What is ovulation discharge. How to check your cervical mucus?

Cervical mucus is a secretion produced in response to a woman's changing hormonal balance. Everything is important about it: quantity, colour, smell and, above all, consistency. Pre-period mucus is uniform and free of lumps and unpleasant smells. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as the vagina can be very sensitive and even a small number of bad bacteria or a disturbance in immunity can affect it.

Mucus is a special protein that lubricates and moisturise us from within. The mucus produced during the fertile phase helps the sperm to operate in the acidic environment of the genital tract, and during the infertile period, is a natural barrier for them.

1. What are the different types of cervical mucus?

Vaginal discharge does not always look the same. The consistency, smell and colour can change depending on the phase of the cycle. Based on what the mucus is like at any given time, it is possible to judge with a high degree of probability whether menstruation is imminent, or ovulation is taking place. We can therefore divide mucus into the following types:

• Pre-period mucus, i.e. in the luteal phase - The luteal phase is when your body prepares for the implantation of the ovum in the uterus. Therefore, in the last days of ovulation, the mucus thickens and becomes more viscous, making it more difficult for the sperm to reach the fallopian tube. This indicates the end of the fertile days. This condition persists until menstruation.
• Pre-ovulatory mucus, i.e. in the follicular phase - after menstruation, the uterus prepares for conception. Therefore, in the first days of ovulation, more mucus with the consistency of egg white can be observed. This mucus aims to facilitate the path of the sperm and ultimately lead to fertilisation. It becomes clear, thin and very transparent. On top of this, its pH changes to a more sperm-friendly level.
• Mucus during ovulation - Ovulation is the most important moment of the cycle when the egg cell unites with the sperm. At this time, you may notice a very large amount of transparent or whitish discharge, with virtually no smell or a slight odour. This is a normal secretion, and its quantity increases greatly on the day of ovulation itself. If you have any concerns about changes in your cervical mucus, please seek medical advice.

2. How does cervical mucus change throughout the menstrual cycle?

Changes in mucus depend on the female hormones - oestrogen and progesterone levels. The first few days after menstruation are when you feel dry because the consistency of the mucus is thick and sticky, so it tends to stay inside the cervix. In the following days, it gets wetter, thinner, becomes transparent and there is a lot more of it - this is the discharge before ovulation. With the discharge after ovulation, there is much less of it, which will continue for the rest of the cycle.

Fertile mucus is slippery and may be slightly white or clear and transparent. When you take it between your fingers you can see that it is stretchy - like the white of an egg. Pre-period is a creamy discharge after ovulation or white and much thicker. It can leave streaks on your underwear. It is also no longer so moist because its function is to block sperm from entering the uterus.

The amount of vaginal discharge also depends on the particular stage of woman’s life. From puberty onwards, we produce a lot of estrogen and fertile mucus. Everything changes at menopause, during which the mucus may even disappear completely.

During the menstrual cycle, a woman should notice two types of vaginal mucus, so-called fertile mucus (ovulation discharge) and infertile mucus. A few days before ovulation, usually around day 11 of the cycle, the discharge begins to emerge from the vagina. This type of mucus occurs during ovulation and disappears a few days afterwards - it usually lasts until day 18 of the cycle.

The ovulation discharge colour is colourless. In addition, it is, odourless and trailing. In appearance, it resembles the white of a hen's egg. This mucus is called fertile because it makes it easier for the sperm to move and fertilise.

1. What does discharge look like during ovulation?

Increased discharge may be a sign you’re ovulating. Ovulation occurs in the middle of your menstrual cycle, so approximately 14 days after the first day of your period, depending on how long your individual cycle is.

The average is 28 days, but it’s normal to have a slightly longer or shorter cycle. Before and during ovulation, your hormones change to signal to your ovaries to release an egg once a month. This change in hormones also results in an increased amount of vaginal discharge. The ovulation discharge colour resembles that of egg white, so too in terms of texture. Note that the watery discharge after ovulation disappears and becomes slightly more viscous than the discharge on ovulation day. There is no reason to be concerned. It’s all very natural.

