Woman’s fertile days
You can get pregnant on about 6 days a month: about 5 days before ovulation took place and 1 day after. To know when you can get pregnant, you need to know when you will next ovulate. This can be hard to predict.
How to calculate the day of ovulation
You can try to calculate the day of ovulation if your cycle lasts the same number of days each month. Ovulation happens about 14 days before the next menstrual period (beginning of a new cycle).
Example 1 - regular cycle of 28 days: the ovulation will take place around day 14 of your cycle. You can get pregnant about 5 days before the ovulation took place and 1 day after.
Example 1 - regular cycle of 28 days: the ovulation will take place around day 14 of your cycle. You can get pregnant about 5 days before the ovulation took place and 1 day after.
Example 2 - regular cycle of 23 days: the ovulation will take place around day 9 of your cycle. You can get pregnant about 5 days before the ovulation took place and 1 day after.
Example 2 - regular cycle of 23 days: the ovulation will take place around day 9 of your cycle. You can get pregnant about 5 days before the ovulation took place and 1 day after.
Example 3 - regular cycle of 34 days: the ovulation will take place around day 20 of your cycle. You can get pregnant about 5 days before the ovulation took place and 1 day after.
Example 3 - regular cycle of 34 days: the ovulation will take place around day 20 of your cycle. You can get pregnant about 5 days before the ovulation took place and 1 day after.
Symptoms of ovulation
If your cycle differs in length every month, you cannot predict when you will have your next ovulation. Pay attention to symptoms in your body that appear at the time of ovulation:
- You have more discharge from the vagina. The fluid looks a bit like egg white and is stringy;
- Your body temperature rises a little bit;
- The cervix rises and is more difficult to feel from your vagina. It has widened a little bit and feels softer.
Some women have a bit of abdominal pain (pain in the belly) during ovulation.
Contraception
If you do not have a desire to have children at the moment, use contraception.
More information or help needed?
Family doctor
You can talk to a family doctor about almost every intimate issue. If necessary the family doctor can refer you to a specialised health professional. Find a family doctor in your neighbourhood:
Community health centre (wijkgezondheidscentrum)
You can visit a family doctor in a community health centre. Other care professionals such as nurses and social workers also work at community health centres. Care is provided free of charge. Find a community health centre in your neighbourhood:
CAW - Centrum Algemeen Welzijn
Centre for general well-being - Help with all kinds of issues: a difficult relationship, medical, financial, administrative, legal or material problems, family problems,... CAWs also provide assistance to victims of violence and abuse. Find a CAW in your neighbourhood: