Ovulation calendar - Your menstrual cycle in pictures and words

Things to know

A woman's total egg supply is formed in fetal life, to be ovulated decades later.
The fertile period starts at the menarche (first menstrual period) and ends with the menopause.
Over her reproductive lifetime a woman will ovulate approximately 400 to 450 times.
Unlike almost all other species, humans are the only mammal to lack obvious, visible manifestations of ovulation

Cycle in general

Cycle length can also vary from month to month, with up to 8 days variation between cycles still considered as a regular menstrual cycle.
The medical term for cycles with intervals of 21 days or fewer is polymenorrhea
The medical term for cycles with intervals exceeding 35 days is oligomenorrhea. Long cycles are usually associated with ovulation problems:
- there may be no ovulation (anovulation),
- ovulation may bevery irregular,
- ovulation is abnormal (inadequate egg quality).
The medical term for cycles with intervals exceeding 180 days is amenorrhea. Women with very low body fat, such as athletes, may cease to menstruate. Amenorrhea also occurs during pregnancy.
Stressors as subtle as night work or shift work can lead to irregular menstrual cycles. Keep stress levels down.
Your cycle may fluctuate for a variety of reasons, including illness, travel, stress, exercise level, and significant weight loss or gain. Adolescents, women who are breastfeeding, and those who have recently stopped taking birth control pills also commonly experience fluctuations in their menstrual cycles.

Follicular phase

The length of the follicular phase (aka proliferative phase) — and consequently the length of the menstrual cycle — may vary widely.
Age dependant: 14.2 days in women aged 18-24 years, 10.4 days in women aged 40-44 years.
Diet: Eating a low fat diet may lengthen this phase by as much as 2 days
If you were using oral contraceptives for a longer period, or in the last 90 days this phase may be longer.
women with a history of miscarriages may have a shorter phase (-2 days)
(occasional) marijuana use may result in a longer phase ((+2) 3,5 days)
If you ovulate very late in a cycle, (more than 21 days into your cycle) and have problems getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy visit your doctor. Treatment may help you achieve a more succesful cycle.

(Pre-)Ovulation

Pre ovulation pain, detection of perovular cervical mucus, and the change in physical character and position of the cervix are reliable signs of preovulation
- Pre-ovulation pain, or mittelschmerz can appear suddenly and usually subsides within hours. In some women, the mittelschmerz is localized enough so that they can tell which of their two ovaries provided the egg in a given month.
- During, and several days before ovulation the cervix may feel softer and wetter and its position we be higher than before and after ovulation
- During, and several days before ovulation the volume of your cervical fluid may increase. It will also be clearer, and you will be able to stretch it furter between your forefinger and thumb than before and after ovulation
A woman's vulva may swell just prior to ovulation, especially the side on which ovulation will occur
Some woman may spot a little blood during ovulation. This is normal and occurs when the egg ovulates. This spotting is more common in longer cycles.

Lutheal phase

The average luteal phase length is 14 days. (ranging from 10-16 days)
It is also called DPO. (Days Past Ovulation)
A short luteal phase lasts less than 11 days may be associated with a luteal phase defect. (LPD) If you conceive and you have a luteal phase defect, you will have an early miscarriage. Luteal phase defect can be easily corrected, for example with vitamin B6, progesterone cream and/or Clomid (increases progesterone through enhancing follicular development), depending on the cause.
The length of your luteal phase can be measured through hormone-specific blood tests or by charting your basal body temperature.

If you're seriously overweight, speak to your doctor about starting a gradual weight-loss program. Obesity may affect hormonal signals to the ovaries and interfere with ovulation. In addition, increased weight can cause insulin levels to climb, causing the ovaries to overproduce male hormones and stop releasing eggs.

