How Long Does Ovulation Last

Many women of childbearing age tend to try different ways to get pregnant but usually ignore one simple point which can brighten their chances of conceiving, which is nothing else but ovulation. But sadly, most of them don't know what ovulation is or how long does ovulation last also. Well, ovulation is basically the time when an ovary releases a single mature egg. It is the most fertile time of a woman's menstrual cycle, i.e. the time when chances of conception are highest. Hence, every month a woman ovulates, i.e. the ovary releases an egg, unless she is pregnant. But when it starts, what are its signs of occurrence and how long does ovulation cramping last or how long does ovulation spotting last, all this we will come to know in the following sections.

When Does Ovulation Occur

You might be often asking yourself, when am I ovulating? Normally, ovulation takes place 14 days after your first day of menstruation or two weeks before the onset of the next menstrual cycle. The typical signs of ovulation, which can be noticed just one or two days before its onset, include increased basal temperature by 0.4 to 1.0 degree Fahrenheit, cervical mucus turning slippery or having egg white consistency, and even premenstrual symptoms like abdominal pain, breast tenderness, cramping, etc. Though most women find it difficult to calculate their ovulation time, one way to determine when does ovulation occur, is to subtract luteal phase, which is usually 12 to 16 days long, from the length of your menstrual cycle. Luteal phase is the time period starting with the day after ovulation and ending with the last day of your menstrual cycle.

Besides this, using an ovulation predictor kit or measuring your basal temperature with a special basal thermometer can also help to determine the time when ovulation is about to occur. Apart from these methods, being aware of your body's cervical mucus changes, discomforts and mood swings can, up to some extent, help you to determine when do you ovulate. However the time of ovulation in your cycle may vary due to a number of factors such as stress, illness, diet, or increased physical activity. Also some women have an irregular menstrual cycle of 20 or 32 days which can also change their time of ovulation. But despite these variations, one thing which remains constant is the duration of ovulation. Hence how long does ovulation pain last or how long does ovulation bleeding last, we will know in the next section.

How Long Does Ovulation Last

So, now you know you are most fertile when you are ovulating. We now need to find out how long ovulation lasts. The process of ovulation is stimulated with the release of luteinizing hormone whose levels in the body increase significantly just one or two days before ovulation. This causes the egg to be released from one of the ovaries after which it travels down to the fallopian tube. This journey usually takes 24 hours and is considered to be the optimum time for conception. However, the fertile period starts nearly 4 to 5 days before ovulation and gets over about 24 to 48 hours after it. Since an egg can survive in the fallopian tube for about 24 to 48 hours, if intercourse occurs two days after ovulation, conception can occur. Likewise, as the sperm can live in your body for approximately 4 to 5 days, if intercourse takes place a few days prior to ovulation, conception can still occur. Hence if fertilization occurs, the egg implants itself in the uterus lining and starts growing, resulting in a pregnancy. But if fertilization doesn't occur within the 24 to 48 hours after ovulation, the egg starts degenerating and is excluded from the body along with the uterus lining at the beginning of your next menstruation, which is usually after 12 to 16 days.

Though time of ovulation which is usually two weeks after the first day of your menstrual cycle and though this may vary from one woman to another, the duration of ovulation is quite consistent. Hence, knowing your fertile days or time of ovulation can improve your chances of getting pregnant and at the same time, can help you avoid any unwanted pregnancy.