Ovulation usually happens about 12–16 days before your next period starts, not always exactly on “day 14.”

Quick Scoop: When’s Ovulation?

  • For a “typical” 28‑day cycle, ovulation is often around day 14, but that’s just an average, not a rule.
  • For cycles between 23–35 days, ovulation still tends to occur about 12–16 days before your next period.
  • Many people do not ovulate on the same day every month; almost half of cycles vary by 7 or more days.

Fertile window (when you’re most likely to conceive)

  • Sperm can live in the reproductive tract for up to 5 days, while the egg lives about 12–24 hours after ovulation.
  • Your most fertile days are usually:
    1. The 2–3 days before ovulation.
    2. The day of ovulation itself.

Simple example

  • If your cycle is about 28 days long:
    • Period day 1 = first day of bleeding.
    • Next period expected on day 28.
    • Ovulation likely around day 14 (28 minus 14).
  • If your cycle is about 32 days long, ovulation may be closer to days 16–20 (32 minus 12–16).

How people narrow it down

Many people combine these approaches:

  • Tracking cycle length for several months (apps or paper).
  • Watching for cervical mucus that becomes clear, stretchy, and slippery near ovulation.
  • Using ovulation predictor kits that detect the LH surge, which happens about 24–36 hours before ovulation.

If your cycles are very irregular, very short (<21 days), or very long (>35 days), or if you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while without success, it’s a good idea to talk with a healthcare provider for personalized advice.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.