Calculate your fertile days

Ovulation marks a woman's most fertile time of the month. But how do I know when I'm ovulating?

To find out when your fertile days are you can use devices specifically designed for this, which you will find in pharmacies, or you can check by using one of the two natural methods for establishing when it is:

1)    By taking your temperature:
You must take your temperature every day (preferably in the morning and always at the same time) and make a note of it in a notebook. When you notice that your temperature has gone up by at least 0.2 degrees in relation to the 6 previous readings and remains at that temperature for 3 days in a row, you will be ovulating. However, you must bear in mind that it can vary if you have gone to bed late, got up during the night or been feeling unwell.

2)    By observing your cervical mucus:
Cervical mucus (vaginal secretions) tends to be thick, except during the days before you ovulate, when it becomes more liquid, thus making it easier for the sperm to travel up through your cervix. You must also bear in mind that it can be altered by taking certain medications and by stress or diet.

3)    By the symptothermal method (STM):
This method is used to establish the position of the cervix. To do this you must squat or stand with one leg raised and bent. If the cervix is straight and soft, it indicates that you are at your most fertile. If, on the other hand, it is uncomfortable to touch, this means that it is tilted, firm and high, and therefore it is not your most fertile time. The reason is that this means the sperm will have further to travel and it will be harder for it to reach its target.