[VIDEO] Ovulation is CRITICAL to getting pregnant. Without ovulation you can’t conceive. So if you’re struggling to get pregnant, making sure you’re ovulating is one of the FIRST fertility checks you’ll want to tick off the list.
But how can you tell for SURE, if you’re definitely ovulating? In this article, I’ll be sharing the 2 easiest methods you can use to find out.
Before I dive in I just want to dispel a couple of myths on this.
Ovulation Myths
Myth #1
The truth is, that if you have nice regular cycles, somewhere between 21 and 35 days in length, you are most likely ovulating.
But it is possible to have a normal menstrual cycle length and not always ovulate. And it’s also possible to have very irregular or long cycles and still be ovulating.
So cycle length isn’t a reliable measure on its own.
Myth #2
The second thing I want to clarify, is that some of the methods that are commonly used to track ovulation like ovulation predictor kits, cervical mucus and the majority of fertility apps, only tell you that you might be ovulating – they don’t CONFIRM if you actually are.
So in this article, I’m going to share with you the 2 easiest methods that will let you know for SURE, if you’re ovulating. One requires a visit to your doctor and one you can do at home.
And I’m going to start with the method that your doctor’s most likely to use. That is, a progesterone blood test.
Method #1: Progesterone Blood Test
Progesterone is a hormone that’s made mostly by your ovaries, and different levels of this hormone can be detected in your blood.
The progesterone blood test is based on the fact that your blood progesterone levels rise significantly after ovulation.
So before ovulation, you only have a tiny amount of progesterone in your bloodstream. But AFTER ovulation, your ovaries churn out relatively large amounts of this hormone, and this increased level of progesterone can be measured in your blood.
So if your blood test result shows a low level of progesterone, this tells your doctor that you probably haven’t ovulated. And if the result shows a high level of progesterone, this tells your doctor that you have ovulated – at least in that particular menstrual cycle.
To find out what YOUR progesterone levels mean, check out my blog article on this below:
Day 21 progesterone test – what does your progesterone level mean?
IMPORTANT!
The progesterone blood test can be extremely useful. But it’s important to know, that the progesterone blood test comes with a huge caveat.
To get an accurate result, the progesterone blood test MUST be done on the RIGHT day of your menstrual cycle. If it’s not done on the right day, the results can be inconclusive. Or even worse, you could be told that you’re not ovulating, even when you are!
Getting the test done on the right day is SO important that I’ve dedicated an entire article to this topic.
Method #2: Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
OK, onto the second easy method to find out if you’re ovulating – monitoring your basal body temperature (BBT). And if you’ve been following me for awhile, you’ll know that this is my favourite method.
Why? Because firstly, you can do it from the comfort of your home, secondly, it’s very reliable and thirdly (and most importantly as far as I’m concerned), it can give you a lot more information about your fertility than a progesterone blood test can.
If you’re not familiar with your BBT, this is your body’s temperature at complete rest. So you take your BBT as you wake in the morning or after your longest period of sleep.
Your BBT is actually a direct reflection of your progesterone levels. So, BEFORE ovulation, when your progesterone levels are low, your basal body temperature will ALSO be at a lower level. Then AFTER ovulation, when your progesterone levels are high, your temperatures will also be at a higher level – usually at least 0.2 degrees Celsius or 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit higher. And they’ll then stay at that higher level, for the rest of your cycle, until you get your next period.
So if you see this sustained rise in your temperatures, you can feel very confident that you have ovulated.
Observing and recording your BBT the right way, and then knowing exactly how to interpret it, to get ALL the really valuable information it gives you, does take a bit of know how. In fact I’ve dedicated a whole 3 modules to this topic in my Fast Track to Pregnancy Program™. But it’s certainly not difficult, and it’s something that anyone can do.
Take home message
If you’d like one on one support to find out if you’re ovulating and how to maximise your chances of conceiving, feel free to book a consultation with me here.
