Ovulation Calculator

About the Ovulation Calculator

Knowing the days you are most likely to be fertile can increase your chance of getting pregnant. The typical menstrual cycle is 28 days long, but each woman is different. There are about 6 days during each menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant. This is called your fertile window. Use the calculator to see which days you are most likely to be fertile. The sections below explains the rhythm of the menstrual process in more detail.

What is ovulation?

Ovulation is when the ovary releases an egg so it can be fertilized by a sperm in order to make a baby. A woman is most likely to get pregnant if she has sex without birth control in the three days before and up to the day of ovulation (since the sperm are already in place and ready to fertilize the egg as soon as it is released). A man’s sperm can live for 3 to 5 days in a woman’s reproductive organs, but a woman’s egg lives for just 12 to 24 hours after ovulation.

Days 1 through 5

Day 1 starts with the first day of your period. The blood and tissue lining the uterus (womb) break down and leave the body. This is your period. For many women, bleeding lasts from 4 to 8 days. Hormone levels are low. Low levels of the hormone estrogen can make you feel depressed or irritable.

During Days 1 through 5 of your cycle, fluid-filled pockets called follicles develop on the ovaries. Each follicle contains an egg

Days 5 through 8

Between Days 5 and 7, just one follicle continues growing while the others stop growing and are absorbed back into the ovary. Levels of the hormone estrogen from the ovaries continue rising. By Day 8 the follicle puts out increasing levels of estrogen and grows larger. Usually by Day 8, period bleeding has stopped. Higher estrogen levels from the follicle make the lining of the uterus grow and thicken. The uterine lining is rich in blood and nutrients and will help nourish the embryo if a pregnancy happens. Estrogen helps boost endorphins, which are the “feel good” brain chemicals that are also released during physical activity. You may have more energy and feel relaxed or calm.

Day 14

A few days before Day 14, your estrogen levels peak and cause a sharp rise in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH). LH causes the mature follicle to burst and release an egg from the ovary, called ovulation, on Day 14. A woman is most likely to get pregnant if she has sex on the day of ovulation or during the three days before ovulation (since the sperm are already in place and ready to fertilize the egg once it is released). A man’s sperm can live for three to five days in a woman’s reproductive organs, and a woman’s egg lives for 12 to 24 hours. In the few days before ovulation, your estrogen levels are at their highest. You may feel best around this time, emotionally and physically.

Days 15 through 24

Over the next week (Days 15 to 24), the fallopian tubes help the newly released egg travel away from the ovary toward the uterus. The ruptured follicle on the ovary makes more of the hormone progesterone, which also helps the uterine lining thicken even more. If a sperm joins with the egg in the fallopian tube (this is called fertilization), the fertilized egg will continue down the fallopian tube and attach to the lining of the uterus (womb). Pregnancy begins once a fertilized egg attaches to the womb.

Day 24 through 28

If the egg is not fertilized, it breaks apart. Around Day 24, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop if you are not pregnant. This rapid change in levels of estrogen and progesterone can cause your moods to change. Some women are more sensitive to these changing hormone levels than others. Some women feel irritable, anxious, or depressed during the premenstrual week but others do not.

In the final step of the menstrual cycle, the unfertilized egg leaves the body along with the uterine lining, beginning on Day 1 of your next period and menstrual cycle.

If you would like to understand your menstrual cycle in more detail or still have questions, Medika recommends reading the following article The Menstrual Cycle explained, for more information.

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Calorie Calculator

About this calculator

The Calorie Calculator can be used to estimate the number of calories a person needs to consume each day. This calculator can also provide some simple guidelines for gaining or losing weight.

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Navy Body Fat Calculator

About this Calculator

Body Fat Ranges

The American Council on Exercise Body Fat Categorization

Jackson & Pollard Ideal Body Fat Percentages

Body Fat, Overweight, and Obesity

The scientific term for body fat is “adipose tissue.” Adipose tissue serves a number of important functions. Its primary purpose is to store lipids from which the body creates energy. In addition, it secretes a number of important hormones, and provides the body with some cushioning as well as insulation.¹

Body fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat. Essential body fat is a base level of fat that is found in most parts of the body. It is necessary fat that maintains life and reproductive functions. The amount of essential fat differs between men and women, and is typically around 2-5% in men, and 10-13% in women. The healthy range of body fat for men is typically defined as 8-19%, while the healthy range for women is 21-33%. While having excess body fat can have many detrimental effects on a person’s health, insufficient body fat can have negative health effects of its own, and maintaining a body fat percentage below, or even at the essential body fat percentage range is a topic that should be discussed with a medical professional.

