Analysis & Calculation Issues

There are a number of things to check if Ovusoft is not calculating for ovulation. Generally it is usually due to one or more of the situations listed below.

Your fertility signs do not reflect it yet: If your temperatures have not risen consistently above the coverline for at least three days and/or you have not yet had at least 3 days of cervical fluid dry-up after your peak day, then Ovusoft will not yet be able to identify ovulation. If you have an obvious thermal shift and/or cervical fluid dry-up, then please check the next condition, your preferences, as this is generally the culprit.

Your preferences are set in a manner that restricts Ovusoft from properly identifying ovulation: Ovusoft provides great flexibility in letting you determine how it interprets your fertility signs. Generally, if Ovusoft is unable to calculate for ovulation, it is due to a single preference setting, the Signs to use... option under the Calculation tab of the Preferences window.

To determine whether this is your problem, click the Edit option in the main Ovusoft menu and select Preferences from the list. Click the Calculations tab when the Preferences window opens. If the setting for the Signs to use... drop-down has "no further prompting" in it such as in the example below, unlock the cycle for editing and change this back to "Temperature and Cervical Fluid":

The "Temp and cervical fluid, no further prompting" selection was made by Ovusoft during a calculation when it asked if you wanted to use either temperature or cervical fluid alone in your ovulation analysis in the current cycle. This is because one, but not both, of your primary fertility signs seemed to indicate that ovulation had already occurred. Ovusoft advised you that it wouldn't ask again if you answered this question No.
When you answer it No, you're essentially telling Ovusoft that you want to use both signs, regardless of whether one is in disagreement with the other. Because of this, if one of them indicates ovulation has occurred and the other doesn't, no ovulation determination will be made until both are in agreement. If no thermal shift or no cervical fluid dry-up occurs, then ovulation will not be estimated for the entire cycle. PLEASE NOTE: If you experience spotting during the fertile phase after what appears to be a cervical fluid dry-up, this will reset your peak cervical fluid day to the day where spotting occurred -- this is because mid-cycle spotting is generally associated with ovulation and the rules of Fertility Awareness require that it be considered equivalent to your most fertile-quality cervical fluid.
You should also check the Ovusoft rule interpretation setting, setting it to Normal is recommended, as this makes it easier for Ovusoft to estimate your ovulation date.
If you use ovulation predictor kits and/or an electronic fertility monitor, you should also review the Calculation sequence... option on this tab to make sure you have them set appropriately. The help text that appears to the right of the window (not pictured in the illustration above) explains in detail how each of these options works.
If you make changes to your Preferences Ovusoft will ask you if you want to recalculate the cycle in question when you close them -- click Yes. If your fertility signs indicate it, then ovulation will be calculated this time, provided you pay close attention to the questions presented and the answers you provide during the recalculation. If Ovusoft asks you if you want to use a temperature-only or cervical fluid-only rule in the cycle in question, you should probably answer Yes.

You have overridden Ovusoft's calculated ovulation date: Ovusoft lets you restrict its calculation of ovulation to occur after a specified date, override the calculated ovulation date to a date you specify, or set it such that the cycle is anovulatory (meaning ovulation did not occur). If you specify the ovulation date, Ovusoft will show this date in the Calendar and Chart, but it will not calculate an ovulation date on its own if it hasn't done so prior to your override being set. If you indicate that a cycle is anovulatory, then no ovulation date will be calculated by Ovusoft. Both of these options are available by clicking Edit in the Ovusoft menu and selecting Override Calculations... from the list of options. For more details on this, please see FAQ item 2 more more information on using these override functions.

Your data is inconsistent or you are anovulatory this cycle: Either of these situations can be identified as the cause when you have temperatures without any clear thermal shift pattern (up and down throughout the entire cycle), and/or when your cervical fluid never seems to dry-up. If both conditions exist, then ovulation will not be determined and you may be having an anovulatory cycle. If one or the other does seem to indicate that ovulation has occurred, see the detailed explanation above regarding adjusting your preference settings so that Ovusoft may identify ovulation using a single sign.

Select Edit in the Ovusoft menu and click the Override Calculations... option. This will bring up a window with options similar to the following:

Select the cycle in question and unlock it by clicking the lock icon so that it unlocks, as in the example above.

If you are trying to get Ovusoft to ignore an earlier, errant calculation and calculate for ovulation after a specific date, first make sure the option labeled Let Ovusoft determine it... is selected. Then check the box labeled Do not calculate before and select the date on or after which you think Ovusoft should begin its evaluation for ovulation. You can either enter the date directly in the area provided or click the drop-down and bring up a mini-calendar, as in the example above. This causes Ovusoft to ignore any ovulation estimates made before the date specified and to only define ovulation after this date if the fertility signs preceding it are indicative of ovulation.

If you wish to set the ovulation date to your own estimate, click the Set it to option and specify a date by entering it directly or using the drop-down calendar next to this option.

If you wish to indicate that the cycle is anovulatory, select the option labeled Do not calculate at all...

