Life Span of Ovum: How Long an Egg Lives After Ovulation

Introduction

Couples who are planning to start a family must understand how long an ovum lives after ovulation. Ovulation occurs every month, but the egg or ovum lives for a very short period during which it must be fertilised. Some women believe that they can get pregnant on any day of the menstrual cycle, but it is a myth because conception takes place only during the fertile window.

What Does Ovulation Mean, and What Happens During Ovulation?

Ovulation is a process during which an egg is released from an ovary into the fallopian tube. Ovulation occurs around 13-15 days after each menstrual cycle starts. If the egg is not fertilised, it breaks down in the fallopian tube and is absorbed by the body.

Generally, one egg is released from the ovary every month, but some women may release more than one egg during ovulation. The egg is carried to the fallopian tube, and the mature egg is ready for fertilisation. If fertilised by a sperm, the fertilised egg travels to the uterus for implantation, initiating the pregnancy.

How Many Days Does an Egg Remain Viable in the Uterus?

An egg does not stay for a long time in the uterus if it is not fertilised. After ovulation, the egg reaches the uterus. If it gets fertilised, it reaches the uterus in 5-6 days and implants on the uterine wall. If it does not get fertilised, the egg breaks down within 24 hours and moves out of the uterus, where it is absorbed and removed from the body in menstrual blood.

How Long Does Ovulation Last?

Ovulation starts on the 13th day after the menstrual period and lasts for about 24 hours in each cycle. Once the egg is released, it becomes ready to be fertilised within 24 hours; otherwise, it will be destroyed and absorbed. It does not mean that the fertile period is only for one day, and you can get pregnant within that period only. Sperm cells have a longer lifespan and can remain in the female body for up to 4-5 days to fertilise the egg. Thus, the fertile window is between 5 and 6 days every month.

Track your Menstrual Cycle to Conceive

Women must understand their menstrual cycle if they are planning to conceive. Understanding the menstrual cycle is important, as it forms a foundation for a successful pregnancy. Many women do not know the right time of intercourse in relation to ovulation, due to which they fail to get pregnant. An egg is viable only for 24 hours, and sperm can live for 5 days; therefore, the right time for intercourse is 3-4 days before intercourse till the day.

Tips to Enhance the Chances of Getting Pregnant

It is necessary to know when you will ovulate to achieve successful conception. You can enhance your chances of getting pregnant by following some tips given here:

• Maintain a basic diary every month to record the dates of your menstruation. This will help to determine the length of your cycle if it is regular. You can know when your next cycle will start, and this will help to determine the ovulation day by subtracting 14 days from that date.
• You can use ovulation tracker kits available in the market to track your ovulation. It helps to detect the rise in luteinizing hormone that happens before ovulation.
• The basal body temperature also rises during ovulation due to increased levels of progesterone. If you feel a slight rise in your body temperature, you can suspect the ovulation period.
• The vaginal discharge is a part of cervical mucus that can also help to detect ovulation time. Cervical mucus becomes thin, egg white, stringy, and transparent during ovulation so that sperm can easily swim to reach the egg.

Factors Affecting Ovulation

Many factors may affect ovulation, due to which you may not ovulate at the right time. Some of the factors are:

• Excessive mental stress affects the release of reproductive hormones, due to which ovulation may be impacted, and a woman may not ovulate at the right time.
• Women may suffer from thyroid abnormalities that may result in irregular periods. Due to irregular periods, women are unable to detect the right time of ovulation.
• PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is another hormonal disorder that may affect a woman. In this condition, hormones become imbalanced, which prevents ovulation due to irregular periods.

Conclusion

If you are worried about family planning, you must understand the menstrual cycle and how ovulation works. Ovulation occurs every month, and an ovum remains viable for 24 hours. If the egg is not fertilised, it will be destroyed. Therefore, time plays an important role in conceiving. You must track the ovulation cycle and have intercourse during the fertile window, which is 3-4 days before ovulation till the day of ovulation. It is the best time to achieve pregnancy. If you fail to conceive after trying for 12 months regularly without protection, you should not lose hope. You must consult with a fertility expert who can guide you about the right time and other measures to achieve pregnancy.