Storage fat is fat that accumulates in adipose tissue, be it subcutaneous fat (deep under the dermis and wrapped around vital organs) or visceral fat (fat located inside the abdominal cavity, between organs), and references to body fat typically refer to this type of fat. While some storage fat is ideal, excess amounts of storage fat can have serious negative health implications.

Excess body fat leads to the condition of being overweight and eventually to obesity given that insufficient measures are taken to curb increasing body fat. Note that being overweight does not necessarily indicate an excess of body fat. A person’s body weight is comprised of multiple factors including (but not limited to) body fat, muscle, bone density, and water content. Thus, highly muscular people are often classified as overweight.

The rate at which body fat accumulates is different from person to person and is dependent on many factors including genetic factors as well as behavioral factors such as lack of exercise and excessive food intake. Due to varying factors, it can be more difficult for certain people to reduce body fat stored in the abdominal region. However, managing diet and exercise has been shown to reduce stored fat. Note that both women and men store body fat differently and that this can change over time. After the age of 40 (or after menopause in some cases for women), reduced sexual hormones can lead to excess body fat around the stomach in men, or around the buttocks and thighs of women.

Measuring Body Fat Percentage

U.S. Navy Method:

There are many specific techniques used for measuring body fat. The calculator above uses a method involving equations developed at the Naval Health Research Center by Hodgdon and Beckett in 1984. The method for measuring the relevant body parts as well as the specific equations used are provided below:

• Measure the circumference of the subject’s waist at a horizontal level around the navel for men, and at the level with the smallest width for women. Ensure that the subject does not pull their stomach inwards to obtain accurate measurements.
• Measure the circumference of the subject’s neck starting below the larynx, with the tape sloping downward to the front. The subject should avoid flaring their neck outwards.
• For women only: Measure the circumference of the subject’s hips at the largest horizontal measure.

Once these measurements are obtained, use the following formulas to calculate an estimate of body fat. Two equations are provided, one using the U.S. customary system (USC) which uses inches, and the other using the International System of Units, specifically the unit of centimeters:

Body fat percentage (BFP) formula for males:

Body fat percentage (BFP) formula for females:

Note that results of these calculations are only an estimate since they are based on many different assumptions to make them as applicable to as many people as possible. For more accurate measurements of body fat, the use of instruments such as bioelectric impedance analysis or hydrostatic density testing is necessary.

Fat mass (FM) formula:

FM = BF × Weight

Lean Mass (LM) formula:

LM = Weight – FM

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Ideal Weight Calculator

About this calculator

The Ideal Weight Calculator computes ideal bodyweight (IBW) ranges based on height, gender, and age. The idea of finding the IBW using a formula has been sought after by many experts for a long time. Currently, there are several popular formulas, and this Calculator provides their results for side-to-side comparisons.

Age

In theory, age shouldn’t be a large determinant of a IBW past the ages of 14-15 for girls and 16-17 for boys, after which most people stop growing. It is actually expected that human males and females to lose 1.5 and 2 inches in height respectively by age 70. It is important to remember that as people age, lean muscle mass decreases and it is easier to accumulate excess body fat. This is a natural process, though it is possible to lessen the effects of aging by adopting various habits such as monitoring diet, exercise, stress, and sleep.

Gender

Generally, females weigh less than males even though they naturally have a higher percentage of body fat. This is because the male body generally has higher muscle mass, and muscle is heavier than fat. Not only that, but women generally have lower bone density. Last but not least, males tend to be taller than females.

Height

The taller the person, the more muscle mass and body fat they have, which results in more weight. A male at a similar height to a female should weigh about 10-20% heavier.

Body Frame Size

Body frame size is another factor that can have a significant impact on the measurement of ideal weight. Body frame size is typically categorized as small, medium, or large boned. It is measured based on the circumference of a person’s wrist in relation to their height, as shown below.

