What Is Ovulation?
Published on April 16, 2025
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Ovulation occurs when a mature egg breaks out of its follicle in the ovary and is released. It usually happens in the middle of the cycle — in a 28-day cycle, ovulation would occur on the 14th day. But some people's cycles are longer or shorter than 28 days. Because this is the point at which an egg is ready to be fertilized by sperm, it's the most fertile time in the menstrual cycle.
Once released, the egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it survives for 12 to 48 hours. If it meets up with sperm, the egg is fertilized. The fertilized egg will then implant in the uterus. If conception doesn't occur, the egg will dissolve and the lining of the uterus will be shed during a menstrual period.
Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation
Some people have no symptoms and won't know they're ovulating. Some track ovulation by checking their cervical mucus or taking their basal body temperature. The most common symptoms of ovulation are:
- Mild pain in the abdomen or pelvis, or mittelschmerz
- Light vaginal bleeding or spotting
- Thin, clear, slippery discharge from the vagina
- Slight increase in resting (basal) body temperature
- Sore, swollen breasts
- Bloating
- Moodiness
- Increased sex drive
- Changes in appetite
Causes of Ovulation
The ovulation process is controlled by hormones. The hypothalamus in the brain releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH then directs the pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
The reason for these hormones is to help small sacs, called follicles, to release the egg.
Eggs develop in follicles inside the ovaries. Between the 6th and 14th day of the menstrual cycle, FSH and LH act on cells of the ovaries to help an egg mature. Between day 10 and 14, one egg fully matures. At around day 14, LH levels surge and trigger ovulation.
How Is Ovulation Diagnosed?
Some people know when they're ovulating because it happens at the same time each month or they have symptoms like sore breasts, bloating, or mood changes.
Another way to tell is by looking for signs of ovulation, like changes in cervical mucus or basal body temperature. During ovulation, vaginal discharge will become thin, clear, and slippery like egg whites, and the resting (basal) body temperature will rise slightly.
A home ovulation kit can determine with more certainty whether ovulation is happening. It contains a test that shows whether your urine contains LH, a hormone that's released right before ovulation. A positive result means that ovulation is likely to occur within 36 hours. The ovulation test that doctors use checks levels of hormones like progesterone in a blood sample to determine whether ovulation is happening.
Treatment and Medication Options for Ovulation
Ovulation isn't a medical condition and it doesn't need treatment. But there are medications to treat people who don't ovulate regularly or who are looking to boost the number of eggs they release each cycle to improve their odds of getting pregnant.
Medication Options
When infertility is an issue, doctors can prescribe oral or injectable medicines like these to stimulate ovulation.
- Clomiphene citrate (Clomid, Serophene) is a pill that stimulates the pituitary gland to release more FSH and LH, causing an egg to grow and be released.
- Letrozole (Femara) also increases FSH levels to induce ovulation.
- Gonadotropins (Menopur, Gonal-F, Follistum) are stronger medicines that trigger "superovulation," or the release of multiple eggs at once. These medicines can help people over 40 conceive by making several egg follicles develop at once.
- Metformin triggers ovulation by improving insulin resistance, a common cause of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Bromocriptine (Cycloset, Parlodel) helps with ovulation problems caused by excess production of the hormone prolactin from the pituitary gland.
Complementary and Integrative Therapies
Some couples try complementary and integrative therapies to help them conceive. Although these treatments aren't proven to boost ovulation or increase the chances of getting pregnant, some people find them relaxing during what can be a very stressful experience.
- Acupuncture
- Herbal therapy
- Massage
- Meditation
Prevention of Ovulation
Birth control methods like the pill, patch, and vaginal ring contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, which prevent ovulation by controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland. Stopping ovulation helps prevent unwanted pregnancies. The morning-after pill is a form of emergency contraception that delays ovulation to prevent pregnancy.
Lifestyle Changes for Ovulation
Treating conditions that affect ovulation, like PCOS and thyroid disease, can improve ovulation if you're trying to get pregnant.
A few lifestyle changes can improve fertility, too.
Stay at a Healthy Weight
Obesity causes irregular menstrual cycles, and might even stop ovulation altogether. Without ovulation, a pregnancy can't happen. Conditions that are related to obesity, like diabetes and thyroid disease, can also affect ovulation.
A body mass index between 19 and 24 is considered ideal for ovulation and pregnancy. Your doctor can recommend a diet and exercise program to help you stay at a healthy body weight.
Avoid Unhealthy Habits
Any of these things might alter hormone levels in ways that disrupt ovulation.
- Smoking: Chemicals in tobacco smoke lower levels of estrogen and progesterone. This drop in hormones can cause a reduction in egg quantity and quality. Smoking also damages the DNA in eggs, increasing the risk for miscarriage and birth defects.
- Heavy alcohol use: Drinking more than one or two alcoholic beverages each day could affect ovulation. Abstention from alcohol is best when you’re trying to conceive.
- Caffeine: While one or two small (6- to 8-ounce) cups of coffee a day shouldn't affect the ability to get pregnant, drinking more than that might cause problems with ovulation and reproduction.
- Chemical exposure: Exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, dry cleaning chemicals, and other toxins in the environment and at work might have a negative effect on ovulation and fertility.
