Timing of Ovulation Relative to Mittelschmerz (Ovulation Pain)
Ovulation most likely occurred at or shortly after the onset of your pelvic pressure at 5:50 p.m., not when the pain resolved at 8:00 p.m.
Understanding Mittelschmerz and Ovulation Timing
The pelvic pressure you experienced is known as mittelschmerz (German for "middle pain"), which is ovulation-related discomfort. Based on the available evidence:
Mittelschmerz occurs within 24 hours before ovulation in approximately 35% of menstrual cycles, appearing as the follicle reaches maximum size and prepares to rupture 1
The pain typically coincides with or immediately precedes follicular rupture, which is the actual moment of ovulation 1
Ovulation is a brief event involving progressive weakening and rupture of the follicle wall at a specific point called the stigma, not a prolonged 2+ hour process 2, 3
Why the Pain Lasted 2+ Hours
The duration of your discomfort (5:50 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) does not mean ovulation was occurring throughout this entire period:
Follicular rupture itself is rapid, but the inflammatory-like changes in the follicle wall and surrounding tissue can cause lingering discomfort 3
The pain resolution at 8:00 p.m. represents your body's response to the completed ovulation, not the timing of ovulation itself 2
Small blood clots and fluid extravasation that occur with follicle rupture can cause continued pelvic irritation even after the oocyte has been released 2
Practical Implications for Conception
If you're trying to conceive or avoid pregnancy:
Your fertile window was maximized at the onset of pain (≈5:50 p.m.) and in the hours immediately following 1
Sperm can survive up to 5 days in the female reproductive tract, so intercourse before the pain onset could still result in conception 4
The egg remains viable for approximately 12-24 hours after ovulation, so intercourse within a day after pain onset remains within the fertile window 5