Fertility awareness

Fertility awareness means getting to know your body and your menstrual cycle. It can be an effective way to find your most fertile time of month and help maximise your chances of getting pregnant.

There's lots more detail about finding your most fertile time on our Planning a Pregnancy page.

Get to know your menstrual cycle

• The average length of the menstrual cycle is around 28 days, although many women have longer or shorter cycles.
• Each month as many as 20 eggs mature inside the ovary. Ovulation is the process that results in the release of an egg from your ovary.
• Usually one egg is released into the fallopian tube, around 10–16 days before the start of your period, where it lives for just 24 hours.
• The time leading up to ovulation is when you are most fertile (your fertile time). You can only get pregnant for a few days around the time of ovulation.
• Your cervical mucus changes in texture and appearance at different times in your cycle. This can help you learn when you are most fertile.
• Your basal temperature (temperature when you wake up) dips slightly before ovulation and rises afterwards. Keeping track of your basal temperature might help you know if you have ovulated.

FPA fertility awareness kit

If you're trying to get pregnant then you'll want to maximise your chances of conceiving. For some women pregnancy happens quickly, but for others it can take longer.

FPA’s Fertility Awareness Kit can help you find your most fertile time. It contains information and resources to help you plan your pregnancy and help you to become pregnant.

Fertility Awareness Kit

This kit contains:

FPA Planning a Pregnancy booklet
Explains how you can prepare for pregnancy, how conception occurs and how you can improve your chances of getting pregnant.

FPA Bodyworks booklet
Explains all about the reproductive system in men and women, including how the reproductive organs work, the menstrual cycle and conception.

Clearblue ovulation test (pack of seven test sticks)
Detects the rise of the ovulation hormone 24 to 36 hours before ovulation, helping you identify the most likely days to conceive.

Clearblue PLUS pregnancy test (pack of two)
Easy to use and as accurate as getting a test at your GP surgery.

Folic acid tablets (250 tablets, 400mcg each) and Go Folic! leaflet
Taking folic acid before you conceive and during early pregnancy helps to prevent serious abnormalities of your baby's brain and nerves.

Buy the Fertility Awareness Kit from our online shop for £49.99

Fertility Awareness Kit Plus

Everything in the regular Fertility Awareness Kit plus:

High resolution fertility thermometer
Easy to use, accurate and ultra-sensitive. It takes just a few seconds to measure your temperature. Charting your body temperature can help you know when you've ovulated.

Fertility chart
Record your body temperature on the chart every day to help you understand your cycle and most fertile days.

Buy the Fertility Awareness Kit Plus from our online shop for £59.99