Pregnancy can be a complex process. For some, it can take a great deal of planning and time before a woman becomes pregnant.
Understanding and keeping track of your menstrual cycle and ovulation period, coupled with the knowledge of how conception works, is vital when planning to have a baby. Conception occurs when a sperm cell from a man fuses with and fertilises a woman’s egg cell, forming an embryo.
Proper planning and understanding ovulation will allow you to know when you are most fertile, significantly increasing your chances of conception.
Ovulation is a phase in your menstrual cycle when one of your two ovaries releases an egg. This egg cell will then travel down your fallopian tube, where it may meet a sperm cell and become fertilised.
A typical menstrual cycle lasts for about 28 days, but may vary anywhere from 21 to 35 days. Theoretically, ovulation happens around day 14 or the midpoint of your menstrual cycle; however, most women experience ovulation either four days before or after their menstrual cycle’s midpoint.
Your fertile window is the period when you have the highest chance of getting pregnant.
It generally lasts for about 6 days—which is 5 days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation itself.
Although the fertile window typically lasts for about 6 days, a standard ovulation cycle lasts for only 12 to 24 hours. After 24 hours, the egg cell will dissolve and disappear from the fallopian tube (unless fertilised by a sperm cell within 24 hours).
Common signs of ovulation include:
There are various ways to track ovulation and your fertile window, including:
A slight rise in your basal body temperature indicates that ovulation is taking place.
Now that you understand the importance of ovulation and how it affects conception, here are some tips to maximise your chances of getting pregnant:
In general, you should see a doctor if you:
Although the chance of getting pregnant is the highest during your fertile window, your pregnancy is not 100% guaranteed. Pregnancy depends on various factors, and conceiving during your fertile window is just one of the many aspects.
If you have been trying to conceive for a few months or more without success, or have a history of miscarriage(s), you can book an appointment with one of our skilled obstetrics and gynaecology specialists for consultation and medical treatment.
Established in 2011, SOG Health Pte. Ltd. (“SOG”) is a leading healthcare service provider dedicated to delivering holistic health and wellness services to the modern family.
With a long and established track record in Singapore providing Obstetrics and Gynaecology (“O&G”) services such as pre-pregnancy counselling, delivery, pregnancy and post-delivery care, the Group has since further expanded its spectrum of healthcare services to include Paediatrics, Dermatology, and Cancer-related General Surgery (Colorectal, Breast & Thyroid).
The Group’s clinics, under its four operating segments of O&G, Paediatrics, Oncology and Dermatology, are strategically located throughout Singapore to provide easy access to its patients.
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