I've always kept careful track of my fertility-not because I depend on fertility awareness as a single method of birth control or because I'm trying to conceive, but because I think it's important for women to be in tune with their own bodies. Awareness of ovulation can help to prevent unplanned pregnancy (especially when combined with other contraceptive methods) and can help to plan a pregnancy when you're ready. Most importantly, tracking your ovulation can help you become attuned to your body's rhythms and cycles, so you'll understand your body better and will know when something is wrong.
There are many, many ways to tell when you're ovulating. For the most reliable results, it's best to use a combination of techniques. Here are ten signs you're ovulation.
1. It's been about fourteen days since the start of your last period.
Women ovulate an average of 14.5 days after they begin a menstrual cycle. In more than 95% of cases, ovulation occurs between 8 and 20 days from the first day of a woman's last menstrual period, according to a 1991 study.
2. You notice clear, slippery vaginal discharge.
The discharge from your cervix (the opening to your womb) and vagina will be clear and slippery, with a consistency similar to egg white, when you're ovulating. This type of vaginal discharge helps enable sperm to swim efficiently to the fallopian tubes, where they might fertilize a recently released egg.
3. Your body temperature rises.
Your body temperature rises slightly when you're ovulating. Check your temperature every morning throughout your cycle and you'll notice that it's a little higher a few days out of the month. According to Mayo Clinic, you'll be most fertile during the two to three days before your temperature rises, so keep a chart handy and mark your calendar!
4. You experience an increase in your sex drive.
Many women become more interested in sex during the days before and during ovulation, due to hormonal changes. This is a natural adaptation designed to maximize the chances that a woman will have sex (and get pregnant) during her most fertile phases.
5. Your partner becomes more attracted to you.
You might not be the only one who experiences an increase in your sex drive around the time you're ovulating! Heterosexual men tend subconsciously pick up on the smell of an ovulating woman (caused by hormone-affecting compounds known as pheromones) and become more sexually interested as a result.
6. You notice mild abdominal cramps.
Some women will have light cramping, similar to a menstrual period but more mild, during ovulation. Severe or persistent abdominal cramps are not normal during ovulation, so get in touch with your doctor if they're unusually strong or accompanied by spotting.
7. Your cervix feels softer.
Many women feel uncomfortable checking their cervixes, but this is one of the most reliable ways to determine if you're ovulating! Wash your hands and feel your cervix to check for signs of ovulation. If you're ovulating, it will feel soft to the touch. If you're not ovulating, it will feel a little hard (like the end of your nose).
8. Your cervix is higher than normal.
When you're least fertile (especially during your period), your cervix descends a bit into the vagina, possibly making intercourse uncomfortable. During your most fertile days, your cervix will be noticeably higher. Track the position of your cervix over time and you'll be aware of its position during your fertile days
9. Your cervix is open.
You can't always tell if your cervix is open by feeling it, but you might notice this key sign of ovulation. During ovulation, your cervix might feel noticeably open, like a pair of puckered lips. This means that it's prepared to allow sperm to enter so you can become pregnant.
10. A urine test confirms that you're ovulating.
Most pharmacies sell ovulation test kits. These products test your urine for luteinizing hormone, which is released before and during ovulation. An ovulation test showing high levels of luteinizing hormone iis a solid sign that you're ovulating and fertile.
Every woman's body is different, so you may have all of these signs of ovulation, or only a few of them. If you have any questions about your health, your fertility, or methods of preventing and planning pregnancy, talk to your gynecologist, nurse-midwife, or general practitioner for help.