3. What is a coverline? How does Ovusoft determine a coverline?

A coverline is a methodology used to identify a thermal shift -- which generally indicates that ovulation has occurred. Identification of a thermal shift is one of the primary methods used in Fertility Awareness for estimating ovulation. A coverline is drawn 0.1° F / 0.05° C above the highest of the previous six temperatures on a fertility chart. When three successive temperatures are above this line, a thermal shift is identified and there's a good chance that ovulation has already occurred. Note that a Normal setting for the Ovusoft rule interpretation option within the Calculation tab of Preferences window will permit you to have as little as four temperatures when calculating a coverline (but will use six if they are available). A Strict setting requires six temperatures. Ovusoft automatically draws a coverline for you on your Chart when you have enough data to do so. The coverline may change as you cycle progresses.

Ovusoft identifies a coverline by evaluating your most recent temperatures in relation to those that preceded them and looking for a thermal shift (or the start of a thermal shift). There are three thermal shift patterns that Ovusoft will identify:

Standard Thermal Shift: Three successive days with temperatures above the coverline.

Slow-rise Thermal Shift: The first temperature in the shift is at the coverline; the remaining temperatures are above the coverline. Requires four successive days with temperatures at or above the coverline if you have a Strict setting for the Ovusoft rule interpretation option within the Calculations tab of the Preferences window.

Fall-back Thermal Shift: The first temperature is above the coverline, the second dips back to or below the coverline, followed by three temperatures above the coverline. Since the first temperature might also be eliminated using the Rule of Thumb (which would then make this shift mimic the Standard Thermal Shift) this thermal shift pattern must be corroborated by cervical fluid dry-up patterns.

4. Why did my coverline change?

Your coverline may change as you add new temperature data, since it is not considered "final" until you have a complete thermal shift identified (see the preceding FAQ Item 3 for more information on thermal shifts). For example, in the following example Ovusoft draws the coverline appropriately at 97.9.

However, the next day, the temperature dropped below the coverline to 97.8, invalidating the preceding coverline and causing it to be redrawn at 98.1, as shown here:

5. I don't agree with Ovusoft's calculation of Peak cervical fluid. How does it determine this?

Ovusoft calculates peak cervical fluid in the manner described in Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, MPH. Peak cervical fluid is the last day of your most fertile quality cervical fluid and/or vaginal sensations. Therefore it cannot be identified until it is followed by days with cervical fluid of a less fertile quality (or with no cervical fluid, in which case you must record it as Dry).

Keep in mind that the last day of Eggwhite quality cervical fluid (or Lubricative vaginal sensation) cannot automatically be considered "peak" if it is followed by Creamy cervical fluid unless there is an obvious thermal shift occurring on or before the day with Creamy cervical fluid. In such a situation where no thermal shift had yet occurred, your last day of Creamy cervical fluid (or Wet vaginal sensation) would be considered the peak day. Because of this, your peak day may change as you add more temperature data, but only if you have Eggwhite/Lubricative observations followed by Creamy/Wet observations.

Also keep in mind that any mid-cycle spotting that occurs is also considered a peak indicator and if it occurs after Eggwhite quality cervical fluid is observed, the day with such spotting will be considered your peak day.

How peak quality cervical fluid is determined is affected by the Most Fertile Pattern you specify within the Cervical Fluid tab of the Preferences window. Ovusoft will not begin calculating for peak cervical fluid unless your observations match or exceed your Most Fertile Pattern (MFP). The default MFP is Eggwhite.

6. I don't agree with Ovusoft's fertility or ovulation interpretation, how can I override it?

Please refer to FAQ item 2 on this page for more details on overriding ovulation calculations. The start of the fertile phase is overridden in the same way, simply select the option within the Override window that lets you set the start date.

7. How do I recalculate a cycle or from a specific date?

Open the Ovusoft Calendar and find the date in question. Right-click the day from which you wish to begin recalculating and select Recalculate from this Date... from the pop-up menu. Ovusoft will confirm your request and begin recalculating your cycles from this point onward.

8. On recalculation, Ovusoft changed or removed my ovulation and fertility predictions, why?

Please see FAQ item 1 on this page for possible causes and a solution.

9. What does "...no further prompting" mean under the Signs to Use... option within the Calculation tab of the Preferences window?

Please see FAQ item 1 on this page for more information on this option, specifically the section entitled "Your preferences are set in a manner that restricts Ovusoft from properly identifying ovulation."

10. What is the "Rule of Thumb"? What is a "disturbance"? What is the difference between the two?

The Rule of Thumb permits the exclusion of aberrant high temperatures when calculating the coverline. Temperatures eliminated with this rule differ from disturbances in that there is no obvious reason for them to be outside the norm. A disturbance is a temperature that is eliminated based on conditions which cause the temperature to be skewed, such as late or early rising, sickness, etc. A temperature where the Rule of Thumb has been applied is easily identified in the Chart by the hand and thumb icon which obscures it. A disturbance is likewise easily identified on the Chart by the red "X" over the temperature. Here is an example of both:

Note that Ovusoft can only apply the Rule of Thumb once in any given cycle. If you have multiple high temperatures that need to be excluded, mark all but one of them as disturbances and Ovusoft will exclude all of them, using the Rule of Thumb for one, and your disturbance setting for the others.

