Ovulation Calendar
(continued)
At this point of the ovulation calendar, you have started your period and your uterus is shedding what it no longer needs, basically cleaning out the uterus to prepare for pregnancy or fertilization.
Right now, your progesterone and estrogen levels are considered very low.
Your Cycle, Days 5-8
At the end of your menstrual period your uterus will start to build up a new endometrial lining thanks to the increasing amount of estrogen in your body and is keeping your basal body temperature low
for the time being. Your body and an ovary is preparing an egg for ovulation. The egg is kept in a sac called a follicle.
When your period first stops, the cervical mucus if pretty dry at this point. Each cycle is different though and the number of dry days varies from cycle to cycle. Dry days prevent sperm from getting
to the cervix. Your cervix is considered firm, pointed and closed and considered low at this point in your cycle.
Your Cycle, Days 9- 12
Building up and thickening, the uterine lining is getting ready to accept and nourish a fertilized egg. Your levels of estrogen is increasing although your BBT is remaining low. An egg is preparing itself to be released from your ovary.
As levels of estrogen are increasing, your cervical mucus will start to thin out and feel stretchy so that sperm can easily makes it's way to your cervix. Your cervix will soften, open up and become harder to reach.
At this stage of your cycle, fertile days have begun, and is the best time for you and your partner to be together to try to make a baby. Because your body is almost ready for ovulation, it is the best to be together every day, to increase your chances of conception.
The sperm will live up to 5 days inside the body if the conditions are right, yet the egg will only be around for a few hours. Although the egg has not yet been released, the sperm will be ready and waiting when it is. Understanding how the ovulation process works, is part of the planning.
Your Cycle, Days 13- 16
Your estrogen level will drop quickly, after increasing which triggers the pituitary gland to let go of leteinizing hormone (LH), causing the sac that contains the egg to break open and allows it to go into the fallopian tube where ovulation takes place.
The day before ovulation, you may notice a drop in your BBT, but soon as ovulation happens, it will rise and stay high until your next menstrual period. Of course if you have conceived, that next menstrual period won't happen. Increased progesterone is what causes your BBT to rise. As mentioned before the cervical mucus will remain stretchy and slippery as needed for the sperm to reach it's destination.
Light spotting can happen around this time although many women won't notice any change. Pain associated with ovulation can often be felt when an egg is released from the ovary. An increase in libido has also been reported at this stage of your cycle.
The egg travels to the fallopian tube toward the uterus, after ovulation, waiting for penetration of the sperm. If this happens, it will penetrate the outer layers of the egg for conception to happen. A seven to ten day journey will happen, when the fertilized egg travels toward the uterus where it will implant into the lining. And a baby will begin to develop.
