Are you trying to get pregnant and would like for a way to track the right days to have unprotected sex? Today we introduce you to the ovulation chart and how you can track your fertile dates.

Ovulation Chart-Best Way to Track Your Fertile Days

When a couple is ready to start a family, there is a lot of planning that goes into the same. Women on the other hand try and know all about the best ways to increase the chances of getting pregnant. Tracking about the days as to when you are likely to conceive will certainly be of great help. You can track the days by using proven methods of BBT or cervical mucus.

Women can prepare a chart of basal body temperature or of cervical mucus to know as to when they will ovulate and this will help them in knowing as to when they can have sex to conceive. While you can use any one of the methods, most women prefer to use both the methods to be extra sure.

Let us now have a look at both the tracking methods.

The Basal Body Temperature Method

• You first need to keep a chart ready. You can find a number of templates online on reputed parenting websites.
• The charting process starts on the very first day of your period. Just fill in that date along with the day under the column that says cycle day 1. Now continue by noting down the dates of this cycle till the 1^st day of the next period.
• Every morning after you wake up, before you drink or eat anything, take a note of the body temperature by using a basal thermometer. Now place a mark next to the temperature that perfectly matches with your reading for that day. Make sure you take the reading the same day every day.
• Once the cycle ends, you need to watch for that day when the BBT is about 0.5 to 1 degree F and has stayed high. That is the day when you have ovulated. This is said to be the most fertile time and is ideal to have sex in order to conceive.
• You need to keep a track of these for at least a few months to check if there is an uptick in the BBT. By doing so, you can plan properly for pregnancy.
• To increase the chances of conceiving, you can even have sex every alternate day during the fertile period as per your chart.

While this is one method you can use, the other method called the cervical mucus can also be used along with this. Let us learn what the cervical mucus method is all about.

The cervical mucus method does not involve recording the body temperature but is based on the changes in the mucus or moisture that gets collected inside the woman’s cervix. This method is not really implemented by many women as they do not feel comfortable about the same. Many women have found this step to be quite uncomfortable in the beginning but it is one inexpensive method that does not have side effects. In order to know the likely ovulation date using this method, women can follow the three basic steps.

• Your examination starts after the menstrual bleeding ends. You need to examine your vaginal secretions each day by collecting the mucus using your fingers from the vaginal opening.
• Also you then need to record the mucus state on the fertility calendar. You need to note the parameters like the colour (whether it is yellow, clear, white or cloudy), its consistency (is it thick or sticky) and its feel too (if it is stretchy or dry or wet). Make a note of every detail on the fertility calendar.
• Once you are done making a note of the above details for a cycle, you would get to know the likely ovulation date. It is the day when the mucus is slippery, clear and is quite stretchy.

Women can mark a calendar with trackings from cervical mucus method and the basal body temperature method as well. This will help in guessing the likely ovulation date right and help you in conceiving.

While both the methods are effective, recording or tracking incorrectly can cause a lot of issues at the same time. If you are really not sure as to how to try these methods, you can as well have a word with your doctor who can help you with the same.