>>What is Ovulation
Ovulation is the time when an egg or ova is released by a women's Ovary. The egg travels through Fallopian tubes and if a sperm from the male is also present in the tube, fertilization of the egg occurs and a a woman conceives. Once released, the egg can survive for up to 24 hours The hormone responsible for release of the egg is called 'Luteinising Hormone' and is produced by the brain. The sudden surge in the level of the hormone releases the egg and also causes a small increase in the Body Temperature.

>>Pregnancy and Contraception
Ovulation and pregnancy go hand in hand. If you wish to get pregnant then you should plan intercourse with your partner during this time. However if you wish to avoid pregnancy, use contraception during the period of ovulation.

>>Fallacies in Predicting Ovulation Time
Sometimes the length of time from the beginning of menstruation up to ovulation can vary. Ovulation can be delayed at times of stress and during lactation. Ovulation can also become erratic during the pre-menopause period. No physical method is foolproof in predicting ovulation time. However in majority of the women this is a fairly accurate method.

>>Signs of Ovulation
Some women can distinctly feel the change during ovulation and some are not able to know the difference. There are various changes to look for during the time of ovulation. There is a small rise in body temperature, The cervical mucus becomes thin and there may be some watery vaginal discharge.
'The general function of the female testicles is to generate the ova, to nourish them, and to bring them to maturity, so that they serve the same purpose in women as the ovaries of birds. Hence, they should rather be called ovaries than testes because they show no similarity, either in form or contents, with the male testes'

>>Role of Cervical Mucus in Fertility
The cervix is normally closed and the mucus is thick. Normally mucus prevents sperm entry to the cervix and is part of the immune system that protects the woman's reproductive system from infection. However during ovulation this changes and the cervical mucus becomes thin and watery and creates a very wet and lubricative sensation at the Vulva. Normally the mucus is very hostile to sperms however during Ovulation the sperms are not only allowed to enter the cervix but the mucus helps in prolonging the life of the sperm and helping it to swim to the fallopian tubes. The change in the mucus pattern in the cervix is closely related to the release of the hormones from the brain.

>>What is Ovulation Pains?
Some women may experience some pain during the time of ovulation called Ovulation pain or also popularly called Mittelschmerz among medical fraternity. This pain can occur before, during or after the ovulation period in your menstrual cycle. Sometimes this pain can be confused with the pain caused by appendicitis. The pain is usually centered around the lower right side of the abdomen and can last from a few hours to days. Ovulation pain is not the best method to tell you about the time of ovulation because it doesn't necessarily manifest in all women. However if it does occur regularly every month it can alert you to the occurrence of ovulation.