Cycle Length (X-post from r/waitingtotry)

[joey13]

Hello all.
I have a few concerns about how long my cycles are. A few sources online say that I could not be ovulating with how long they are. I plan on bringing this up at my preconception appointment in a couple of months but I'm curious until then. According to Ovia, my average cycle length is 38 days. Does anyone have any feedback?
I'd rather not start any drastic tracking measures. But I will if I need to.

 

[katrina2017]

@joey13 Seconding the recommendation of the other commenter to begin temping. It's very simple. I wake up at the same time every morning and pop the thermometer in my mouth, doze for a few minutes until it beeps, and recording the temp quickly in Fertility Friend (it's the preferred app around here!). If I don't need to be actually up at that time I'll just go back to sleep. Temping is really the only way for you to tell if you're actually ovulating. Starting to temp now, prior to your preconception appointment, will prevent your doctor having to do a lot of the guesswork/unnecessary testing at that time.

Temping can tell you:

* If you are ovulating at all (seen through a biphasic chart with a noticeable temp shift post-ovulation)

* If your luteal phase (the period after ovulation before menstruation begins) is an adequate length (it should be minimum 10 days otherwise a fertilized egg would not have time to implant)

* If you tend to ovulate later or earlier in your cycle than average (average is 14ish days but can be earlier or even much later). Because your cycles tend to be around 38 days I expect if you're ovulating at all it's probably later than average, maybe between CD 24-28. Temping will tell you when it's actually happening so that when you start TTC you won't completely miss your fertile window!

Good luck!

Edit: You can find lots more info about the actual How-To's in the sidebar!

 

[joey13]

@katrina2017 Thank you very much!

 

[pekasig345]

@joey13 Your best bet is temping. It's not that drastic of a measure, it involves a few minutes each morning but that's it. Once you start charting that, you will get a better picture of if/when you are ovulating. That is going to be a less drastic step before seeing a doctor.

Edited to add: are you recently coming off of any type of hormonal birth control?

 

[joey13]

@pekasig345 Thank you. I'll look into the Temping link in the sidebar. The implant was removed from my arm in the beginning of July.

 

[pekasig345]

@joey13 That could definitely be impacting things too. I came off the pill in July and my cycle is still regulating. If you read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" it will outline temping as well. You can also download the Fertility Friend app and they I guess have tutorials that teach the basics. A lot of people in this sub seem find that app to be more accurate than Ovia.

 

[joey13]

@pekasig345 Thank you. I'm not a huge fan of Ovia so I'll definitely give Fertility Friend a try.