Once each cycle, the leading follicle (the fluid-filled sac holding the egg) in one ovary bursts and releases its egg — that's ovulation. The egg is picked up by the fallopian tube, where fertilization can happen if sperm are present. The egg itself survives only about 12–24 hours.
When it happens
In a textbook 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs around day 14 — but real cycles vary, and what's consistent is that ovulation happens roughly 14 days before the next period, not 14 days after the last one. That distinction matters when timing conception in longer or shorter cycles.
Knowing when you ovulate
Signs include a rise in fertile cervical mucus (clear and stretchy, like egg white), a positive LH surge on a home ovulation kit, mild one-sided pelvic pain in some women, and a small rise in basal body temperature after the event. In fertility treatment, ultrasound scans that track the follicle show the timing precisely.