Are online ovulation calculators accurate?

[jasmineflynn]

Hi! Me and my husband have been trying to conceive for the last 6 months or so, and I'm just looking to up the odds a little bit. We've both been eating healthier/generally being more healthy, I've been taking a few vitamin supplements (snake oil? what are your experiences?) I've also found this ovulation calculator, but my cycle is a little irregular so not sure how effective that would be. Is it worth trying one of those temperature measuring thingies?

Thanks!

They are based on averages, so not great for anyone with an irregular cycle.

Monitoring temperature tells you AFTER you have ovulated, so helps you to understand your cycle so you can time things well the next month, iyswim. But if you’re irregular that doesn’t really help. Maybe try OPKs? You get a positive the day before you ovulate, the aim being to dtd alternate days if you have a faint positive, and every day if you have a strong positive (if you can and want to, every other day is generally sufficient!)

It does make it a slightly mechanical process though, and takes the romance out a bit. Depends how much of a rush you are in!

You can also keep an eye on your cervical mucus. If it is colourless (instead of white), thin and stretchy then you are likely to ovulate soon. (One of the advantages of dtd alternate days rather than every day is that you can check this without the confusion of..... contamination j