A planned pregnancy, according to doctors, is much better than an unexpected one. In this case, the risk of developing unwanted diseases that can develop during pregnancy in both the expectant mother and her baby is significantly lower. This article will tell you about when is the best time to conceive a child and what days are considered favorable for this.
The best time to conceive
In order to understand how to determine the most favorable time for conceiving a long-awaited baby, you need to delve into the principles of biology - this will help you quite simply and easily understand the calculation method.
For fertilization, two sex cells are required. One is female and the other is male. It would seem that everything is simple, but it is not entirely true.
The female menstrual cycle has several successive phases. Each phase has its own characteristics. The main function of the menstrual cycle is the maturation and preparation of the egg for the upcoming fertilization. This feature is conceived by nature for the continuation of the human race.
Fertilization of an egg is possible only after it has matured. It is also extremely important that the ovum leaves the ovary and enters the fallopian tube. This is necessary so that the female reproductive cell can meet with the male. The fusion of two sex cells is called fertilization or conception.
Doctors allocate a special time in the menstrual cycle when the egg is ripe and ready for fertilization. This period is called ovulation. During this period, the probability of conceiving a baby is the highest. It should be noted that it is possible to plan for conceiving a child not only in one day.
Experts identify a whole period when the probability of egg fertilization remains quite high. Its definition is quite simple - it is a couple of days before and after ovulation. This time is the most favorable for conceiving a long-awaited baby.
How to calculate ovulation?
The calculation of the planned date of conception is very often carried out precisely through the method of determining ovulation. There are several different counting options that can be used for this purpose. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Calendar method
This method is the most common, because it is quite simple. Any woman can calculate the date of ovulation and the favorable time period for conception by means of the calendar method of calculation.
To use this method, you will need a calendar where a woman marks the dates of the beginning of her periods - we will build on them. Equally important is the calculation of the duration of the menstrual cycle. It begins on the first day of menstruation, and ends on the last day before the next menstruation.
According to statistics, the average duration of a woman's menstrual cycle is 28-30 days. Immediately, we note that this is an average value, therefore, in each case, the duration of the menstrual cycle is individual. For example, it can be 25 or 24 days.
If every month for some reason the duration of the menstrual cycle varies, then the average value is chosen. Usually doctors recommend taking into account the duration of the previous 2-3 cycles for this.
Knowing the duration of the menstrual cycle, you can calculate the most likely date of ovulation. She, as a rule, falls in the middle of it. So, with a menstrual cycle lasting 26 calendar days, ovulation will occur on day 13.
After determining the date of ovulation, the period most favorable for conception is calculated. It starts two days before and continues for another two to three days after ovulation. In our previously described case, the favorable time for conceiving a child falls on days 11-15 of the menstrual cycle.
Currently, there are online calculators and online applications that can easily calculate the date of ovulation and the favorable period for conception. Using them is pretty easy and simple. When determining the date of conception in such a calculator, the mathematical calculation method that we have considered is used.
Basal temperature measurement
A more accurate method for determining the date of ovulation is to determine the basal temperature. This method requires discipline and responsibility from the woman. The temperature of a woman planning a pregnancy should be measured several times during the entire menstrual cycle.
The basal temperature is determined in the morning, immediately after waking up. This indicator is measured rectally. The obtained values should be recorded in some notepad or notebook, while the date of measurement and the value obtained must be indicated. Some women do this on a graph, while others are more comfortable using a table. At the time of ovulation, the basal temperature usually rises by 0.2-0.3 degrees Celsius. This happens due to hormonal changes that occur in the female body at this time.
It is important to note that this method is not entirely accurate, and the results obtained are not always reliable.
The unreliability of the result is due to several factors:
- technical error of the thermometer with which the measurement is carried out;
- existing diseases of the female genital organs, especially those that are accompanied by hormonal changes;
- weakening of the body due to psycho-emotional stress, colds, various infections and many other factors.
Ultrasound examination
Ultrasound can also help in establishing the date of ovulation. By means of an ultrasound examination, it is possible to determine the stage of development of the egg, which is necessary for fertilization, and also to assess its location. An experienced ultrasound specialist using modern high-precision devices can monitor the development of the follicle from 7-10 days after menstruation. This technique is also called folliculometry, as it determines the size of the maturing follicle.
Usually, ultrasound monitoring in order to determine the exact date of ovulation is assigned to a woman for 2-3 months. In this case, it is much easier to track the rate of follicle maturation, because during the observed time the doctor can conclude on what day ovulation usually occurs in each particular case.
It also happens in practice that some menstrual cycle takes place without ovulation. Doctors call it anovulatory. Typically, this situation occurs in women with various diseases of the reproductive organs and dyshormonal conditions.
It should be noted that the ultrasound method for determining ovulation is used less often than others. To carry it out, a woman needs to visit a doctor and go to an ultrasound diagnostic room. Often, a modern working woman simply has no time to regularly visit the clinic, so she chooses more affordable methods for calculating ovulation.
