There’s a cruel irony in the fact that the majority of women have at one time or another probably experienced mild panic when their period was even just a few days late, only to discover years later that they would do anything to actually get pregnant. But both situations are really two sides of the same coin. The bottom line is that if women learned how to chart their fertility signs, it would empower them with the knowledge to never again question such a profoundly intimate issue.

Two of the most challenging menstrual cycle patterns are those that are either perplexingly irregular or exceedingly long. There are many reasons why a woman may have one of these patterns, or why they may not even ovulate altogether. In fact, most women go through various phases in which they may experience such cycles, including adolescence, coming off the pill, breastfeeding, and premenopause. And there are also many conditions which may cause irregular cycles, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or thyroid issues.

Unless you chart, you may often mistakenly think that you are pregnant when you aren’t if you perceive that your period is late. But if you are lucky enough to have learned how to observe your fertility signs, there are two ways to tell the difference between being pregnant and just having a long cycle:

  • You are likely pregnant if you have more than 18 consecutive days of high temperatures above the coverline, especially if you also experience tender breasts and nausea.
  • You are probably not pregnant if your temperature pattern shows consistently low temperatures or a delayed ovulation that indicates that you are merely having a long cycle.

So rather than be confused again, here’s to a new way of viewing your fertility cycles, with knowledge rather than bewilderment, and with awe rather than frustration.