of becoming pregnant as you are in pre-ovulation. "I recommend having sex frequently—two to three times a week, but every other day if you can—shortly after you stop menstruating to cover your window of pre-ovulation," says Kelly Pagidas, M.D., a fertility specialist with Women & Infants Center for Reproduction and Infertility in Providence. Women are encouraged to have sex every other day to improve the chances of becoming pregnant. Some couples believe that if they are trying to get pregnant than they should have sex as much as they can, but that is actually not the best way to conceive. According to Very Well Family, "Experts advise that you don't have sex more than once per day. It may seem that more sex would equal a better chance of pregnancy, but actually, having sex too frequently may decrease the number of healthy sperm."
Your vaginal discharge will be different throughout the entire month. A lot of women can tell which part of their monthly cycle they are at depending on their discharge. Right after your period your cervical mucus (cm) will become little springy to the touch and will kind of feel sticky. You will know when you are the most fertile when your CM becomes white and milk. Many women compare their fertile CM to egg whites. Women will ovulate at around CD 14. When the woman has ovulated she can only become pregnant anywhere between 12-24 hours after the egg has been released. Timing is everything.
According to Yolanda Kirkham, an OB-GYN at Women’s College Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, "your chances of conceiving each cycle you try are 25 to 30 percent if you’re under 35, eight to 15 percent if you’re 35 to 39, five percent if you’re 40 to 42 and one to two percent at age 43." Although that may seem scary, the majority of women become pregnant within the first year of trying. Kirkham says "85 percent of women will get pregnant within one year of trying."
There are a couple of ways that can help women track their ovulation and make sure that they are setting themself up for the best possible timing for getting pregnant.
Cervical Mucous: As mentioned before, egg-white CM is the best type to get pregnant. This is an indication that you are very fertile. It is important to make sure that you have sex during this time. The least fertile CM is when there is no CM. If you are feeling dry, itchy, or nothing, then you are not fertile and there is almost no chance of getting pregnant during this time. Women who use the "calendar method" of birth control typically have sex during this time to avoid pregnancy. Women will notice their CM getting a little bit damper, but during this time they are still not fertile. The fertility becomes higher when the CM is a little bit yellowish, a little bit sticky and creaming. You might notice a ball of CM in your underwear during this phase of your cycle. Tracking CM can be difficult. Women may be confused by CM if they get confused from other fluids such as arousal lubrication and seminal fluid that often leaks out throughout the next 12 hours after sex.
Cervical Position: Did you know that the cervix changes through the cycle through the month? Some women find that checking their own cervix throughout the month can help them figure out if they are fertile. Some women even check their cervix when they have become pregnant. For women who become very familiar with their cervix, they can even check for dilation at the end of their pregnancy. During the most fertile time, the woman's cervix will be high, open, and soft. During your period your cervix will likely be low and hard and slightly open to allow for blood flow. During menstruation, it will feel like the tip of your nose. Once the period stops, the cervix will stay low but the opening will close and stay hard. Women begin having intercourse when they notice that their cervix has begun to rise and open.
Cervical strips: Women who are uncertain about their ovulation might use ovulation strips to indicate when they are the most fertile. There are bulk ovulation stips that can be purchase over the internet and are very effective. Women who are trying to conceive might check their fertility every single day of the month. Ovulation strips (ovulation prediction kids: OPK's) are different than pregnancy tests. There will always be two lines that show up on the OPK's. The tests detect the luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine and there is always a little bit of LH in the system but surges before ovulation. Therefore, it only shows you that you are fertile when the test line is just as dark as the control. When both lines are dark it doesn't mean that you are currently ovulating but that you will ovulate in the next 24-36 hours, so this is the best time to have sex to become pregnant.
As you have begun researching the ways to become pregnant you might notice that it is a lot harder to get pregnant than your high school health teacher made it seem. Don't get discouraged if it takes you a few months, that is normal. If you have any questions or concerns reach out to your OBGYN to help discuss the options.
Sources: Parents, VeryWellFamily, Today's Parents, UNC School of Medicine, Progyny, Clear Blue, Medical News Today