You can know when you are ovulating by observing several physical signs and using tracking methods:

• Changes in cervical mucus: Around ovulation, vaginal discharge becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy, resembling raw egg whites. This mucus helps sperm travel to the egg and is a common sign of fertility

• Basal body temperature (BBT) rise: Your resting body temperature slightly increases (about 0.4 to 1°F) after ovulation due to hormonal changes. By measuring your temperature every morning before getting out of bed and charting it over time, you can detect this rise, indicating ovulation has occurred or is imminent

• Mild abdominal pain or cramps: Some women feel a mild pain or twinge, often on one side of the lower abdomen, known as mittelschmerz, around ovulation

• Other symptoms: Breast tenderness, bloating, mood changes, and heightened senses (like smell) may also accompany ovulation

• Ovulation predictor kits: These kits test urine for a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), which happens 24 to 36 hours before ovulation, providing a reliable prediction of your fertile window

• Calendar method: Tracking your menstrual cycles over several months can help estimate your fertile window. Ovulation typically occurs about 14 days before your next period in an average 28-day cycle, but this varies. Calculations based on your shortest and longest cycles can help predict fertile days

Combining these methods—observing cervical mucus, tracking basal body temperature, using ovulation kits, and calendar tracking—can give you the best indication of when you are ovulating and most fertile