Planning

Find out when you are most fertile

Find out your fertile window so you and your partner can time when you have sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Written by Medibank

Our calculator can help you track your ovulation to determine the days in your menstrual cycle which give you the highest chance of conceiving–commonly known as your ‘fertile window’.

When you know your fertile window, you and your partner can time when you have sex to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

How to calculate your fertile window

1. Enter the first day of your last menstrual period.

2. Enter the average length of your menstrual cycle. This is the number of days between the first day of bleeding of one period, and the first day of bleeding of your next period. This tends to vary from 23 to 35 days. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, it may be difficult to calculate your ovulation date.

3. See the dates that you are most likely to be fertile. The ‘fertile window’ is the days leading up to and including ovulation. You are most fertile 2 to 3 days before you ovulate. You and your partner can use these dates as a guide to time when you have sex, and increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Note: The calculator provides an estimate based on the information you provide and may not be accurate. Please seek advice from a medical professional if you are trying to conceive.

Physical signs of ovulation

If you have irregular menstrual cycles, or your cycle length varies from month to month, it can be difficult to calculate when you are ovulating and work out when you are most fertile.

In this case, it might be helpful to look out for the signs of ovulation. These include:

  • Mucus changes. About two weeks before menstruation, look out for slick and slippery mucus.
  • Abdominal pain. You might experience general or localised pain to one side of the abdomen.
  • Premenstrual symptoms. You might have premenstrual symptoms such as breast enlargement and tenderness, abdominal bloating and moodiness.
  • Temperature rise. You might notice a small rise, about half a degree Celsius, in basal temperature after ovulation has occurred. This temperature rise suggests that ovulation has already taken place.

Prep for pregnancy

If you’re thinking about having a baby, now is the perfect time to start thinking about your health. Here a few simple things you can do to prep your body, mind and life for pregnancy.

  • See your GP. Book in a full check-up with your doctor and chat through your intentions to conceive.
  • Start taking folic acid. Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that women of childbearing age take 0.5 mg of folic acid supplements daily for at least one month before pregnancy and three months into the pregnancy.
  • Get a general dental check-up. Now is a good time to visit the dentist to make sure there aren’t any existing problems and to get any dental work you need done before you get pregnant.
  • Consider your hospital birth options. Think about whether you want to have your baby in a public or private hospital, and if you would like a private obstetrician or not. Learn about your options here.
  • Make sure you’re covered. Depending on what you decide, you’ll need to choose a private health insurance policy that fits in with those needs. Medibank offers a number of insurance policies for growing families. If you’re thinking about getting health insurance, or upgrading your cover to include pregnancy and birth related services, be aware that most insurers have a 12-month waiting period.

Is your family growing?

Discover useful information about planning for a baby, managing the postpartum period and the transition into parenthood - including care and birth options, pregnancy health cover and costs, fertility and IVF, tips from medical professionals and more. 

Written by Medibank

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