Duration of pain

The duration of moderate pain (also: ovulation pain) can vary from woman to woman. The length can vary greatly – from a few hours to several days. Whether the pain lasts for hours to days or occurs at all depends entirely on individual factors of the respective cycle and cannot be predicted.

Not every woman experiences moderate pain during her cycle: only 25-40 percent of women feel it at all. The ovulation pain is not necessarily the same length, intensity or side in every cycle. Depending on which ovary is prominent in each cycle, the mid-pain is usually located on the same side. However, if the Mittelschmerz lasts much longer or causes unusual, very strong pain that is not otherwise known, one should consult a doctor to rule out other causes.

Frequently asked questions

Depending on which contraceptive method is used, a further occurrence of moderate pain can be expected. This depends entirely on whether the contraceptive method intervenes in ovulation or not.For example, contraception with a combined hormonal contraceptive (“micropill”) should not cause moderate pain, as this type of contraception suppresses ovulation. Since there is no contraceptive that prevents pregnancy 100%, in very rare cases ovulation can occur and in this case also cause pain.

However, this is very rare. The situation is different, for example, with progestin-only preparations containing levonorgestrel, whose mechanism of action does not work by inhibiting ovulation. Some patients suffer from pain during ovulation and hope that this is a sign that they may be pregnant.

However, this is not necessarily the case. If a patient ovulates, she may perceive this as pain, because the so-called follicle, i.e. the mature egg, bursts. If a patient has sexual intercourse with her partner on the day of ovulation, there is a high probability that she will also become pregnant.

Thus, the pain of ovulation can motivate women who want to become pregnant to sleep with their partner during this time, since conception is only possible during ovulation. Many patients cannot imagine becoming pregnant during ovulation despite the pain, because they are in so much pain during ovulation that they have no desire for coitus. In this case, a specialist in gynaecology should be consulted so that he can help the patient to minimize the pain at ovulation, possibly with the help of medication, so that pregnancy is possible despite the pain at ovulation.

At the same time, it is important to know that pain at ovulation does not indicate that fertilization has taken place and therefore it does not automatically mean that pain at ovulation will lead to pregnancy. The exact period of fertile days cannot be determined exactly with the help of Mittelschmerz. Most often, the ovulation pain occurs around ovulation.

It can precede or follow ovulation. Therefore, determining fertile days with the help of Mittelschmerz alone is not 100% suitable for safe contraception or family planning. However, since Mittelschmerz often occurs close to ovulation, it can be assumed that this occurs close to the time before or after the fertile days. They are to be calculated with a maximum of 72 hours. It should be noted, however, that sperm can survive for up to a week in the vaginal environment, so the egg cell could possibly also be fertilized if sexual intercourse took place before the fertile days and ovulation.