Tracking Your Ovulation with an Irregular Cycle

Women with irregular menstrual cycles may worry they are unable to track their ovulation in order to conceive, but this is not so.

Knowing one’s period of ovulation lets women know when they are at their most fertile and when they are most likely to conceive. For many women, their cycle does not fall under the neatly defined 28-day pattern suggested as the normative menstrual cycle. Some women have irregular periods and thus irregular ovulation patterns, as ovulation typically occurs in the week following menstruation. However, women without regular periods do not have to lose hope when wishing to track their menstrual cycles.

Tracking One’s Ovulation With An Irregular Cycle

Many women find it hard to maintain a regular cycle without the use of hormone regulators such as birth control.

Women who stop using birth control in order to conceive typically report changes in their cycles, as the estrogen no longer regulates their period according to a 28-day cycle.

While counting the days from your last period is the easiest way to guess if you are ovulating, this is not the only way to do so.

Pay Attention to Your Body

You may not be able to count on getting your period at a regular time, but your period is actually unnecessary for ovulation. Women with irregular periods as well as women who typically skip getting their period altogether are still, in fact, able to ovulate.

In order to know when you are ovulating, you will have to pay attention to the symptoms from your body alerting you that you are, in fact, ovulating. While these symptoms are different for everyone, there are some common factors that may let you know you are ovulating.

Pay Attention to Your Body’s Temperature

Your body’s temperature is a good indicator as to whether or not you are ovulating. Try to take your temperature daily and establish what a normal body temperature is for you. Then, look for any dips or rises in temperature.

For many women, it is likely their body temperature will drop before they begin ovulating and then rise as they are experiencing ovulation. If you recognize this pattern, you may be able to tell when you’re ovulating.

Difference in Discharge

When a woman is ovulating, she beings to experience a difference in discharge. Discharge can occur at any time but becomes more mucus-like when a woman begins to ovulate.

Bodily Sensitivity

Women who are ovulating are likely to experience several types of sensitivity all at once. One’s breasts may become more tender than usual. Paying attention to any noticeable change in your breast’s tenderness can help you tell when you are ovulating. As this is a common factor of menstruation, you should be careful to spot the difference if this symptom persists after your period has finished.

Another common symptom of ovulation is increased cervix sensitivity. Women who experience more painful sex than normal may take this as a sign of ovulation. Women can also perform a self-check for increased cervical sensitivity in order to monitor this themselves.

Increased Sex Drive

One’s libido is a good indicator of where one is at in their menstrual cycle. Increased libido is common in women who are menstruating, as this is a highly useful biological instinct. The body normally increases the concentration of certain sex hormones, which boosts sex drive, when women are most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Why Tracking is Important, Even When Irregular

When your period is irregular, you may be tempted not to track it. However, keeping a journal or using an app to track your symptoms as they occur while menstruating or ovulating can be very helpful.

As many of these symptoms differ from woman to woman, and may also occur when a woman is menstruating, it is important for each woman to know what their norm is. Keep a diary or use an app to track your body temperature, discharge, changes in mood and breast tenderness in order to have the best idea of your body’s behavior when ovulating.