It's not possible to ovulate twice in one menstrual cycle. Instead, most women release one mature egg each cycle and a smaller number of women experience hyperovulation, releasing multiple eggs at the same time (upping the chances of multiples). The number of eggs you release though, doesn't indicate multiple ovulations. If you're trying to conceive, understanding your reproductive cycle can help increase your chances of getting pregnant. You can use an ovulation tracker or ovulation test strips to track when you're ovulating each cycle.
How many eggs are released during ovulation?
Usually, just one egg is released from an ovary during a menstrual cycle. If you have a typical cycle of 28 days, ovulation usually happens right around day 14 of your cycle. Once a mature egg is released, it spends about 24 to 48 hours in the fallopian tubes.
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Some women release more than one egg, which is called hyperovulation. Releasing more than one egg can increase your chances of twins or multiples (see below).
One thing to remember when it comes to ovulation: Because calendar months are generally 30 to 31 days long and cycles are 28 days or less, it's theoretically possible to ovulate at the very beginning of the calendar month, and ovulate again at the end of the calendar month, especially if you have shorter cycles. This simply means you ovulated "twice" in the same calendar month, not that you're having two ovulations in one cycle.
Can I ovulate twice a month?
Though it's theoretically possible that you could ovulate twice in a month, that's not the same as ovulating more than once per cycle. During ovulation, follicles release an egg, or multiple eggs, at one time. This typically happens roughly halfway through your reproductive cycle.
Typically, a number of eggs begin to mature in follicular sacs each month. Ovulation occurs when one of these eggs becomes fully mature and high hormone levels trigger the release of this egg by the ovaries. Most people with ovaries release one egg when they ovulate.
So where did the idea of ovulating twice a month come from?
Back in July 2003, a small study of 63 women published in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility examined hormonal patterns during women's menstrual cycles. Researchers studied follicles in the ovaries throughout the cycle – when and how they mature, and also how many are present. Experts didn't find that women ovulated more than once a month. Instead, they discovered multiple follicular waves throughout 68 percent of women's cycles.
Follicle counts going up and down doesn't mean multiple ovulations occurred. But inaccurate reporting of this study led to misconceptions about ovulation, including the belief that women may ovulate two or even three times a month. And that's simply not the case.
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What is hyperovulation?
In a small number of women, more than one egg is released during ovulation. This is known as hyperovulation and it's often behind multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.) There are a number of reasons why a woman might release more than one egg during their reproductive window.
Genetics are thought to be linked to hyperovulation. While specific genes haven't been tied to hyperovulation, studies show that twins can run in families. Environmental factors can increase a woman's likelihood of releasing more than one egg, too, including infertility medications. Some of these medications are intended to increase the chance of conception by stimulating the release of multiple, mature eggs.
What to know about ovulation if you're TTC
If you're trying to conceive, understanding your reproductive cycle can empower you to make choices that will increase your likelihood of getting pregnant. Specifically, tracking ovulation can help you predict when you're fertile, allowing you to plan to have intercourse during this window of time. How do you know if you're ovulating? You certainly can buy an ovulation test, but this isn't always necessary and the expense of these tests can add up!
Begin by understanding the reproductive cycle along with the symptoms of ovulation. The typical reproductive cycle begins one day with spotting or light bleeding, which can increase in heaviness and then slowly taper off after a few days or a week. When you begin to bleed, this is when your body starts to work at maturing eggs in the follicles.
Around day 14 of the cycle, ovulation occurs. An egg is released in the fallopian tube where it can hang out for 1 or 2 days. If that egg isn't fertilized by sperm, it dies and then leaves the body when your period begins at the start of your next cycle.
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Because sperm can spend as long as 5 days in the female reproductive system, it's possible to conceive if you have sex sometime within the few days leading up to ovulation or in the one to two days that follow. If you're hoping to get pregnant, you can increase your chances of conception by having sex more frequently in the days leading up to ovulation. That's because there's the greatest chance of fertilization of an egg if the sperm are already in the reproductive system when ovulation occurs.
Of course, everybody is different and the menstrual cycle can vary greatly from person to person, but learning to recognize the symptoms of ovulation is helpful when you're trying to conceive. These symptoms include:
- An increase in vaginal secretions, including a change in appearance and texture. Typically, this mucus becomes clear and stretchy. After ovulation, vaginal secretions decrease and lose their clear appearance.
- An increase in basal body temperature. This is a very slight increase, and only noticeable after consistent tracking of your temperature throughout your entire cycle. Since the chance of conception is highest if sperm are already present when ovulation occurs, you're actually most fertile before the increase in body temperature. This often requires multiple months of tracking so you can establish your body's pattern.
If you want to track your ovulation, there are great resources available for women who are trying to conceive. Using our ovulation calculator can help you become familiar with your reproductive cycle. If tracking alone hasn't resulted in conception, considering talking with your provider if you don't think you're ovulating. And if you do become pregnant, you can use your ovulation date to calculate your due date using our Due Date Calculator.
