Ovulation refers to the releasing of an egg from a woman's ovary. It is the most fertile time in a woman's cycle as the ripe egg is released into the pelvic floor and is transported to the fallopian tube, ready for fertilisation. It is a random process with regard to which ovary actually releases the egg, and it is not necessarily the case that the active ovary alternates month by month.

If you are trying to get pregnant, there are some clear signs to indicate that you are ovulating, and understanding these will help you to determine the best time to attempt to conceive.

For a woman with a 28 day cycle, the average day of ovulation falls around day 13 to 15. A very clear sign of ovulation is a change in the woman's cervical mucous. This becomes clear, slippery and very, very stretchy at the time of ovulation. The woman's body produces this to protect sperm and help it on its journey towards the egg.

Some women also complain of lower abdominal pain, ranging from twinges to an uncomfortable backache, which is caused by the body preparing and releasing the egg. This can last for hours or sometimes days, depending on the woman, and is known as mittelschmerz.

Additionally, just before ovulation, a woman's temperature will dip slightly and then rise sharply at around the time of ovulation. If you are trying to track your ovulation pattern, you can purchase ovulation predictor kits from your local chemist, which can give a very accurate result.

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