Patient's question:
Hello! I heard that the ovulation period is generally 14 days before the menstrual period. So, is the date of this menstrual period the date of the last menstrual period? If the menstrual period is not very accurate every month, how should I calculate it? Thank you!Doctor's answer:
Hello, the ovulation date for women is generally about 14 days before the next menstrual period. After the egg is released from the ovary, it can survive in the fallopian tube for 1-2 days, waiting for fertilization; male sperm can maintain fertilizing ability in the female reproductive tract for 2-3 days, so sexual intercourse during the days before and after ovulation increases the chances of conception. For safety, we refer to the 5 days before ovulation, the 4 days after ovulation, and ovulation itself as a total of 10 days, known as the "ovulation period."Common methods for calculating the "ovulation period" include:
1. Cervical mucus observation method (must be done at a hospital).
2. Basal body temperature measurement method. That is: the temperature measured after waking up from a long sleep (usually in the morning) without any physical activity or speaking beforehand is the basal body temperature. Under normal circumstances, the basal body temperature of women of childbearing age is lower in the first half of the menstrual period and even lower during the ovulation period. After ovulation, it can suddenly or gradually rise by 0.3—0.6℃ within 24 hours to a few days.
Therefore, it is best to start measuring basal body temperature on the first day of menstruation, persist in daily measurements, and record them on graph paper for observation and analysis.
3. Menstrual date calculation method. That is: it is believed that each ovulation should occur about 14 days before menstruation, so the 5 days before ovulation to the 5 days after ovulation are referred to as the "ovulation period." However, this method is not very reliable because most women do not have such regular periods.