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Good question. Contrary to the popular
belief that all women ovulate around day 14, ovulation time
can vary between women. It is important to know how to
determine your own ovulation time. There is a simple formula
to use if your period occurs regularly each month, whether
your cycle is 21 days, 28 days, or 35 days. (By the way,
women’s cycles can vary from 21-35 days and be perfectly
normal. The average woman’s cycle is around 28 days but can
vary between women.) Here’s how to figure out when you
typically ovulate; If your cycle is 35 days on average,
subtract 14 days from that number and the result is 21.
Therefore, on a typical month, you ovulate around day 21.
Remember that a woman begins counting her cycle on the first
day of bleeding. A women who averages a 21 day cycle ovulates
on day 7 (21 – 14 = 7.) Due to the wide range in women’s
cycles, it is a mistake to assume that all women ovulate at
day 14. The part of the menstrual cycle which occurs after the
release of the follicle or egg is a constant 14 days (plus or
minus 2 days.) Therefore, the most accurate way to
determine ovulation is by subtracting 14 days from the length
of your average cycle.
To respond to the second part of your
question about when you are most likely to get pregnant, women
cannot assume that they cannot get pregnant only on their
ovulation day. Although the egg can only be fertilized during
a window period of about 12-24 hours, sperm can live inside a
woman’s reproductive tract for 72 + hours. Therefore, a
woman’s fertile period can be up to a week long. Therefore,
simply charting ovulation is not the best way to protect
oneself from pregnancy. Well-Woman recommends using a barrier
method, such as a latex condom every time you have sexual
intercourse.
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