Fertility

Fertility is key to becoming pregnant and understanding how your body works can help you detect early signs of pregnancy.

Understanding your monthly fertility pattern (days in the month when you are fertile, days when you are infertile, and days when fertility is unlikely, but possible) can help you choose the best time to become pregnant, or avoid pregnancy.

If you already understand your ovulation cycle and fertility pattern, and are having problems getting pregnant, it's advisable to seek medical help. For support from other women in your situation you may also visit our fertility discussion forum.

Understand your fertility cycle.

Ovulation

If you are trying to get pregnant it might be an idea to keep a calendar and note of your ovulation cycle.

You might be wondering how you can tell when you are ovulating - your date of ovulation is calculated by subtracting 14 to 16 days from the date of your next period. This is an approximation and may not be exact for every woman.

These calculations may not be accurate if your ovulation cycle is less than 21 days long or more than 35 days long, or if your menstrual cycle is irregular from month to month. Please consult your doctor for more detailed information.

Learn about the importance of ovulation in our guide to getting pregnant.

Early signs of pregnancy

If you are trying to get pregnant it's a good idea to take note of early signs of pregnancy. As your level of fertility changes throughout the month, we have put together a guide for timing your fertility.

You can also find out what other changes to expect in your body as early signs of pregnancy like morning sickness begin to take hold!

If you think you are pregnant then a pregnancy test is the best way to detect early signs of pregnancy. If you miss a period, then it's time to take a pregnancy test!