When Does Ovulation Start?

Updated on January 03, 2011
M.K. asks from Lansing, MI
15 answers

OK, I know that ovulation starts 14 days after the first day of my period. The problem is that I spot for two to three days, stop for a day, then start to flow heavily. Do I start counting 14 days from the first spotting day or the first heavy day?

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I never counted... I just have always gone by my Ovulation symptoms.
And then, that is how I got pregnant each time.

If you do a Google search on "ovulation symptoms" you will know what to look for.

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J.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

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3 moms found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

There is a lot of mis-information in the responses you've received. Please get yourself a copy of Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Wechsler. Ovulation does not happen as a rule on Day 14. You can certainly track your ovulation using the methods outlined in the Taking Charge book, specifically, the consistency of your cervical fluid (egg-whitey fluid means you're close to ovulation) and your basal temperature (the day before a temperature spike). She also goes through some fairly common anomolies, such as cycles when you're under high stress, or if you're not ovulating at all. This book is a MUST READ for any woman who wants to understand her own basic reproductive health, and especially if you are trying to prevent or achieve pregnancy.

3 moms found this helpful

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

hmm. well 14 days is the 'norm' but it can be different. get the book "taking charge of your fertility" and all your questions will be answered.
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Annive... --- 1200 reviews and 5 stars. It's a keeper. Highlight and use post-its when you read it for easy reference later.

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H.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

I went through infertility treatment and day 1 was when you started your "flow" not when you spot. Get an ovulation test kit. Some people ovulate and some later than the middle of your cycle. Good luck!

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J.R.

answers from Glens Falls on

If you take your temperature every day before you get out of bed, you will see there is a spike mid month of about 1 degree higher. The day before the spike there is usually a small dip. Best day to conceive is the day of the dip. Good luck!
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S.A.

answers from Kalamazoo on

I honestly don't remember what you would count as day one....but I highly recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It helped me to understand the entire menstruation cycle and the importance of each part of the cycle and to understand the signs my body was giving me.

J.B.

answers from Houston on

I always go from the first day I see any spotting and then give a three day window on both sides. So basically from the first day of any sign of AF to day 11 or so to day 17 is what I would consider ovulation, basically a week. You can get ovulation sticks to use and then chart a couple months and that should tell you how your cycle works, or take your temperature daily and when you see it rise that should signal the beginning of ovulation.

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T.F.

answers from Eugene on

Another thing to look for when ovulating is that you will start to secrete a white and clear yolky stuff or kinda mucus type stuff. Here is a website that I found that explains it better than I can...lol.

http://www.whattoexpect.com/preconception/fertility/five-...

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M.!.

answers from Phoenix on

You ovulate approximately half way through your cycle. The first day you see blood is day one of your cycle. If your next cycle starts 28 days later then you should ovulate about day 14. If your cycle is 26 days later then you should ovulate about day 13. It is best to anticipate ovulation to occur a few days before or after your midpoint just to be safe.

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

You can always ask your dr. but I think you should start buy the first spotting day. because you spot and than your heavy the spotting still considered the begining of your period.

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V.F.

answers from Santa Fe on

That is an average, for those with a 28 day cycle. If you are not keeping track of the length of your cycle, then I would recommend doing that. The length of cycle can really mess with the 14 day average.
I have a short cycle, 22-24 days, and ovulate on about day 10. For me, I can tell by the change in cervical fluid consistency and quantity. (You want it to be like an egg white, sticky and stretchy... That is (for me) the thing to look for.)
(What I have read on this subject is that this can vary greatly from person to person, so monitoring yourself is a good starting point, and the assumption that 14 days is about right is a starting point. Modifying that date from there is probably needed too though.)

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R.D.

answers from Kansas City on

The only true way to know ovulation is to count backward. It happens 14 days BEFORE your period starts, not 14 days after. IF you have a predictably exact 28-day cycle, then at 14 days after the first day you could say you are *likley* ovulating.

I always know when I am ovulating....I feel it. Some women can. Some women have a mucus-y discharge when they ovulate, which is another tell. You could you take your temperature upon waking every morning (BEFORE getting out of bed), because your temp is slightly lower when you ovulate.

C.G.

answers from Denver on

I can feel it too, just like another mama suggested. I get more discharge during week 2 and can usually tell which ovary is expelling the egg because it hurts/twinges and this is usually during week 3.

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M.F.

answers from Detroit on

I was trying after a misscarriage for OVER a year to get pregnant and figure out when I was ovulating. (Without the use of a kit or temperature monitoring.) I came to the conclusion that it's simply different for everyone. I did notice the discharge changes as mentioned in other posts. I actually got pregnant the week my period ended. Not sure if that helps or not. I was having wacky cycles for a while and just gave up. Then we were on vacation and the day after my period ended (and a few times after that) we did "our thing" and I found out we were expecting baby number three four weeks after vacation!

Best thing for you to do would be to ask a doctor I found all kinds of different information on the web and none of it made sense when it was all put together.

Good luck!

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