How do you know when your ovulation is over?

Ovulation is a key part of a woman’s menstrual cycle, but what is it, and what are the signs you already ovulated? The first step is understanding how ovulation occurs and why it’s an important part of conception. Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from the ovary. Women have two phases in their menstrual cycle: the follicular and luteal phases, with ovulation separating these two phases. 

During the follicular phase, a set of follicles is recruited and starts growing. Then, only one follicle is selected to become dominant and eventually to release as an egg. As the dominant follicle matures, it releases estrogen, which causes the uterine lining to thicken in preparation for a fertilized egg. 

This estrogen release causes a surge in the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which prompts the follicle to release the matured egg – a process called ovulation. If the egg meets sperm and successfully fertilizes, it will travel through the uterine tubes, where it will implant in the uterus and begin to grow. 

Ovulation happens once a month and only lasts between 12-24 hours. If the egg isn’t fertilized, it dissolves and is reabsorbed into the body. 

Top 7 signs that ovulation is over

Being able to spot the signs ovulation has already occurred will make it easier to track your cycle, monitor your fertility, and increase your chances of conception. 

You have a decreased libido

Your body physically reacts to changes in your menstrual cycle, which is why a decrease in your sex drive is how to tell and know if ovulation is over. Before ovulation, you often have a stronger libido, which makes you want to have more sex. Since sperm live in the body for up to five days, this gives them plenty of time to travel through the cervix and meet the egg for fertilization. 

You experience ovulation pain

Ovulation pain is called Mittelschmerz, a German word meaning middle pain. Women often describe the feeling as discomfort or cramping in the lower abdomen, and it is one of the more uncomfortable end-of-ovulation symptoms. A good example of how to know when ovulation is over is when you feel crampy but you’re still around 10 to 16 days from when your period should start.

Your cervical mucus changes

Every woman experiences discharge, also called cervical mucus, throughout their menstrual cycle. When you’re ovulating, it becomes thin, clear, and stretchy, like egg whites. The reason for this consistency is to help the sperm travel along the reproductive system so it reaches the egg faster and easier. Once ovulation is over, your discharge will become thicker and will decrease in quantity, so you can even experience vaginal dryness a few days before your period… So, how do you know when ovulation is over? Tracking the appearance of your cervical mucus can be a helpful aid.

Your basal body temperature increases

Your basal body temperature represents the lowest indicated temperature your body achieves when resting. Right after ovulation, it can increase 0.5 to 1-degree °F or 0.3 – 0.5 °C. This rise happens in response to your body releasing progesterone, and it can stay elevated until your menstrual cycle ends. Tracking your BBT can be an effective example of how to know ovulation is over, but you must test at the same time each day, preferably right after waking up, for the most accurate results.

Your cervix becomes firmer and takes a lower position

We know that ovulation occurs as your ovary releases an egg, but that’s not the only internal change your body goes through. When you ovulate, your cervix becomes soft and high, which makes it easier for sperm to enter into your reproductive system. Once ovulation is over, the cervix returns to its lower position and becomes firmer. 

Your breasts become more sensitive

If you’re approaching the two-week mark before your period and you’re wondering, “How do I know when ovulation is over?” your breast sensitivity may be an indicator, however weak. 

There is no consensus on why breast sensitivity and tenderness happen; however, there is a good chance that rapid changes in estrogen and progesterone levels in the luteal phase may cause it. Their levels increase, peaking in the middle of the luteal phase. However, a few days before your period, their levels begin to decrease, which can often make your breasts swell and become tender. 

Sometimes, you may experience breast sensitivity and tenderness around ovulation. Unfortunately, this sign is not very common or specific to recognize the exact day when ovulation happens and when it is over.

You experience mood swings

As Hormonas know, hormonal changes can cause changes not just to your body but to your mood as well. Ovulation causes a rise in estrogen, which can make you feel happy and content, but once it’s over, those hormone levels drop. Right after ovulation, estrogen levels drop significantly, which can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and irritability if you are sensitive to their changes. We often get the question of how to tell when ovulation is over, and one good indication is your mood changes more easily. You may also find yourself anxious and depressed for a day or two, but this pattern is only typical for around 11% of young menstruating women.

What’s next after ovulation is over?

One common question among women trying to conceive is, “What happens after my ovulation is over?” Once ovulation is over, you are unlikely to get pregnant; the chances are low. As we discussed, the egg released during ovulation can only live around 12-24 hours, and if it doesn’t come into contact with sperm during that time, it will simply disintegrate and leave the body. 

While it can be frustrating and discouraging to realize you’ve already missed your conception window, there are tools that can help you track ovulation. An ovulation predictor will tell you when you are likely to ovulate so you can plan the best time to have sex. Since you know that sperm can survive in the body for up to five days, you use the information to plan intercourse every or every other day during these the most fertile days, and don’t miss the day right before or the day ovulation occurs. 

In the past, women had to guess and look for signs ovulation was successful, but not anymore. Now, you don’t have to wonder, “How do I know if I’ve already ovulated?” Checking your hormone levels for this purpose is easier than ever.

How does Hormona help?

The Hormona app is designed to make it easy for women to understand and track their hormones. Having your information at your fingertips gives you greater control, so you know what your body is doing throughout your entire menstrual cycle. If you’re wondering how to know if ovulation was successful, Hormona has the tools you need to see your fertile window and understand how your hormones work throughout your conception journey. 

FAQ

How to check if I am still ovulating?

You can determine if you’re still ovulating in a few ways, including tracking your menstrual cycle, taking your basal body temperature, monitoring your cervical mucus, and using an ovulation tracker.

What are the 7 signs of ovulation?

The 7 signs of ovulation include egg-white stretchy cervical mucus, increased libido, cramping on the side of your ovulating ovary, elevated mood, breast tenderness, changes in basal body temperature, and spotting.

How many days do you ovulate?

Ovulation means the burst of a mature follicle, which is believed to happen once per cycle, so as you’ve guessed, it can’t last for days. You can ovulate for 12 to 24 hours when the egg is available for fertilization after the follicle bursts. However, your fertile window includes the five-day period before and during ovulation. 

How do I know I am no longer ovulating?

Your menstrual cycle is the first indicator of ovulation. Most cycles that fall within the 21-38 day range are considered ovulatory. Additionally, if your cycle is irregular — meaning the difference between the shortest and longest cycles over the past six months is nine days or more — you are likely to experience anovulatory cycles most of the time, with ovulatory cycles happening occasionally. 

In addition, if you don’t notice egg-white cervical mucus approximately in the middle of your cycle, you are unlikely to ovulate. 

Physiologically, ovulation is often absent in most cycles during the first three years after menarche or the first menstrual period, during pregnancy, for approximately 6-8 months of breastfeeding, during the transition to menopause, and in post-menopause. In addition, lifestyle factors such as huge stress, traveling across time zones, excessive exercise, and restrictive diet may impact your cycles and stop ovulation for a while.

You can use an ovulation tracker, ovulation prediction and confirmation kits to determine if you’re no longer ovulating to be more confident in your assumptions.

How fertile are you at the end of ovulation?

Once ovulation is over, your fertility chances drop significantly. It is possible to get pregnant each cycle during the fertile window, which includes 6 days since sperm can live in the body for five days. However, please note that your most fertile days are the day before and ovulation itself.