bjones
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Ovulation is the process in a woman’s menstrual cycle when the ovary releases an egg, also known as an ovum or oocyte. Ovulation times and triggers differ from species to species, but in humans, it is a regular part of the cycle, with the exact timing determined by the levels of FSH and LH hormones. For a woman to get pregnant, an egg must be present in her system. Two days before to two days after ovulation is a woman’s most fertile period, although pregnancies have been reported up to 7 days before or after ovulation.
The exact time of ovulation does not always occur at the same time in a woman’s cycle. It is usually close, but not always the same. On average, ovulation occurs 18 days after menstruation begins, but this is highly variable.
The only sure way to know when you are ovulating is to take an ovulation test. This can be administered by a doctor or with a home kit. Some women track their ovulation by the physical changes they go through during their cycle. During ovulation, vaginal mucus discharges will change in volume and texture. There will be more discharge, and it will be without color. The discharge will also be slippery and stretchy, much like the white of a raw chicken egg. Some women also get abdominal pains, called mittelschmerz when they are ovulating, but this is true for only 20 percent of women. Also, directly after ovulation, the base body temperature will rise from half a degree to 1.6 degrees F. The presence of any of these physical characteristics, are no certainty of ovulation, but only possible indicators.
 Posted 5402 day ago
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