It occurs when an egg is released from your ovary.
When the egg is released, it may or may not be fertilized by sperm.
If fertilized, the egg may travel to the uterus and implant to develop into a pregnancy.
If left unfertilized, the egg disintegrates and the uterine lining is shed during your period.
Understanding how ovulation happens and when it takes place can help you achieve or prevent pregnancy.
It can also help you diagnose certain medical conditions.
Ovulation typically happens around day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle.
However, not everyone has a textbook 28-day cycle, so the exact timing can vary.
In general, ovulation occurs in the four days before or four days after your cycle’s midpoint.
The process of ovulation begins with your body’s release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), typically between days 6 and 14 of your menstrual cycle.
This hormone helps the egg inside your ovary to mature in preparation to release the egg later.
Once the egg is mature, your body releases a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH), triggering the egg’s release.
Ovulation may happen in the 28 to 36 hours after the LH surge.
Symptoms
Impending ovulation can cause an uptick in vaginal discharge.
This discharge is often clear and stretchy — it may even resemble raw egg whites.
After ovulation, your discharge may decrease in volume and appear thicker or cloudier.
Ovulation may also cause:
light bleeding or spotting
breast tenderness
increased sexual drive
ovary pain characterized by discomfort or pain on one side of the abdomen, also called mittelschmerz
Not everyone experiences symptoms with ovulation, so these signs are considered secondary in tracking your fertility.
Is it possible to ovulate more than once in a given cycle?
One study from 2003 suggested that some may even have the potential to ovulate two or three times in a given menstrual cycle.
Not only that, but in an interview with NewScientist, the lead researcher said that 10 percent of the study participants actually produced two eggs in one month.
Other people may release multiple eggs during one ovulation either naturally or as part of reproductive assistance.
If both eggs are fertilized, this situation may result in fraternal multiples, like twins.
Tracking your Ovulation
Some methods used for keeping a track on ovulation are:
