Ovulation is the process in the body where a mature egg is released from the ovaries. It then travels down the fallopian tube and lands at the uterus, which thickens every month in anticipation for the egg. If not fertilised by sperms, the egg and uterine lining will be shed, producing a flow of blood known as the menstruation.
Only one mature egg is produced by the ovaries every month. Every woman is born with a certain number of eggs, which decreases in number and quality as she ages. Recent studies show that by the age of 30, the average woman will have just 12 per cent of her eggs left. By the time she turns 40, she will be left with only three percent of the eggs she was born with.
Ovulation can also be affected by physical or emotional stress, poor nutrition, illness or lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption, which disrupt hormonal balance.
In order to conceive, a woman needs to have healthy ovulation every month. Ovulation is also known as a woman’s ‘fertile time’, because this is when pregnancy is most likely to happen.
To know when you are ovulating:
- Keep a diary to note your monthly menstrual cycle
- Ovulation is around Day 11-21 from the first day of your period
- Alternatively, count 12 – 16 days before your next period begins
TMC Fertility 