Throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, the amount, color, and consistency of cervical mucus changes due to hormone levels fluctuation. Checking your cervical mucus will help you monitor the difference stages of your cycle so that you can better time intercourse to achieve pregnancy. This is something easy to practice and cost-effective. The three ways to check your cervical mucus is by toilet paper check, discharge on your underwear or by an internal check.
Changes to cervical mucus throughout the menstrual cycle:
- Dry or sticky—After period
- Creamy— Before ovulation
- Watery, and slippery mucus—Just prior to ovulation
- Raw egg white consistency— During ovulation. This is the best time to have sex, if you want to get pregnant.
Cervical mucus is not always reliable in some cases:
- Some women, especially those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can observe several times raw egg white mucus in the cycle. In this case, it might not accurate to check cervical mucus to predict ovulation.
- Avoid checking your cervical mucus right after sex, otherwise you may confuse semen with wet cervical mucus.
- Some drugs, such as antihistamines and Clomid, can reduce cervical mucus. In this case, you might not find as much fertile cervical mucus before ovulation.
Other methods to track ovulation:
- BBT (Basal Body Temperature)
- Digital ovulation predictor or test strips
- Blood tracking
If you are planning to have babies, it is recommended to track your cervical mucus for at least one cycle prior to trying to conceive. At B&Q Acupuncture, we educate and assist women in achieving healthy fertile cervical mucus on a daily basis. If you have any concern about your ovulation, please feel free to contact us.