Questions.. please help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2004
Questions.. please help!
1
Sat, 10-16-2004 - 6:13pm
How many cycles back do you go to determine when you are fertile? Since I first got my period (6 years ago), I have been irregular because of low body weight. My past two cycles have been 4 weeks 2 days and 4 weeks 4 days. But the one before that was 7 weeks. The one before that one was 5 weeks, one day. (I have been generally getting more regular)Are those two regular cycles enough to predict when i'm most fertile? Or should I wait for more consistency?

I want to know because I am currently at 5 weeks and 3 days and no period. I think I could possibly be pregnant, but have no idea because I don't know when my period should have come. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 10-16-2004 - 7:23pm
Hi biglilmamma, welcome!

I'm sorry hon, you can not count days, or weeks and know when you will be fertile. That's why the rhythm method doesn't work. You can, in retrospect, figure that you probably ovulated about 2 weeks prior to getting your period but even that isn't certain as you can have an anovulary bleed.

Even if you were as regular as clockwork illness or stress can throw your cycle off. I had this happen to me this cycle. Ordinarily I am very regular at 28 days so I usually ov about CD14. However, I had surgery on CD9 and I'm pretty sure (from my CM and cervical position) that I ovulated on CD23, so I expect to see Aunt Flow somewhere about CD38 this cycle. I think it was the stress leading up to the operation (I was extremely apprehensive – for no reason, as everything went well) that delayed ovulation.

The only way that you can accurately tell when you are fertile and ovulate and therefore predict when your period should arrive, is by charting your fertility signs; basal body temperature, cervical position and cervical mucus. An excellent book on the menstrual cycle and charting fertility signs is 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' by Toni Weschler. You can check it out from your local library or get a copy at most book stores.

If you think you might be pg you can always test to see where you are. Test kits are usually pretty accurate if you test more than 2 weeks after the event of concern. If you test I hope you get the result you want. Let us know how you're doing, ok?

Hugs,

      Jill