Tracking ovulation is essential for those trying to conceive. But how do you know when your fertile window has passed? Here are 5 subtle signs.
Throughout most of the menstrual cycle, cervical mucus is thick and creamy, resembling egg whites. When you’re ovulating, this mucus changes and becomes clear and slippery.
1. Change in Cervical Mucus
Cervical mucus is the fluid that lines the cervix and helps protect the uterus from bacteria. It changes in appearance and consistency throughout your menstrual cycle due to hormone fluctuations. Toward the end of your period, the cervical mucus will be sticky or cloudy with a white or yellow appearance. This is a sign that ovulation is about to happen. Just before and during ovulation, your cervical mucus will be slippery and stretchable, like raw egg whites, and can easily be stretched between your fingers.
This is the time when sperm can swim through the mucus to fertilize an egg that’s released during ovulation. You can check your cervical mucus daily using the Billings Ovulation Method by inserting a clean finger into your vagina and checking its consistency each day.
2. Change in Basal Body Temperature
Taking your basal body temperature (BBT) in the morning before getting out of bed is a simple way to track your fertility window each month. To get an accurate reading, use a digital thermometer that can read to a tenth of a degree (forehead or ear thermometers won’t be accurate).
BBT will spike during the luteal phase right before and after you ovulate. The rise in temperature is caused by the increase in progesterone that occurs during this time.
If your BBT stays elevated for more than 18 days and you notice egg white-like cervical mucus, it’s likely that you have ovulated. Be sure to take a pregnancy test to confirm if you are ovulating. This will help you avoid having unprotected sex in your most fertile period, browse this site.
3. Change in Abdominal Pain
For many women, the most reliable sign of ovulation is a change in abdominal pain. This pain, called mittelschmerz (“middle pain”), usually comes around the time of or just after ovulation and lasts only for one to two days.
Abdominal pain is discomfort anywhere in the belly area (between your ribs and pelvis). It can feel like a dull cramp or a sharp twinge. It may also be a constant feeling or come and go in waves.
The pain typically occurs because the cervix becomes high and tender, as the follicle that surrounds the egg ruptures to release it. This is why it’s important to pay attention to your symptoms. If your ovulation pain is severe, see your doctor. This could indicate a medical condition that affects fertility.
4. Change in Emotions
Women can experience a rise in sexual desire around the time of ovulation. This is partly due to a change in hormone levels, and it may also be related to social or relationship issues.
During this period, the ovary releases a mature egg into the fallopian tube, and it is then fertilized by sperm if sperm are present. This is only possible for about 12 hours.
If the ovulated egg is not fertilized, the uterus’s lining will be shed. This leads to a menstrual period.
Women hoping to get pregnant can improve their chances of success by practicing safe methods of sex a few days before and during ovulation. They can also use methods such as a basal body temperature chart and an ovulation kit to know the exact day when they are most fertile.
5. Change in Sleep
Women with regular menstrual cycles generally ovulate on the 14th day of their monthly cycle. However, the timing of ovulation can vary from woman to woman and isn’t always easy to predict.
Before ovulation, your body releases a clear vaginal discharge with a slippery consistency. During ovulation, your cervical mucus changes to become more creamy and thicker in consistency. The cervix also becomes soft and more open to accept sperm, which can lead to an increase in sexual desire.
Conclusion:
Once ovulation is over, your basal body temperature and luteinizing hormone levels decrease and progesterone levels gradually rise. Using a fertility monitor like Mira to track these fluctuations can help you recognize when ovulation is over and maximize your chances of getting pregnant.