Predicting Ovulation is Key!

To understand when you ovulate, 

let’s start with the phases of each cycle:
 Follicle Phase (Cycle Day 1 – 13)

Ovulation (Cycle Day 14)

  LutealPhase (Cycle Day 15 – 29)
The lutealphasestarts the day after ovulation.   

Knowing how long it lasts is important because this phase repeats itself every cycle.  What changes from cycle to cycle 

is how long it takes you to ovulate!

What is Cycle Day One?

The first day you see red, not brown spotting.

What are hormones?

Hormones (from a Greek root “to excite”) 

deliver a chemical message, which target cells to change. Each phase has it’s unique dominant hormones:

Follicle Phase– FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) 
and Estrogen (lowers basal temp) 

Ovulation– LH (Luteinizing hormone)

  LutealPhase– Progesterone (raises basal temp)

What is a follicle?

When we are born, our ovaries contain many eggs (approximately 400,000). Follicle cells surround each egg. When chosen the follicle cells multiply and create a shell for the maturing egg.

What is the follicle phase?

When eggs are chosen and their maturity begins.  

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (“FSH”) targets approximately a dozen eggs each cycle.  As the eggs are maturing they produce estrogen that begins lowering our basal body temperature.  Each cycle is different, but only 1-3 eggs out of the 12 chosen are viable (capable of a successful pregnancy).