Is it normal to have your cycle length change from month to month?
Cycle length for everyone is different. Some women have cycles that are 26 days long and others are 32 or slightly more. Every individual has their own rhythm but in addition to the cycle length changing from month to month ovulation can also vary by a couple of days. This is normal and simply means that different cycles and alternating ovaries may be maturing an egg at a different pace. Normal cycles are within 26-32 days long.
Is it normal to have your ovulation date change from month to month?
Because cycle length can change from month to month so can ovulation dates. If one has a longer cycle then ovulation will be slightly later and if one has a shorter cycle then ovulation is slightly earlier. Normal ovulation time frames range from day 11-20. Ovulating too early, earlier than day 11 is a concern to be discussed with your health care practitioner as well as ovulation that is in consistent or over 20 days should be discussed with your health care practitioner.
What type of discharge is present during ovulation?
Cervical discharge occurs throughout the cycle and can be sticky, creamy, watery as well as egg white consistency. At ovulation the cervical mucus becomes an egg white consistency and has a stretchy nature to it right before and during ovulation. If you were to pick it up you could stretch it an inch between your index and thumb. This combination of egg white colour and stretchy consistency means that you are ovulating and it is time to have sex if you are trying to conceive. This egg white discharge can happen 2-5 days before ovulation and is the right type of mucus to allow sperm to swim up to fertilize the egg, it provides nutrients and the right PH balance for sperm to survive. Once ovulation is over discharge may be absent or creamy which is normal.
If I’m testing for ovulation every morning is it possible that it would be negative in the morning but then that evening it would be positive? Could I miss my window?
Ovulation tests are testing for a hormone called Luteinizing Hormone (LH). This is released by the body to signal the ovaries to release a mature egg (ovulation). LH is created by the body during the day, unlike hCG (pregnancy hormone) so taking a ovulation test early in the morning is not recommended. The best time to test for ovulation is between 10am-8pm and should be taken at the same time everyday so that you do not miss your window. Ovulation tests taken too early can show up negative and can show up positive later in the day.
When is it best to have sex if we are trying to conceive? Every other day, or 2 days leading up to ovulation, or the day of and the day after?
I usually recommend that clients have sex before and during ovulation. This is usually when you start to see the egg white stretchy mucus. I find every other day to intensive and can be exhausting for some. In addition having to many ejaculations before the fertile period may deplete sperm reserve and decrease counts during the essential fertile period. So abstaining 2-3 days before the fertile period and having intercourse right before and during ovulation is ideal.
Is it worth it to buy the early pregnancy tests? How early can you actually test?
Pregnancy tests test for human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), a hormone that is created by the baby once fertilization and implantation has begun. Early pregnancy detectors can detect smaller amounts of hCG in the urine. They state that they can test as early as 7 days after ovulation. The sensitivity of a pregnancy test is stated on the back of the package. Sensitivity can range from 10mlU.ml to 40lU.ml, the lower the number the more sensitive. Having said that each pregnancy is different creating different amounts of hCG, the greater it is the faster it will show up in the urine. So keep in mind that if early pregnancy tests show up negative it is not necessarily a negative and levels of hCG may just not be in detectable levels. Sometime continually testing can be more stressful than waiting the 2 week period.
When is the best time to take a pregnancy test?
hCG (pregnancy hormone) is created in higher amounts overnight and therefore first thing in the morning is the best time to take a home pregnancy test.