A new cycle starts here!
	Days from now	Date	Day of cycle	Phase	Days to your next cycle	What's happening?
	-8	Thu, January 26th ,2012	1st day	menstrual	28 days to your next cycle.	• The menstrual phase usually lasts 3 to 5 days, but anywhere from 2 to 7 days is considered normal
	-7	Fri, January 27th ,2012	2nd day	menstrual	27 days to your next cycle.	• The average blood loss during menstruation is 35 millilitres with 10–80 ml considered normal
	-6	Sat, January 28th ,2012	3rd day	menstrual	26 days to your next cycle.	• Because of this blood loss, women have higher dietary requirements for iron than do males to prevent iron deficiency.
	-5	Sun, January 29th ,2012	4th day	menstrual	25 days to your next cycle.	• Many women experience uterine cramps during the menstrual phase.
	-4	Mon, January 30th ,2012	5th day	menstrual	24 days to your next cycle.
	-3	Tue, January 31st ,2012	6th day	menstrual	23 days to your next cycle.
	-2	Wed, February 1st ,2012	7th day	menstrual	22 days to your next cycle.
	-1	Thu, February 2nd ,2012	8th day	menstrual	21 days to your next cycle.
	Today	Fri, February 3rd ,2012	9th day	follicular	20 days to your next cycle.	• The lining of the uterus is at its most thin. Levels of estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. • Through the influence of a rise in follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), five to seven tertiary-stage ovarian follicles are recruited for entry into the next menstrual cycle • Research supports the suggestion that a bright 100W bedside lamp used on 5 consecutive nights prior to ovulation can cause reduction of long menstrual cycles.
	1	Sat, February 4th ,2012	10th day	follicular	19 days to your next cycle.	• These follicles, that have been growing for the better part of a year in a process known as folliculogenesis, compete with each other for dominance. • Normal sperm life inside a woman ranges from 1-5 days, though a pregnancy resulting from sperm life of 8 days has been documented. If you are trying for a baby, it would be a good time to try today and in the next 5 days. Because ovulation dates are different for every woman and each cycle, it is suggested that if a woman wants to conceive, the most fertile time occurs between today and the next 9 days to come.
	2	Sun, February 5th ,2012	11th day	follicular	18 days to your next cycle.	• Under the influence of several hormones, all but one of these follicles will undergo atresia, while one (or occasionally two) dominant follicles will continue to maturity. • This day (as well as the the next 3 days) is a good day to try for a baby.
	3	Mon, February 6th ,2012	12th day	follicular	17 days to your next cycle.	• Your fertility increases throughout the follicular phase • When the egg has matured, it secretes enough estradiol to trigger the acute release of luteinizing hormone (LH).
	4	Tue, February 7th ,2012	13th day	follicular	16 days to your next cycle.	• As they mature, the follicles secrete increasing amounts of estradiol, an estrogen. The estrogens that follicles secrete initiate the formation of a new layer of endometrium in the uterus. The estrogen also stimulates crypts in the cervix to produce fertile cervical mucus • In the average cycle this LH surge starts around cycle day 12 and may last 48 hours.
	5	Wed, February 8th ,2012	14th day	ovulation	15 days to your next cycle.	• The time needed for recruitment of the follicles and selecting the best (dominant) follicle for the ovulation causes variations in the length of the cycle. • Ovulation: The release of the ovum. The egg is swept into the fallopian tube. If fertilization occurs, it will happen in the fallopian tube, today or tomorrow. (A released egg can be fertilised for up to 48 hours)
	6	Thu, February 9th ,2012	15th day	luteal	14 days to your next cycle.	• After ovulation, the follicle which held the egg transforms into the corpus luteum. It will produce progesterone for approximately the next 2 weeks. Progesterone helps forming a lining receptive for implantation and supportive of the early pregnancy.
	7	Fri, February 10th ,2012	16th day	luteal	13 days to your next cycle.	• 24-30 hours after fertilization the first cell division (mitosis) takes place. • Progesterone raises the body temperature to provide a fertile environment for the ovum by 0.25 °C to 0.5 °C (0.5 °F to 1.0 °F), thus women who record their basal body temperature on a daily basis will notice that they have entered the luteal phase.
	8	Sat, February 11th ,2012	17th day	luteal	12 days to your next cycle.	• If fertilization of an egg has occurred, the egg and sperm united are called a zygote. It will travel through the fallopian tube, making its way to the uterus.
	9	Sun, February 12th ,2012	18th day	luteal	11 days to your next cycle.	• If an egg is not fertilised within 24-48 hours of ovulation, the rest of the luteal phase is considered to be relatively infertile.