Exercise in Moderation
Moderate aerobic exercises like walking or riding on a stationary bike may help with ovulation and fertility. But very intense exercise could have the opposite effect, especially in people who are already at a healthy weight. Working out for too long or too hard might actually stop ovulation and menstrual periods and make it more difficult to conceive.
Related Conditions
Ovulation doesn't cause complications, but several conditions cause problems with ovulation. All these disorders can lead to issues with egg production and fertility.
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
- PCOS
- Premature ovarian failure, which is when the ovaries stop working before age 40
- Too much prolactin, a hormone made by the pituitary gland that stimulates milk production after childbirth
Ovulation pain, or mittelschmerz, is pelvic pain that affects some women during ovulation.
It's usually felt in the lower belly or pelvis, often on the side where the egg is released. Mittelschmerz isn't harmful and it shouldn't affect fertility.
The Takeaway
- Ovulation is the time during the menstrual cycle when a mature egg is released from the ovary, usually around day 14 of the menstrual cycle.
- Infertility drugs stimulate ovulation in women who are trying to conceive. Hormonal birth control stops ovulation.
- Smoking, exposure to toxic chemicals, exercising too vigorously, and drinking alcohol to excess can affect ovulation.
- If you experience any concerning symptoms during ovulation, such as persistent pain, it's critical to see a healthcare provider for evaluation to rule out underlying conditions.
Common Questions & Answers
How do you tell if you’re ovulating?
You can determine whether you’re ovulating by tracking your menstrual cycle, checking cervical mucus, and taking your basal body temperature. A urine or blood test can confirm that you're about to ovulate.
What does ovulation do to a woman?
Ovulation is the process of releasing an egg from the ovary. It's the time during each menstrual cycle when a woman is most likely to get pregnant.
How many days before a period do you ovulate?
Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days before the next menstrual period in a 28-day cycle, though the timing may differ depending on what’s normal for your body.
How many days after ovulation can you get pregnant?
You can get pregnant for up to five days after ovulation. An egg can be fertilized up to 24 hours after it is released, and sperm can live for three to five days inside a woman's body.
Resources We Trust
- Cleveland Clinic: Ovulation
- Mayo Clinic: What Ovulation Signs Can I Watch for if I Want to Get Pregnant?
- Office on Women's Health: Ovulation Calculator
- MedlinePlus: Ovulation Home Test
- Harvard Health: Mid-Menstrual Cycle Pain (Mittelschmerz)
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Ovulation. Cleveland Clinic. July 8, 2022.
- Q&A About Ovulation with a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialist. Northwestern Medicine. August 2022.
- Marnach M. Getting Pregnant. Mayo Clinic. July 9, 2024.
- JE Holesh et al. Physiology, Ovulation. StatPearls. May 1, 2023.
- Marnach M. What Ovulation Signs Can I Watch for if I Want to Get Pregnant? Mayo Clinic. July 9, 2024.
- Infertility. Mayo Clinic. September 13, 2023.
- Ovulation Induction. UCSF Center for Reproductive Health.
- Female Infertility. Mayo Clinic. August 27, 2021.
- Smith JF et al. The Use of Complementary and Alternative Fertility Treatment in Couples Seeking Fertility Care: Data from a Prospective Cohort in the United States. Fertility and Sterility. March 24, 2010.
- Birth Control Options. Cleveland Clinic. August 18, 2022.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. Female Fertility: Why Lifestyle Choices Count. Mayo Clinic. January 9, 2024.
- Skiadas CC. Fertility and Your Weight: How They're Connected. Penn Medicine. October 7, 2022.
- Dhage VD et al. A Narrative Review on the Impact of Smoking on Female Fertility. Cureus. April 16, 2024.
- Anwar MY et al. The association between alcohol intake and fecundability during menstrual cycle phases. Human Reproduction. June 8, 2021.
- Jain M et al. Environmental Toxins and Infertility. StatPearls. January 19, 2025.
- Mussawar M et al. The effect of physical activity on fertility: a mini-review. F&S Reports. April 14, 2023.
- Mittelschmerz. Mayo Clinic. February 13, 2024.
- Ovulation Pain. Cleveland Clinic. February 9, 2023.
Meet Our Experts
John Paul McHugh, MD
Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine
John Paul McHugh, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist and lifestyle medicine specialist in southern California. He has always placed wellness at the center of his work, in both delivering babies and improving practice standards. Dr. McHugh believes that bringing lifestyle medicine to the center of health and wellness empowers patients to make the change they seek and enjoy the benefits of true wellness.
He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He served as a department chair at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and is now the chair-elect for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for California.
He has published several articles in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and served as a peer reviewer for many articles. He contributed to the first textbook of lifestyle medicine in women's health: Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan.
Stephanie Watson
Author
Stephanie Watson is a freelance health writer who has contributed to WebMD, AARP.org, BabyCenter, Forbes Health, Fortune Well, Time, Self, Arthritis Today, Greatist, Healthgrades, and HealthCentral. Previously, she was the executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch and Mount Sinai’s Focus on Healthy Aging. She has also written more than 30 young adult books on subjects ranging from celebrity biographies to brain injuries in football.