Understanding you fertility cycle means monitoring your body’s natural rhythms to determine the days of the month you are most likely to get pregnant. A woman can learn when ovulation is coming by observing her own body and charting physical changes. An average monthly cycle is 28 days. Some women have much shorter cycles, possible lasting only 21 days, and some have much longer ones, lasting up to 35 days.

Why care about your fertility cycle if you are not actively trying to become pregnant? First of all, if you use natural family planning methods, understanding your fertility cycle will help you avoid pregnancy.

Plus, becoming knowledgeable about your body’s own rhythm also helps you to better predict the date of your next menstruation, can help you know early on if you are pregnant, and can alert you to possible unhealthy changes if your body’s cycle changes.