Ovulation discharge the cervical mucus that the body tends to produce around the time your body is going through the process of ovulation, as well as a few days beforehand (this time period is called the fertile window).
During a woman’s monthly cycle, the egg is being formed inside of the follicle, which is an enclosure in the ovary. The follicle grows as the days go by, producing estrogen on the way. When the follicle ruptures, the egg gets released, starting the process of ovulation.
The estrogen that is produced by the follicle also has the role of softening and slightly opening the cervix and the vaginal opening, as well as changing the texture of the vaginal discharge, making it more able to support impregnation.
This means that cervical mucus changes around ovulation.
Cervical mucus changes around ovulation to provide the sperm cells a swim-friendly environment to swim in as they head toward your fallopian tubes, searching for the egg that they need to fertilize.
Ovulation discharge (cervical mucus) also plays the role of sperm protector, as it helps the sperm remain healthy during the journey.
That is why it is so useful to be able to identify the ovulation discharge (fertile cervical mucus) once it appears, especially if you are actively trying to conceive and get pregnant.
When you see ovulation discharge, you will know right away that you are about to ovulate or already ovulating, and you will be able to recognize that you need to start working on getting pregnant.
Tracking your fertile cervical mucus is, called cervical mucus method, and it is one of the methods used for tracking ovulation, as well as family planning, among other methods.
As previously mentioned, the cervical mucus method is one of the method used for tracking ovulation and changes in your discharge and cervical discharge.
Cervical mucus monitoring is especially useful if you are trying to get pregnant. The best way to utilize the cervical mucus method is to use a notebook or an app on your phone to track the consistency and color of your discharge for several cycles, in order to notice cervical mucus stages and patterns.
The days during which you notice egg white cervical mucus, slippery cervical mucus, cervical mucus that looks like raw egg whites and ovulation discharge that resembles raw egg whites, you will know that you are in your fertile days and that this is the most fertile time to get pregnant. Tracking cervical mucus and fertile cervical fluid is very useful for family planning.
Some other methods include ovulation kits and tracking your basal body temperature.
The ovulation discharge is going to be watery, slippery, thin, transparent, or milky white, and it might appear similar to an egg white, at least consistency-wise, during the most fertile of the month.
It is important to note that several different factors can influence the way cervical fluid looks and feels. That is why you should monitor the appearance and consistency over time to get familiar with what is normal and what is abnormal for your body and your menstrual cycle.
Another important note is that some women report their cervical fluid looking different after sexual intercourse while they are trying to conceive. This often happens because semen gets mixed up with vaginal fluids, which can change the appearance of vaginal discharge.
In addition, other things can affect cervical mucus, such as soaps, lubricants, and other products used in the private area.
The ovulation discharge typically occurs a few days before the ovulation itself does. The consistency and quality of cervical mucus are going to change after ovulation.
The discharge tends to become thick after ovulation, and the production of cervical mucus completely stops after the menstrual period until the next ovulation occurs.
Cervical mucus is usually in milky-white and white shades, but it can also be transparent. The best way to explain the consistency and color of the ovulation vaginal discharge is by comparing it to the color and texture of the egg white.
It is imperative to note that not every woman is the same and that everyone’s discharge changes will be slightly different.
In order to detect fertile ovulation discharge, it is essential to monitor your menstrual cycle (including all of the changes that come with it) for several months.
The days during which you might notice your discharge changing color and consistency is probably going to change from person to person.
For example, most women who ovulate later in their cycle can expect fertile ovulation discharge to appear after day fourteen.
As previously mentioned, the best way to know when you are ovulating is to track the changes in your body and your discharge for multiple months, allowing a pattern to appear.
However, if we are, generally speaking, the cycle of discharge follows this broad pattern:
The early days of the menstrual cycle is when menstruation occurs. The discharge that happens is mixed up with the menstrual blood.
For the first few days after the period ends, there might be little or even no discharge. At this time, the discharge can be sticky and glue-like, as it is a time of low fertility, and the discharge is not sperm-friendly.
During these days, your body is slowly starting to produce more and more estrogen. As a result, the discharge that was previously thick and sticky may start looking thinner and cloudier.
On the day of ovulation, many women report that their cervical fluid is viscous and very wet. This ovulation discharge can stretch an inch or more between the fingers, and it has the consistency and color of egg whites.
After ovulation, progesterone is released in the body, which will dry up the cervical fluid. At this time, the discharge might look cloudy at first and end up becoming thicker later.
As the period approaches, the discharge might return to the glue-like consistency that it had at the beginning of the cycle.
Ovulation is a factor that plays a significant role in determining the consistency of the cervical fluid.
If you ovulate very late or early in your cycle, you might find that your cycle does not follow this general schedule because the ovulation does not happen in the “scheduled” time.
If you do not ovulate at all, you might not notice any changes in your discharge, or you might see fewer changes than a woman who ovulates.
Read related topics:
