Whether you're trying to conceive or trying not to, knowing your fertile window changes the conversation.
Ask ten experts and you will get twelve answers. The underlying math, thankfully, only has one. Whether you're trying to conceive or trying not to, knowing your fertile window changes the conversation.
Ovulation occurs ~14 days before next period. 28-day cycle → day 14. 32-day cycle → day 18.
Sperm live ~5 days in fertile cervical mucus; egg lives 12–24 hours. Window = 5 days before ovulation + day of.
Basal body temperature rises 0.3°C after ovulation. LH surge detected by ovulation strips 24–36 hours before.
Conception odds peak on day -2 and -1 before ovulation, not the day itself.
How accurate are ovulation calculators? Within 2–3 days for regular cycles. Less for PCOS, postpartum, perimenopause.
Can I get pregnant outside the fertile window? Rare but possible — especially with irregular cycles. Don't rely on calendar alone for contraception.
Bookmark the calculator linked above — you will need it more often than you think.