The Best Time to Conceive in Human Female Reproduction

The most fertile window during a woman's menstruation cycle is during, and just before, ovulation. There are many ways a woman can tell that she's about to ovulate or that she's ovulating. She just needs to know what to look for, and once she sees the signs, she's ready to conceive.

Days 12 to 14

• The Mayo Clinic says that ovulation typically occurs on day 14 of a woman's menstrual cycle (with day one being the first day of her period) and that she will be most fertile on this day and the few days leading up to it. However, the exact timing may depend on the length of the woman's cycle.

Before Temperature Rises

• Basal body temperature increases slightly during ovulation. A woman is most fertile during the two to three days before her temperature rises, according to Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief, Roger W. Harms, M.D.

When Secretions Change

• Just before ovulation, when a woman is most fertile, she may notice an increase of clear, slippery vaginal secretions which resemble raw egg whites, according to the Mayo Clinic. Once the discharge becomes cloudy and sticky or disappears entirely, the chance of conception is slim.

When Ovulation Hormones Are Detected

• Ovulation predictor kits, sold over the counter in most pharmacies, test your urine for the up-tick in hormones that takes place before ovulation, signaling when you are most fertile. However, for some women, the cost of these kits is prohibitive.