For women:

• Height under 5’2″
  • Small boned = wrist size less than 5.5″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 5.5″ to 5.75″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 5.75″
• Height between 5’2″ and 5′ 5″
  • Small boned = wrist size less than 6″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 6″ to 6.25″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 6.25″
• Height over 5′ 5″
  • Small boned = wrist size less than 6.25″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 6.25″ to 6.5″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 6.5″

For men:

• Height over 5′ 5″
  • Small boned = wrist size 5.5″ to 6.5″
  • Medium boned = wrist size 6.5″ to 7.5″
  • Large boned = wrist size over 7.5″

A person who is large boned will naturally weigh more than someone who is small boned, even at the same height, making body frame size a factor that can affect measurements such as IBW and BMI.

Formulas for Finding the Ideal Weight

IBW formulas were developed mainly to facilitate drug dosage calculations. All of the formulas, have the same format of a base weight given a height of 5 feet, with a set weight increment added per inch over the height of 5 feet. For example, if you are a 5’10” male estimating your ideal weight with the Devine formula, you would add (2.3 × 10) kg to 50 kg to get 73 kg, or ~161 lbs.

The formulas differ in the values used based on the research of the scientists involved in their development, and their findings. The Devine formula is the most widely used formula for the measurement of IBW.

G. J. Hamwi Formula (1964)

Invented for medicinal dosage purposes.

B. J. Devine Formula (1974)

Similar to the Hamwi Formula, it was originally intended as a basis for medicinal dosages based on weight and height. Over time, the formula became a universal determinant of IBW.

J. D. Robinson Formula (1983)

Modification of the Devine Formula.

D. R. Miller Formula (1983)

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Conception Calculator

About this Calculator

Most mothers want to know when their baby was conceived. Using this calculator will allow you to narrow down the dates or possible conception.

The calculator uses two different methods to determine the probable conception date based on two known factors:

• The birth date of your baby, if it has already been delivered
• If you’re still pregnant we use the date of your last menstrual cycle and average length of menstrual cycle.

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Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator

About the pregnancy weight gain calculator

This calculator will allow you to determine a healthy weight gain schedule for your entire pregnancy, based on your individual characteristics including weight before pregnancy, your height and type of pregnancy.

Pregnancy guidelines for weight gain

Pregnancy leads to significant changes to women’s bodies and their daily routines. One of these is the body weight gain to ensure enough nutrients for the development of the fetus and to store enough nutrients in preparation for breastfeeding. While weight gain during pregnancy is normal and necessary, studies have shown that certain ranges of weight gain given a specific body mass index (BMI) result in more positive outcomes for both fetus and mother.

Generally, it is recommended that pregnant women gain only 1-4 pounds during the first 3 months of pregnancy, and 1 pound per week during the remainder of the pregnancy.  The tables below will help you understand the results of the calculator.

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Due Date Calculator

About this calculator

The due date calculator uses the first day of your menstrual cycle and the average menstrual cycle length to provide three important pieces of information for dating your pregnancy:

• Probable ovulation date
• Fertility window (lmost likely period for conception, 5 days before and 2 days after your ovulation)
• Estimated due date (approximately 266 days from conception)

How ovulation and fertilization work

Around two weeks after your period, your body ovulates and your ovaries release one mature egg. The egg can be fertilized within 12 to 24 hours after it’s released, as it travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus. If an egg meets up with a sperm cell that has made its way into the fallopian tube, it combines into one cell, a process that’s known as fertilization or conception. 

It takes about three to four days for the fertilized egg to move to the lining of your uterus, where it attaches or implants to the uterine wall. Once the embryo is implanted, the cells start to grow, eventually becoming the fetus and the placenta, which is tissue that can transport oxygen, nutrients and hormones from your blood to the developing fetus throughout pregnancy.

The Gestational period and your due date

The gestational period lasts approximately 266 days full term) from your conception date. It isn’t an exact date, but it is close. You may deliver a few days before or a few days after your calculated due date.

A normal pregnancy will take around 40 weeks, counting from the first day of your last menstrual period, which is about two weeks before conception actually occurs. Your pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. Each of these periods lasts between 12 and 13 weeks. During each trimester, changes take place in your body as well as in the developing fetus.

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BMR Calculator (Basal Metabolic Rate, Mifflin St Jeor Equation)

About this calculator

The are the three equations typically used by BMR calculators, of which the Mifflin-St Joer equation is considered the most accurate and it is the oneused by this calculator.