Ready tests
You can buy them now at any pharmacy. Also, tests to determine ovulation are already on sale in large stores and supermarkets.
It is quite simple to use such test systems for home diagnostics. To do this, you only need a little urine, a few minutes of free time, as well as instructions that are attached to the test. Note that you must use the instruction. Each manufacturer must indicate in it the duration of the study, as well as certain technical nuances of the test.
Vaginal method
According to many doctors, this option for determining ovulation is rather subjective. The approach of ovulation is estimated at the same time according to certain clinical symptoms that appear closer to the middle of the menstrual cycle. These include:
- slight swelling of the mammary glands;
- increased sensitivity of the nipples;
- the appearance of stringy light mucus from the vagina;
- the appearance of pulling sensations in the projection of the ovary from one side;
- increased libido.
The appearance of these clinical signs closer to ovulation is a kind of preparation of the female body for the upcoming conception of a baby. These physiological features were carefully foreseen by nature with the aim of the possibility of the continuation of the human race.
The vaginal method is not accurate; it is more correct to call it only indicative. Some women quite accurately "guess" the onset of ovulation by detecting similar symptoms in themselves, while others make mistakes.
According to most doctors, you should not use only such a subjective method for determining ovulation.
What is a conception calendar?
In order to plan a pregnancy, it is very important to monitor the physiological changes in the body. When couples who are planning to soon become parents contact them, all doctors advise them to pay attention to the health of both the future dad and the future mother.
A special calendar can help you plan your pregnancy. It's pretty simple to compose it. In a regular calendar, a woman marks the dates of menstruation, the expected ovulation and calculates the period of time that is most favorable for conception. For ease of use, you can use different colored pens or felt-tip pens to mark different dates, for example, you can mark the ovulation date in green and circle it.
The "green corridor" - the most favorable time for conception - is also highlighted in green. In this case, menstruation can be circled in red. Such a simple and intuitive calendar will allow a woman preparing to become a mother not to forget about the upcoming ovulation and to plan the possible conception of a baby at this time.
Favorable conditions
Taking into account the day of the cycle when planning a pregnancy allows you to achieve a fairly good result. Doctors advise to start preparing for the birth of a new life in advance. In this case, future parents have enough time to strengthen their own health, and therefore, improve the chances of a successful conception and the birth of a healthy baby.
About biological age
There are various ways to increase the chance of conception. Their choice is huge - from ancient folk councils to completely scientific recommendations of specialists. When choosing such recommendations, future parents should not delve too deeply into them. The process of conceiving a baby is a real mystery, which was conceived by nature. A strong intrusion into the process in the long term can be fraught with various negative consequences.
General recommendations of doctors about when it is best to conceive a child often boil down to the question of the biological age of future parents. It is believed that at a younger age, the reproductive function of the body is much higher.
Many gynecologists believe that the first child should be given before the age of 30. It is believed that the older the expectant mother during the conception of the child, the higher the likelihood of developing various defects in her baby. From a scientific point of view, this statement is true, but in practice it is not always confirmed. Every day in the world, quite a lot of healthy babies are born, which appear in mothers over 35 years old. Having a child after the age of 30 is becoming an increasingly common practice in our time.
Each doctor has his own opinion on this issue, however, the decision on whether to become a mother now or not yet is made by each woman independently.
Seasonality
Often, when planning a child, expectant mothers focus on the time of year. In most cases, this happens because they want a baby of a certain zodiac sign to be born, because they believe that this determines the character of a person. It is possible to calculate the expected date of birth, which means that the sign of the baby's horoscope is possible, but at the same time you need to know the exact date of the baby's conception and plan it correctly.
Astrology has nothing to do with medicine. Doctors generally do not use this seasons planning. Doctors rely more on the fact that the unborn child grows well and develops during the period of its intrauterine development. However, planning pregnancy for certain months can play a positive role in carrying a baby.
So, if pregnancy occurs in the summer and autumn, then the risk of developing various infections and vitamin deficiency in the expectant mother is significantly reduced. In order for this time to fall on the warm season, the implementation of the conception of the baby should occur at the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
About time of day
Doctors believe that the time of day for the implementation of conception does not play a special role. You can conceive a child both day and night. There are a number of different theories and personal opinions on this issue, but they are all quite subjective and very different.
In the literature, you can find the statement that the best time for fertilization is the morning and the first half of the day. At this time, the concentration of sex hormones in the blood is quite high.
Other data contradict this and indicate that it is better to conceive a baby late in the evening or at night. At this time, the female genital organs are in a fairly relaxed state and not tense. This relaxation will facilitate easy contact between the sperm and the egg. Note that such conflicting data do not make it possible to fully use this planning method.
It is still better to use more reliable methods based on calculating ovulation and a favorable period for fertilization - they will help increase the likelihood of a future birth of a small person.
For what you need to know about conceiving a child, see the next video.
