How to find your peak fertility window to increase your chance of conception every month.

Timing intercourse correctly when trying to conceive can make all the difference. 

The most common problem I see is people waiting until after ovulation, but the chance of conception drops down to nearly 0% in this case.

A couple of key points to keep in mind: 

• Once released, the egg is only viable or able to become fertilized for up to 24 hours. For some people, this may be even shorter.
• Sperm, on the other hand, is viable for up to 5 days.
• This means when you're timing, you want to start trying the 5 days before your expected ovulation.

The key piece of info you need to do this is figuring out when you ovulate. This will help you figure out your peak window and allow you to time things perfectly.

To figure out your peak fertility window, you want to utilize three tools:

1. Cervical mucus/fluid. Health cervical fluid is white or clear and starts a few days after your menses. Everyone’s cervical mucus is unique to them, but generally, you want to observe a change in consistency from sticky → stretchy, and clear. Stretchy and clear, or “egg white” consistency is a great indicator of your peak fertility window.

2. LH strips. Sometimes cervical mucus alone can be confusing. Adding LH strips can be helpful. LH strips tell us when your body is ABOUT to ovulate. LH is a hormone your brain releases to trigger ovulation. When you see a positive, you’re likely well ovulating anywhere from 24-48 hours later. This is another indicator of your peak fertility window.

3. Basal body temperature (BBT). I am a big fan! They tell us a lot of information about your cycle patterns. Temperatures should be taken around the same time, every morning BEFORE you get out of bed. Your resting temperature will rise AFTER you’ve ovulated. If you notice a rise in your temperature, it confirms you’ve ovulated, and you are now OUT of your peak fertility window. To read more about BBT tracking, click here.

The ideal trifecta is 

• Egg-white cervical mucus
• Positive LH strips
• Low basal temperature, indicating that you have not ovulated yet.

How to time things correctly.

It may take a few cycles to figure out when ovulation happens for you. Once you feel confident in when you’re ovulating. You want to start timing 5 days prior. Intercourse doesn’t need to be daily, every other day is also sufficient. 

Note: technically the presence of any amount of cervical mucus can indicate a chance of conception in your follicular phase, so if you’re not tracking via LH strips or BBT, this is the next best thing.

I’ve tried and I still can’t figure out when I’m ovulating

If your cycles are variable, meaning your periods come at variable times each month (i.e. 25 days, 38 days, 27 days, 42 days, etc.), or not at all, then we may need to dig a little deeper to understand why you may not be ovulating or why your ovulation is delayed each month.

Some underlying causes of irregular or absent ovulation, include: 

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Hypothalamic amenorrhea
• Thyroid disorder 
• Elevated prolactin
• Infection
• Stress
• Premature ovarian insufficiency 

If this is happening, it’s important to get screened to understand what is going on and why. This will allow us to get you on the right plan to ovulate naturally and increase your chances of conception.

If you have questions or would like to learn more, I offer a free 15-minute discovery call to discuss what it looks like to work together. Let’s connect!

In Health,

Dr. Ashley Damm, BSc. ND

Naturopathic Doctor - Women’s Health and Fertility

Vancouver, BC