The trick for women attempting conception is to locate their own, personal, highly fertile time. Typically, menstrual cycle would last for twenty-eight days and onset of menses taking place on day one.

Generally, fertile window in women is the day she ovulates (typically 12-16 days prior to menses onset) and the 5 days which precede it. In the average female, this would occur anywhere between 10-17days. However the issue is that not many females are average. Hence, individual awareness of peak fertile time is of utmost importance.

One technique of determining personal fertile period is keeping tabs on the menstrual cycle (for 8 or more months in case doable). This would mean selecting the briefest cycle (say twenty-seven days) and deducting eighteen from this number. The resultant figure – 9- is the foremost potently fertile day. Hence, in case, the cycles one was measuring over a period of many months were in-between 27 to thirty days in length then one would be highly fertile anywhere between days nine and nineteen.

One could improve prospects of getting pregnant by charting BBT (basal body temperature – dawn temperature prior to hopping out of bed). In majority of the females, it would range in-between 96 to ninety-eight degree Fahrenheit. In case the BBT shows a slight increase (4/10^th to 8/10^th of a degree), it would generally mean one has undergone ovulation in the last twelve to 24 hours.

Yet another method of spotting the fertile period is noticing any variations in cervical mucus that would range from dry (after menses) to adhesive-like (when ovulation date approaches) to wet, stretchable and half-transparent (when a woman is ovulating). Ovulation could generally occur from 2 days prior to or 2 days following the peak day of stretchable mucus.

Even as the menstrual cycle would vary to some extent, here is a day-to-day elucidation of what would transpire in an average twenty-eight day cycle as the body preps itself for a likely conception.

The Menstrual Cycle (Day-to-Day)

Days (One to Five)

In case a woman fails to conceive, then old, lifeless cells that line the uterus are sloughed off and period would commence. There are squat levels of progesterone and estrogen in the body. The body temperature would lie in-between ninety-six to ninety-eight degree Fahrenheit.

Days (six to seven)

A part of the brain, hypothalamus is responsible for regulating the inner organs, controlling pituitary gland and secreting GnRH. GnRH or gonadotropin releasing hormone would then notify the pituitary gland about releasing LH (leuteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) that lead to growth of the follicles in either one of the ovaries. When the follicles or eggs start growing they manufacture estrogen. Progesterone level would continue to be less and the cervical mucus would be dry (in the days 8 or 9).

Day Eight (might lengthen till day twelve)

Production of estrogen rises that would cause uterine lining thickening and generation of a increasing supply of blood vessels which prepares it to obtain the fertilized egg. Levels of LH and FSH nose dive.

Day Ten

The mucus would now become clammy with cloudiness, stickiness or white or yellow secretion.

Day Twelve

Mucus would become colourless, slithery and stretchable indicating ovulation is approaching and there is maximum likelihood of conceiving in this time. Sperms have a 2-5 days survival time post-coitus due to which sexual intercourse now could lead to conception despite ovulation yet many days ahead.

Day Thirteen

There is a dramatic rise in estrogen that bolsters LH which in turn would stimulate progesterone synthesis that lead to a surge in FSH. In twelve hours of ovulation, there would be four-tenths to eight-tenths degree rise in body temperature and in case conception does not happen, would remain elevated till the subsequent menses.

Day Fourteen

There would be a sharp dip in estrogen and surge in LH that leads to the ovary releasing the egg which is ovulation. The egg would live for around twelve to twenty-four hours.

Day Fifteen (might prolong till day twenty-four)

The vacant egg follicle or the corpus luteum would secrete greater quantities of progesterone-estrogen to assist in prepping the uterus for a likely conception. There is a plummet in levels of LH and FSH.

Day Seventeen

When BBT continues to be elevated for 3 days at a stretch, usually the fertile time has ended.

Day Eighteen

Cloudiness in cervical mucus is noted.

Days (twenty-one to twenty-two)

There is a rise in progesterone levels.

Day Twenty-five

The corpus luteum would disintegrate. In case egg fertilization failed then progesterone would start to plummet and cervical mucus is adhesive-like. In case fertilization did take place then the progesterone levels would continue to be elevated.

Day Twenty-Seven

There is absence of mucus or it has dried out.

Day Twenty-Eight

Estrogen level would decrease and progesterone creation would swiftly drop and mucus thickening would occur. In case a woman has not conceived then her menses would start on the next day.