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When do you ovulate?
The idea that women ovulate on Cycle Day 14 is outdated, most of us know that by now. But what makes some women ovulate on Cycle Day 12 and others on Cycle Day 20?
It mostly has to do with how our bodies respond to certain hormones. But beyond that, what else can influence your ovulation date?
➖ 𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐞
The older you are, the earlier you ovulate. A recently published study found a little over a 3-day difference between women who were between the ages of 40-45 compared to those between age 18-24.
➖ 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐮𝐬𝐞
Alcohol can influence your sex hormones, which may cause (premature or early) ovulation.
➖ 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞
Women who consume more than 300 mg of caffeine per day have on average, a shorter time to ovulation.
Ovulating early (or late for that matter) doesn’t mean you have a lower chance of conceiving. A study found almost identical pregnancy rates comparing those who ovulate on CD12 or earlier to those who ovulate on CD22 or later.
References:
Wilcox et al. 2000. The timing of the “fertile window” in the menstrual cycle: day specific estimates from a prospective study. BMJ, 321, 1259. doi: 10.1136/bmj.321.7271.1259.
Liu et al. 2004. Factors Affecting Menstrual Cycle Characteristics. American Journal of Epidemiology, 160, 2(15), 131-140. doi:10.1093/aje/kwh188.
Windham et al. 1999. Cigarette smoking and effects on menstrual function. Obestretics & Gynecology. 93(1), 59.65. doi: 10.1016/S0029-7844(98)00317-2.