	10	Mon, February 13th ,2012	19th day	luteal	10 days to your next cycle.	The zygote's rapid cell division from 2 to 4 to 8 now reached 16 cells. By this day the ball of cells is called a morula.
	11	Tue, February 14th ,2012	20th day	luteal	9 days to your next cycle.
	12	Wed, February 15th ,2012	21th day	luteal	8 days to your next cycle.	The morula's rapid cell division from 16 to 32 to 64 now reached 128 cells. A cavity is formed within the ball of cells. It is now called a blastocyst or blastula. Very soon the blastocyst will have so many cells that individual cells are no longer recognizable
	13	Thu, February 16th ,2012	22th day	luteal	7 days to your next cycle.	• A fertilized blastocyst will implant itself into the uterine. The point of implantation becomes the origin for the placenta and umbilical cord. Note that impantation can occur several today, but also several days from now...
	14	Fri, February 17th ,2012	23th day	luteal	6 days to your next cycle.	• Shortly after implantation, the growing embryo will signal its existence to the maternal system. One very early signal consists of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that pregnancy tests can measure
	15	Sat, February 18th ,2012	24th day	luteal	5 days to your next cycle.	• The level of hCG is increasing, but still too low to measure with a home pregnancy test. The level will double every 2 or 3 days.
	16	Sun, February 19th ,2012	25th day	luteal	4 days to your next cycle.	• a hCG blood test may now see an increased hCG level. It is still too early for a home pregnancy test measuring the hCG in the urine test.
	17	Mon, February 20th ,2012	26th day	luteal	3 days to your next cycle.
	18	Tue, February 21st ,2012	27th day	luteal	2 days to your next cycle.	• There is a good chance that a home pregnancy test can pick up enough hCG to confirm a pregnancy. A negative test doesn't mean you're not pregnant, there may simply not be enough hCG yet because it is too early after implantation.
	19	Wed, February 22nd ,2012	28th day	luteal	1 days to your next cycle.	• if the egg is not fertilised and does not implant, the corpus luteum will disintegrate after approximately two weeks, causing the drop in progesterone levels that signals the start of menstruation and the beginning of a new cycle
A new cycle starts here!
	Days from now	Date	Day of cycle	Phase	Days to your next cycle	What's happening?
	20	Thu, February 23rd ,2012	1st day	menstrual	28 days to your next cycle.	• The menstrual phase usually lasts 3 to 5 days, but anywhere from 2 to 7 days is considered normal
	21	Fri, February 24th ,2012	2nd day	menstrual	27 days to your next cycle.	• The average blood loss during menstruation is 35 millilitres with 10–80 ml considered normal
	22	Sat, February 25th ,2012	3rd day	menstrual	26 days to your next cycle.	• Because of this blood loss, women have higher dietary requirements for iron than do males to prevent iron deficiency.
	23	Sun, February 26th ,2012	4th day	menstrual	25 days to your next cycle.	• Many women experience uterine cramps during the menstrual phase.
	24	Mon, February 27th ,2012	5th day	menstrual	24 days to your next cycle.
	25	Tue, February 28th ,2012	6th day	menstrual	23 days to your next cycle.
	26	Wed, February 29th ,2012	7th day	menstrual	22 days to your next cycle.
	27	Thu, March 1st ,2012	8th day	menstrual	21 days to your next cycle.
	28	Fri, March 2nd ,2012	9th day	follicular	20 days to your next cycle.	• The lining of the uterus is at its most thin. Levels of estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. • Through the influence of a rise in follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), five to seven tertiary-stage ovarian follicles are recruited for entry into the next menstrual cycle • Research supports the suggestion that a bright 100W bedside lamp used on 5 consecutive nights prior to ovulation can cause reduction of long menstrual cycles.
	29	Sat, March 3rd ,2012	10th day	follicular	19 days to your next cycle.	• These follicles, that have been growing for the better part of a year in a process known as folliculogenesis, compete with each other for dominance. • Normal sperm life inside a woman ranges from 1-5 days, though a pregnancy resulting from sperm life of 8 days has been documented. If you are trying for a baby, it would be a good time to try today and in the next 5 days. Because ovulation dates are different for every woman and each cycle, it is suggested that if a woman wants to conceive, the most fertile time occurs between today and the next 9 days to come.
	30	Sun, March 4th ,2012	11th day	follicular	18 days to your next cycle.	• Under the influence of several hormones, all but one of these follicles will undergo atresia, while one (or occasionally two) dominant follicles will continue to maturity. • This day (as well as the the next 3 days) is a good day to try for a baby.
	31	Mon, March 5th ,2012	12th day	follicular	17 days to your next cycle.	• Your fertility increases throughout the follicular phase • When the egg has matured, it secretes enough estradiol to trigger the acute release of luteinizing hormone (LH).
	32	Tue, March 6th ,2012	13th day	follicular	16 days to your next cycle.	• As they mature, the follicles secrete increasing amounts of estradiol, an estrogen. The estrogens that follicles secrete initiate the formation of a new layer of endometrium in the uterus. The estrogen also stimulates crypts in the cervix to produce fertile cervical mucus • In the average cycle this LH surge starts around cycle day 12 and may last 48 hours.
	33	Wed, March 7th ,2012	14th day	ovulation	15 days to your next cycle.	• The time needed for recruitment of the follicles and selecting the best (dominant) follicle for the ovulation causes variations in the length of the cycle. • Ovulation: The release of the ovum. The egg is swept into the fallopian tube. If fertilization occurs, it will happen in the fallopian tube, today or tomorrow. (A released egg can be fertilised for up to 48 hours)
	34	Thu, March 8th ,2012	15th day	luteal	14 days to your next cycle.	• After ovulation, the follicle which held the egg transforms into the corpus luteum. It will produce progesterone for approximately the next 2 weeks. Progesterone helps forming a lining receptive for implantation and supportive of the early pregnancy.
	35	Fri, March 9th ,2012	16th day	luteal	13 days to your next cycle.	• 24-30 hours after fertilization the first cell division (mitosis) takes place. • Progesterone raises the body temperature to provide a fertile environment for the ovum by 0.25 °C to 0.5 °C (0.5 °F to 1.0 °F), thus women who record their basal body temperature on a daily basis will notice that they have entered the luteal phase.
	36	Sat, March 10th ,2012	17th day	luteal	12 days to your next cycle.	• If fertilization of an egg has occurred, the egg and sperm united are called a zygote. It will travel through the fallopian tube, making its way to the uterus.
	37	Sun, March 11th ,2012	18th day	luteal	11 days to your next cycle.	• If an egg is not fertilised within 24-48 hours of ovulation, the rest of the luteal phase is considered to be relatively infertile.
	38	Mon, March 12th ,2012	19th day	luteal	10 days to your next cycle.	The zygote's rapid cell division from 2 to 4 to 8 now reached 16 cells. By this day the ball of cells is called a morula.
	39	Tue, March 13th ,2012	20th day	luteal	9 days to your next cycle.
	40	Wed, March 14th ,2012	21th day	luteal	8 days to your next cycle.	The morula's rapid cell division from 16 to 32 to 64 now reached 128 cells. A cavity is formed within the ball of cells. It is now called a blastocyst or blastula. Very soon the blastocyst will have so many cells that individual cells are no longer recognizable
	41	Thu, March 15th ,2012	22th day	luteal	7 days to your next cycle.	• A fertilized blastocyst will implant itself into the uterine. The point of implantation becomes the origin for the placenta and umbilical cord. Note that impantation can occur several today, but also several days from now...
	42	Fri, March 16th ,2012	23th day	luteal	6 days to your next cycle.	• Shortly after implantation, the growing embryo will signal its existence to the maternal system. One very early signal consists of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that pregnancy tests can measure
	43	Sat, March 17th ,2012	24th day	luteal	5 days to your next cycle.	• The level of hCG is increasing, but still too low to measure with a home pregnancy test. The level will double every 2 or 3 days.
	44	Sun, March 18th ,2012	25th day	luteal	4 days to your next cycle.	• a hCG blood test may now see an increased hCG level. It is still too early for a home pregnancy test measuring the hCG in the urine test.
	45	Mon, March 19th ,2012	26th day	luteal	3 days to your next cycle.
	46	Tue, March 20th ,2012	27th day	luteal	2 days to your next cycle.	• There is a good chance that a home pregnancy test can pick up enough hCG to confirm a pregnancy. A negative test doesn't mean you're not pregnant, there may simply not be enough hCG yet because it is too early after implantation.
	47	Wed, March 21st ,2012	28th day	luteal	1 days to your next cycle.	• if the egg is not fertilised and does not implant, the corpus luteum will disintegrate after approximately two weeks, causing the drop in progesterone levels that signals the start of menstruation and the beginning of a new cycle
A new cycle starts here!
	Days from now	Date	Day of cycle	Phase	Days to your next cycle	What's happening?
	48	Thu, March 22nd ,2012	1st day	menstrual	28 days to your next cycle.	• The menstrual phase usually lasts 3 to 5 days, but anywhere from 2 to 7 days is considered normal

Your cycle

Things to know

Cycle in general

Follicular phase

(Pre-)Ovulation

Lutheal phase