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:For men:BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A + 5For women:BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A – 161

Revised Harris-Benedict Equation:For men:BMR = 13.397W + 4.799H – 5.677A + 88.362For women:BMR = 9.247W + 3.098H – 4.330A + 447.593

Katch-McArdle Formula:BMR = 370 + 21.6(1 – F)W

where:
W is body weight in kg
H is body height in cm
A is age
F is body fat in percentage (Click here for our Body Fat Calculator)

BMR Variables

Muscle Mass – Aerobic exercise such as running or cycling has no effect on BMR. However, anaerobic exercise, such as weight-lifting, indirectly leads to a higher BMR because it builds muscle mass, increasing resting energy consumption. The more muscle mass in the physical composition of an individual, the higher the BMR required to sustain their body at a certain level.

Age – The more elderly and limber an individual, the lower their BMR, or the lower the minimum caloric intake required to sustain the functioning of their organs at a certain level.

Genetics – Hereditary traits passed down from ancestors influence BMR.

Weather – Cold environments raise BMR because of the energy required to create a homeostatic body temperature. Likewise, too much external heat can raise BMR as the body expends energy to cool off internal organs. BMR increases approximately 7% for every increase of 1.36 degrees Fahrenheit in the body’s internal temperature.

Diet – Small, routinely dispersed meals increase BMR. On the other hand, starvation can reduce BMR by as much as 30%. Similar to a phone that goes into power-saving mode during the last 5% of its battery, a human body will make sacrifices such as energy levels, moods, upkeep of bodily physique, and brain functions in order to more efficiently utilize what little caloric energy is being used to sustain it.

Pregnancy – Ensuring the livelihood of a separate fetus internally increases BMR. This is why pregnant women tend to eat more than usual. Also, menopause can increase or decrease BMR depending on hormonal changes.

Supplements – Certain supplements or drugs raise BMR, mostly to fuel weight loss. Caffeine is a common one.

BMR Tests

Online BMR tests with rigid formulas are not the most accurate method of determining an individual’s BMR. It is better to consult a certified specialist or measure BMR through a calorimetry device. These handheld devices are available in many health and fitness clubs, doctor offices, and weight-loss clinics.

Resting Metabolic Rate

While the two are used interchangeably, there is a key difference in their definitions. Resting metabolic rate, or RMR for short, is the rate at which the body burns energy in a relaxed, but not fully inactive state. It is also sometimes defined as resting energy expenditure, or REE. BMR measurements must meet total physiological equilibrium while RMR conditions of measurement can be altered and defined by contextual limitations.

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BMI Calculator – Body Mass Index

About this Calculator

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. It is widely used in medicine and whilst it is reasonably reflective of the average population, it is criticized as the limited data it uses is not reflective of other groups such as athletes and pregnant mothers.

An athlete using the BMI calculator would be shown as being obese, despite being obviously healthy and often lean. If you don’t fit into the general norm, consider using the other calculators listed below for a more accurate evaluation of fat content and general health.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. It is calculated from your height and weight. BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.

Although BMI can be used for most men and women, it does have some limits:

• It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
• It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle.

The BMI score means the following:

Waist Circumference

Measuring waist circumference helps screen for possible health risks that come with overweight and obesity. If most of your fat is around your waist rather than at your hips, you’re at a higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk goes up with a waist size that is greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men. To correctly measure your waist, stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hipbones. Measure your waist just after you breathe out.

The waist circumference tables below provide you with an idea of whether your BMI combined with your waist circumference increases your risk for developing obesity-associated diseases or conditions.

Risk Factors Associated With Obesity

Along with being overweight or obese, the following conditions will put you at greater risk for heart disease and other conditions:

Risk Factors

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol)
• Low HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol)
• High triglycerides
• High blood glucose (sugar)
• Family history of premature heart disease
• Physical inactivity
• Cigarette smoking

For people who are considered obese (BMI greater than or equal to 30) or those who are overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9) and have two or more risk factors, it is recommended that you lose weight. Even a small weight loss (between 5 and 10 percent of your current weight) will help lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity. People who are overweight, do not have a high waist measurement, and have fewer than two risk factors may need to prevent further weight gain rather than lose weight.

Talk to your doctor to see whether you are at an increased risk and whether you should lose weight. Your doctor will evaluate your BMI, waist measurement, and other risk factors for heart disease.

The good news is even a small weight loss (between 5 and 10 percent of your current weight) will help lower your risk of developing those diseases.

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