What Is Ovulation and When Does It Happen? MDs Explain

Most sex-ed programs cover the basics of conception: an egg and a sperm meet, starting a long and complicated process that can eventually lead to a baby. But while ovulation is usually touched on in sex ed, it’s not typically covered in depth.

Fast forward to years later — when you actually care about ovulation — and you’re scrambling to figure out what’s really happening with your body. Whether you are trying to conceive, want to avoid that altogether, or are just curious, it’s important to understand ovulation and how it plays a role in fertility. So we asked the experts to weigh in. Here’s the deal with ovulation — including what it is, when it happens, signs and symptoms of ovulation, and how to track it.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Christine Graves, MD, is a board-certified ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.

Loriana Soma, MD, is an ob-gyn at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Asima Ahmad, MD, MPH, is a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist and chief medical officer and cofounder of Carrot Fertility.

What Is Ovulation?

Let’s cover the basics first. Ovulation is what happens when one of your ovaries, the pair of female glands inside your pelvis, release an egg, explains the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Under typical circumstances, ovulation happens every month as part of the menstrual cycle, says Christine Greves, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. If you ovulate and the egg is fertilized, it can result in a pregnancy. If you ovulate and the egg isn’t fertilized, you will typically have a period afterward, Dr. Greves explains.

When Does Ovulation Happen?

Every person is different, and it’s hard to say when ovulation will happen for everyone. “Women typically ovulate 14 days before the next cycle starts,” says Loriana Soma, MD, an ob-gyn at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “However, this can vary slightly — from 12 to 16 days.”

An average menstrual cycle is 28 days, Dr. Soma points out. In that situation, ovulation would usually be on day 14. “If the cycle is longer, ovulation is later,” she says. “For example, in a 32-day cycle, ovulation would be around day 18.”

Keep in mind that the first day of your period is considered day one of the menstrual cycle, per the Cleveland Clinic. The egg remains viable for fertilization for approximately 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, the Mayo Clinic reports.

Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation

These tend to vary from person to person. “For some individuals, there are no apparent signs of ovulation,” says reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Asima Ahmad, MD, MPH., chief medical officer and cofounder of Carrot Fertility. But others may notice the following signs, she says:

What Does Ovulation Mean For Getting Pregnant?

Ovulation is an important first step in getting pregnant. If you don’t ovulate, you can’t conceive without reproductive assistance, Dr. Greves points out.

The process of getting pregnant without reproductive assistance happens this way, per ACOG:

Knowing the timing of ovulation can be important in order to optimally fertilize the egg with sperm, Dr. Sassin says. “That is why ovulation is considered the ‘fertile window’ of the menstrual cycle.”

How to Track Your Ovulation

There are many different ways to track your ovulation, including blood tests and an ultrasound conducted by your doctor. However, you can also do the following yourself to track your ovulation at home:

How Do Ovulation Kits Work?

Ovulation test kits are designed to let users know when there’s a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH), Dr. Soma says. “In a normal menstrual cycle, the LH hormone rises 24 to 36 hours before ovulation occurs,” she explains. “Patients start testing the LH level a few days before expected ovulation, around day 10 in a 28-day cycle.”

These urine tests usually involve a strip with a control line that’s dark and a test line. “The test line should be as dark or darker than the control line when the test is positive, indicating the LH surge has occurred,” Dr. Soma says.

If you get a positive result and are trying to conceive, “I recommend having intercourse that day, for sure,” Dr. Greves says.

Ovulation and its role in pregnancy can be a little confusing, especially if you don’t have regular cycles. If you’re unsure of when you ovulate and trying to conceive, talk to your doctor for more information. “We’re here to help,” Dr. Greves says.

Korin Miller is a writer specializing in general wellness, health, and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Self, Health, Forbes, and more. When she’s not writing, you can find her chasing around her four young kids and drinking too much coffee.