Ovulation occurs when a matured egg is being released from the ovary into the Fallopian tube for fertilization to occur. Normally, an egg matures within a woman’s ovary every month. As it approaches maturity, the egg is released from the ovary into the Fallopian tube where it meets the waiting sperm for fertilization to occur. If fertilization fails to occur, the uterine lining and blood sheds in a process called menstruation.

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Know Your Monthly Cycle

You can improve your chances of conceiving by getting to understand your menstrual cycle. The first phase begins with the first day of bleeding during your menstrual flow. Your body releases hormones, like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), that make the eggs inside your ovaries to grow. This hormone helps to thicken the lining of your uterus in preparation for a fertilized egg. This usually happens between 2 and 14 days.

Understand Your Ovulation

The average menstrual cycle is 28-35 days. Ovulation usually happens between days 11 and 21 of your cycle. A hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH) rushes, causing the release of the egg that's most ripe. To create an easier passage of the sperm to the waiting egg, your cervical mucus becomes slippery.
Women are born with millions of eggs. However, they only release about 300 to 400 through ovulation during their lifetime.

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Usually, you release just one each month. The egg travels through one of the two Fallopian tubes that connect your ovaries to your uterus or womb. At the perfect timing, the egg may become fertilized by sperm on its way to the uterus. The egg dissolves if fertilization fails to take place within 24 hours of the egg leaving the ovary. On the other hand, the sperm can survive for about 3 to 5 days. You have to understand when you ovulate so you and your partner can plan most likely days for conception to occur.

Track Your Most Fertile Days

A woman has a better chance of achieving conception when she has sex 1-2 days before ovulation. Women with a regular 28-day cycle, should count back 14 days from when they expect their next period to commence. Plan on having sex every other day around days 12 and 14. A man’s sperm count may be low if he engages in sexual activities every day. It may help to use the online ovulation calculator since your cycle may be longer or shorter than the regular 28-day.

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Track Ovulation by Temperature[/b]

When your body releases an egg, the progesterone kicks in to build and maintain the lining of the uterus. This makes the temperature of your body to faintly rise. So taking your temperature with a basal thermometer every morning before you get out of bed can help you figure out if you ovulated. You can buy these thermometers at the drugstore, though they aren’t 100% accurate.

[b]Predict Ovulation by Hormone

Your ovaries will be triggered to release an egg with a surge or increase in LH which usually occurs about 36 hours before the egg is released. You can detect the ovulation day by using ovulation kits to check LH levels in your urine. Ovulation kits are accurate and convenient and you can use them to buy at the drugstore. They are convenient and accurate. It is advisable to test 1-2 days before you expect the surge so you can take note of the rise in LH.

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The Last Phase of Your Monthly Cycle

Progesterone helps to prepare the uterus lining for a fertilized egg during the second half of your menstrual cycle. If fertilization doesn’t occur, the unfertilized egg breaks, leading to a decline in progesterone levels. Then about 12 to 16 days later, the egg, blood and tissues from the lining of the uterus is shed from the body as menstruation. It usually lasts 3 to 7 days.

Weight Affects Fertility

Losing weight can boost your chances of getting pregnant if you are overweight or obese. A study found that women whose body mass index (BMI) was above normal took twice as long to conceive as those with a normal BMI. But a drop in weight can improve rates of ovulation and pregnancy. Obesity can lead to infertility and low testosterone in men. Also, being too underweight can equally lead to infertility.

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Age Affects Your Chances of Conception

A decline in age affects fertility, especially in women. It also lowers the chances that fertility treatments will be successful. Consult your doctor if you're under 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for more than 12 months, or over 35 and have been trying for more than 6 months.

How Men Can Boost Fertility

• Manage stress.
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
• Maintain a proper weight.
• Eat a diet high in zinc (found in meat, whole grains, seafood, and eggs), selenium (meat, seafood, mushroom, cereals, and Brazil nuts), and vitamin E.
• Keep the testicles cool by avoiding saunas, hot baths, or hot tubs. These can lead to a reduction in the number of sperm.

READ ALSO: Blocked Fallopian Tubes: Symptoms, Causes, Complications, and Treatment

Source: http://www.healthdiary365.com/2017/11/26/important-facts-on-ovulation-and-fertility-to-help-you-get-pregnant/