Can You Ovulate After an Early Period?

Women may want to know the time of ovulation in order to avoid pregnancy or achieve it, although when it occurs is not as obvious as the start of each monthly period. Fortunately, there are ways to predict and detect the time of ovulation from home.

Features

• Near the time of ovulation, women might notice symptoms including vaginal discharge that is clear or resembles egg whites, an increase in libido, or abdominal pain on one side of the lower pelvis, also referred to as "mittelschmerz."

Time Frame

• Women's menstrual cycles can fluctuate in length, but each period usually begins 21 to 35 days after the start of the last period. Cycles are often longer in teenage girls.

Identification

• Women can identify ovulation by using an ovulation predictor kit. They can alternatively use a digital thermometer and chart basal body temperature each day of the menstrual cycle to monitor when temperature shifts, which indicates ovulation.

Effects

• The effects of nutrition, stress, travel, age, use of certain medications, recent pregnancy and whether a woman is currently breastfeeding can impact how soon ovulation occurs after a period.

Considerations

• Women who recently stopped using the pill or another hormonal birth control method may have irregular ovulation or no ovulation, even after having a period.

Warning

• No matter which day during the cycle ovulation occurs, it is possible to get pregnant when having sex without contraception.