How to Make a Pregnancy Ovulation Calendar

To begin, record the first date of your menstrual period each month on a calendar. This should be done for at least three months to improve the accuracy of your ovulation prediction. Tracking your period's starting dates for six to twelve months would give you a better indication of the regularity of your cycle and help you to become more accustomed to the other signs of ovulation. This is where patience is required.

Next, know that ovulation usually occurs about 12 to 16 days after the initial starting date of your last menstrual period. Add 12 days to the first date of your last period. Mark the date on your calendar. Next, add 16 days to the first date of your last period. Also, mark that date on the calendar. You'll notice that there is a four day range in which you may be ovulating. Every woman is different and every woman's menstrual cycle is unique. However, using this method of ovulation prediction narrows down the days that you are most likely to get pregnant.

Next, learn the physical signs of ovulation. These signs include mittelschmerz, cervical mucous changes, and an increase in basal body temperature.

Mittelschmerz is a German term that roughly equates to "middle pain". Often described as a dull aching pain on either side of your lower abdomen, this pain then progresses to a brief period of sharper pain that then suddenly goes away. However, not all women have these pains during their ovulation cycle and even if they do, they may not recognize it as ovary pain.

Cervical mucous changes include increases in the production of a woman's normal vaginal secretions and also a thickening of the secretions. These changes can be better identified by a woman that has been keeping track of her ovulation cycle.

Increases in a woman's basal body temperature can be tracked and used as a possible indicator of ovulation and increased fertility. The temperature increases are small, however careful measurements and recording of these temperature variations can help a woman determine her most fertile time of the month. Conduct more research on the topic of basal body temperature for a more through explanation of this technique.