# How long does the egg survive after ov?



## Mrs R

Hello ladies,

Can anybody tell me how long the egg can survives after it has been released? As I have just started charting, I think I missed ovulation by 1-2 days.

Although Im not holding out much hope on catching it this cycle, I starting looking this up and found the answers varied quite alot.

I've read it can only survive for 24 hours, somewhere else said for up to 48 hours and then my Zita West book says we are fertile for 5 days before and after ovulation.

Anybody read anything about this? 5 days after ovulation seems very long


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## miel

24 hours for the egg...and about 5 days for the spermies:)


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## Essence

I have only ever read that it lasts 24 hours give or take a few at the longest. But, if it were before your O day and you had sex, the sperm can last several days and still catch that egg on its way! Any chance you got busy a few days before your O day?


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## Mrs R

Hmmmm, must go and look up my chart again....

But my Z West book definately says women are fertlie for 5 days after ovulation, even shows it in a little graph..........


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## TrixieLox

I've got the Zita West book and don't recall is saying 5 days after. I think she meant 5 days after you first start notcing fertile CM? Anyway, it doesn't harm having a bit of rumpty pumpty post-OV! My and hubby tend to slack off post-OV and I wonder if that's the problem? x


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## Tishimouse

I've deleted my first post here as it was pure drivel. God knows what I was waffling on about ... it certainly wasn't accurate science.

This is quite interesting science though for those interested in 'a day in the life of' a sperm.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/02/030203071703.htm


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## ktsl123

I read that sperm can live for around 5 days, but depending on the women and how fertile her cum is that it is more normal for sperm to live anywhere from 2 hours to a 2 days


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## Omi

Just wanted to add i read a study of bd-days and the % of couples who got pg. It showed that there was about the same % of pg from bd 2 days before ovulation as on ov day- 34%. The day after ov showed 1%. I think that says it all...The idea is that sperm should be waiting for the egg to be released as it takes those small suckers an eternity to swim up the fallopian tube, lol...and the egg has on average a 12-24hr window before it dissolves..your cm is what keeps the sperms live a bit longer.

I would say there are averages and then there are averages..meaning i would stick to rather conservative estimates as opposed to looking for the unusal timelines of 5 days for sperm and 24 for the egg.. but thats just me and also im proof of the above statistic- got pg from bd 2 days before ov!

Good luck, chicken!!


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## Loo

If we spin this around - when you are using 'natural family planning' to AVOID pregnancy, it is deemed safe to have unprotected sex after you've had 3 high temps after ov. 

So thats usually 3 days after ov, during which you have white, stickier mucus and then it goes dry and there's very little chance.


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## mummy2phoebe

Hi everyone
I had pos on the opk on thurs 28th aug and we tried that night and ever since Ive had dull aches, cm and ever backache ! Been charting my temp first thing in morn and its high up there and was for few days then on D7PO it dropped and my cm dried up!! Then the next day it was back up again and cm was back! lol Im now on D9PO and very eager to test but know its too soon but kind of wondered what you all thought?? Good sign/bad etc cm is creamy. 
Still have dull aches sometimes on my left hand side.
Lou xx


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## Tishimouse

All good signs M2P. It's no wonder you are eager to test. Best of luck. :dust:


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