Using the mucus method to predict ovulation

VAGINAL DISCHARGE/CERVICAL MUCUS

A lot of women don't really understand this cervical mucus thing, some say they don't see anything when they observe, while others find it disgusting. But it is another way that mother nature communicates with us.

Every woman's cervix (the cervix connects the vagina to the womb) produces mucus, which is thick during the infertile time of your cycle, at this stage it prevents the sperm from penetrating but this changes during ovulation. As you approach ovulation the hormone estrogen encourages changes in the quantity and quality of this mucus.

FERTILE MUCUS

As you approach ovulation the appearance of this mucus begins to change. If you observe your underwear closely or observe the tissue when you wipe, immediately after your period, you would hardly see any mucus at all. You will feel dry for the first few days after your period. But if you keep observing you would notice a yogurt like discharge, cream in colour, sticky to the touch and not stretchy at all. As the days go by you notice that the discharge is gradually getting lighter, clearer and a bit stretchy, this shows you are gradually approaching ovulation. When the mucus gets to the point where it is more in quantity, clear, thin and very stretchy then you are around your most fertile period. At this point the mucus looks a lot like egg white and you can actually stretch it a few centimeters between your thumb and fore finger before it breaks. This is the part where a lot of people find disgusting but if you can stomach it see pictures of stretched out mucus.

                                                           fertile mucus looks something like this

Very stretchy right?

The mucus helps to lubricate the vagina and make it friendly for the sperm to swim and fertilize the egg.

Intercourse around this period may result in pregnancy but remember that intercourse up to 6 days before ovulation can lead to pregnancy as sperm can survive for up to 5-7 days in a woman's body and still be able to fertilize an egg if ovulation occurs within that period.

You can use this method to validate the date you get when you count 14 days backwards and if both happen around the same period then you are closer to predicting your ovulation day.

We will talk about OPKs next......