Understanding your menstrual cycle

Each month ovulation occurs when an egg is released from your ovaries. Occasionally, another egg is released after the first one. The egg moves slowly down the Fallopian tubes (also known as uterine tubes), where it can be fertilised by the sperm. If the egg is not fertilised, it’s discarded during your period.

During intercourse, of the 300 million sperm ejaculated, some swim into the womb and into the Fallopian tubes, where they can survive for up to seven days. So really, it’s a question of timing as an egg can only lasts up to 24 hours after ovulation. You conceive when an egg is fertilised and gets implanted into your womb, which develops an especially thick lining to house it. So, there is a higher chance of conceiving if you have intercourse during the seven days before you ovulate.

It’s tricky to know when ovulation occurs. However, in most women it usually happens 10-16 days before the start of the next menstrual period. The menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of your period. The average cycle is 28 days, but shorter or longer cycles are normal.

To find out when you are ovulating, you can track your monthly menstrual cycle by charting it on a calender and taking note of your cycle every month. You can use a basal thermometer to measure your temperatures and record them into a fertility chart – this is the most accurate system. Take a reading in the morning, as soon as you wake up.Your most fertile time is between the time your temperature drops and before it rises again. If maths is not your forte, you might want to try an ovulation kit. This is easier to use but not infallible. Once your strip shows a positive result for ovulation, you should have intercourse within 24 hours. There are also physical signs that you are ovulating, such as feeling cramping on one side and/or a sticky discharge similar to egg white.