11. Why does Ovusoft change my default entry time in advance of changes to and from Daylight Savings Time?

When you set your clock forward or back to compensate for changes to and from Daylight Savings Time (DST), you change the time you rise in the morning by an hour. Because taking your temperature at the same time each morning is so important to the practice of Fertility Awareness, such abrupt changes can impact the usefulness of your temperatures in your analysis. By adjusting the time you take your temperature by 20 minutes each day in advance of the change to/from DST, you reduce the negative effect that the change has on your temperature observations. Ovusoft alerts you in advance to the change to and from DST based on your own regional settings and suggests when you should take your temperature to avoid any negative effects of the change.

12. I have a cycle which was unusual and I don't want it skewing my forecasts and cycle analyses, how can I exclude it from interpretation?

Ovusoft will automatically exclude some cycles from interpretation, such as those where pregnancy was predicted or confirmed, those that are unusually short, those within 3 months of giving birth, those within 3 months of taking the birth control pill, and those within 6 months of the last DepoProvera injection.

However, if Ovusoft includes a cycle which you think should be excluded, you can force it to be excluded using the Override window. To open it, simply click Edit in the main Ovusoft menu and select Override Calculations... from the list of options.

Select the cycle in question, unlock it by clicking the lock icon at the top right of the Override window, and then click the option at the bottom labeled Exclude cycle, regardless of what Ovusoft determines, as you see here:

After doing this, close the Override window and Ovusoft will recalculate your cycles starting with the one you modified. The modified cycle will not be included in any further analyses, however.

13. What are triphasic temperature patterns and how does Ovusoft interpret them?

Sometimes the implantation of a fertilized egg causes additional progesterone to be released, which in turn may cause your temperatures to rise again after ovulation. This may result in a clear identification of three temperature levels on your chart: 1) pre-ovulation "low" temperatures; 2) immediate post-ovulation thermal shift temperatures; and 3) post-implantation temperatures above the thermal shift level temperatures. It is this third level which is responsible for the term "triphasic" in describing this condition.

Implantation does not always cause a triphasic pattern, so the absence of such a pattern is not necessarily indicative of not being pregnant. Additionally, not all triphasic patterns are evidence of implantation, so you may experience them and not be pregnant. Ovusoft will identify triphasic patterns when they occur and notify you within the Fertility Advisor and on the Calendar.

There are date scrolling buttons on either side of the date box at the lower left within the Fertility Signs window, such as you see here:

After editing data on a particular day, do NOT click the OK button. Instead, use the scrolling buttons to move to the other days that require editing. When all editing is complete, you can click the OK button and Ovusoft will begin recalculating all days that were edited, starting with the "oldest" first.

If you need to "jump" ahead or back months at a time, using the scrolling buttons can be tedious. In that case, simply double-click the date box itself and a mini-calendar will appear, such as you see here:

Simply select the day you wish to edit from the calendar, using the scroll buttons within the mini-calendar if you need to move to a different month. Again, when you are finished editing all days, simply click the OK button within the Fertility Signs window and Ovusoft will begin recalculating your cycles from the earliest day you modified. Note that you can edit as many days as desired before closing the Fertility Signs window.

15. Can I go back in time and enter historical information into Ovusoft? What's the best way to do this?

Yes, you can go back in time and enter information before your earliest recorded cycle. Following these steps will make your task as easy as possible:

You should first go back to the START DATE (the first day with menses) of the most recent of your historical cycles and record that first. After doing this, do NOT close the Fertility Signs window or click OK, but use the date-scrolling and month-jumping suggestions in FAQ Item 14 to move to the next most recent cycle's start date (typically the cycle preceding the one you just entered). Continue doing this until you have recorded the start date of all of your historical cycles. After you have recorded them all, click OK in the Fertility Signs window and Ovusoft will recalculate from the first one.

If you have additional data to record (additional menses days, temperatures, cervical fluid, ovulation kit and/or fertility monitor results, etc.), then you can enter it via the Calendar and Fertility Signs window or via the Chart.

If you use the Calendar and Fertility Signs window, then you should use the date scrolling buttons to move from day to day as suggested in the previous step and in FAQ Item 14. When all data entry is complete, click the OK button within the Fertility Signs window and Ovusoft will recalculate a single time from the earliest day you modified.
If you use the Chart, you can select each cycle individually and click the Unlock All button and then record all of your additional data by simply pointing and clicking in the appropriate area. Entering temperatures is especially quick when done this way. When you have finished with an individual cycle, click the Apply button and then change to the next cycle. Ovusoft will recalculate each time you click the Apply button (one for each cycle modified), so this method will require more recalculations than the when you use the Calendar and Fertility Signs window. The data entry time, however, is greatly reduced, so this method may be the fastest.

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