Ways to Predict and Confirm Ovulation – Part 2 – Cervical Fluids

This is part two of a four part series on ways to predict and confirm ovulation. Part one covered charting and recording of your basal body temperature.

Cervical Fluids

Understanding your cervical fluid is important to determine your most fertile period.  The purpose of the cervical fluid is to protect and aid the sperm in its journey to the egg.  Different types of cervical fluids are released at different times during the cycle.  As you get closer to ovulation, your cervical fluid will get more wet.  After ovulation, your cervical fluid will dry up due to the production of progesterone.  Near the end of the luteal phase, some women may experience a second patch of watery cervical fluid as a result of the decrease of progesterone.

Generally, when you start your menstrual cycle, you will not have any cervical fluid.  After a few days of being “dry” and having no cervical fluid, you can develop “sticky” cervical fluid.  This type of cervical fluid has a pasty, sticky or crumbly texture and may be white or yellow in color.  This sticky cervical fluid is generally not conducive to the sperm’s survival.  The next type of cervical fluid is commonly referred to as “creamy” fluid which has a lotiony and milky texture and may be white or yellow in color.  Creamy fluid could be considered fertile if present before ovulation.  The creamy fluid is generally followed by the most fertile type of fluid, the “watery” or “egg-white” fluid.  If you have watery or egg-white fluid, it is common to experience a wet or slippery feeling in your vagina.  Generally it is hard to see the watery fluid, but it will leave a symmetrical round pattern of fluid on your underwear.  Egg-white fluid is the most fertile cervical fluid and looks and feels exactly like raw egg-whites.  Egg-white fluid can be stretched for inches between your fingers and is clear in color.  Egg-white fluid differs from seminal fluid in that seminal fluid will generally be more white in color and less stretchy.

Sometimes it may appear that you do not have any cervical fluid because you do not see anything near your vagina opening or on your underwear.  For this reason, it is crucial for you to pay attention to the sensations in your vagina (i.e., feel dry or wet).  Sometimes it is necessary for you to reach inside your vagina and do a sweep near your cervix to determine if you have any cervical fluid.  You can check internally by inserting your index and middle fingers into your vagina and then pinch and draw out the fluid from the cervix.  You should also record your cervical fluid on your temperature chart.  This will help identify and confirm your ovulation date.  At times, you may get several patches of fertile cervical period.  This is important to document because your body may have geared up for ovulation but due to external factors such as stress or illness, ovulation was delayed.  Charting both your temperature and your cervical fluid can help confirm ovulation if there was fertile cervical fluid accompanied by a shift in your waking body temperature.

Related posts:

1. Ways to Predict and Confirm Ovulation – Part 3 – Cervix Position and Texture
2. Ways to Predict and Confirm Ovulation – Part 4 – Ovulation Prediction Kits
3. Ways to Predict and Confirm Ovulation – Part 1 – Basal Body Temperature
4. How To Get Pregnant With An Irregular Menstrual Cycle