After ovulation, vaginal mucus starts to change. It becomes sticky, muggy, cloudy and white or creamy in colour. Such mucus appears until the onset of menstruation and sometimes for a few days afterwards.

2. How many days do you experience ovulation discharge?

Approaching ovulation can also be determined by observing cervical mucus. Often, women wonder how many days the ovulatory discharge lasts, so it is worth remembering that it is linked to the fertile days, which last 5-7 days. During the fertile days, the mucus is clear, slippery, sticky and stretchy, the discharge resembling egg white. Such mucus has a pH favourable to sperm, facilitating their survival and movement. After ovulation, the fertile mucus changes, the quantity of discharge decreases, and the mucus becomes white, thick and non-stretchy and remains so until the onset of menstruation. Immediately after menstruation, there is a dry phase, which continues until the appearance of fertile mucus. The method of observing mucus does not confirm ovulation but is only an indication that ovulation is imminent. In addition, it should be remembered that some medications can interfere with the production of mucus, which can affect the correct result of the observations carried out.

3. Ovulation discharge and fertility

Fertile days are defined as the period during which a relatively large and immobile ovum can be fertilised in a woman. Although the ovum dies after about 24 hours, the period of fertile days is prolonged due to the longer (2 - 5 days) lifespan of the sperm. During the average (28 days) of a woman's monthly cycle, with ovulation about 14 days before menstruation, fertile days fall on average between the 10th and 15th day of the cycle.

In fact, ovulation discharge plays a pretty important role in fertility. During fertile days, the ovulation discharge colour is clear, plus it is slippery, watery, sticky and stretchy. The ovulation discharge then resembles an egg white. Such mucus has a pH favourable to sperm, making it easier for them to survive and move around so that they can fertilise the egg just released.

After the end of menstruation, most cycles involve the cervix being sealed with a thick mucus plug. As the ovum matures, mucus appears. Initially, the mucus is cloudy and sticky, but it gradually changes to become more stretchy, clear and slippery. It also increases in quantity. You can check this with your fingers. You can also check your underwear or use toilet paper as there may be cervical mucus on them.

Then, when the mucus starts to look like raw egg white, it means that it is fertile mucus.

The process of the mucus changing its appearance to the consistency of raw egg white takes about 6 days. At the end of the presence of the protein-like mucus, ovulation occurs - the egg cell released from the ovary enters the fallopian tube.

When observing mucus, caution and prudence are recommended. Many additional factors can influence the colour and consistency of the emerging mucus before the period. If you are concerned about changes in your mucus, we recommend you seek medical advice.

When the mucus changes its appearance, it is worth considering factors such as:

• pregnancy - mucus changes during pregnancy, just after conception it may be thick and sticky and as the pregnancy progresses it may increase in quantity and may become white or yellow,
• breastfeeding - there is little mucus during breastfeeding,
• sexual lubricants - extra lubrication can affect the appearance of the mucus,
• use of hormonal contraceptives - they tend to thicken cervical mucus,
• sexually transmitted diseases,
• intimate infections - bacterial, and yeast infections change the colour and smell of mucus,
• cervical surgery - mucus may be coloured with blood,
• medications used - for example, antihistamines may dry out the mucus,
• stress and diet (during weight loss).

In addition to observing your mucus, you can try other ways to identify and observe your fertile days:

• Measuring body temperature - the hormone progesterone rises just after ovulation, which causes changes in basal body temperature, a sudden jump in temperature means ovulation has occurred. Temperature should be measured every morning at the same time, just after waking up.
• Ovulation tests - Ovulation tests are also available on the market, which detect a sudden rise in the LH hormone produced in the pituitary gland. This hormone stimulates the body to ovulate. For regular cycles, e.g. 28-30 days, the tests should be started around day 10-11 of the monthly cycle. They are performed in a similar way to a pregnancy test from the morning urine. A positive test means that ovulation should occur after about 24-36 hours.
• Blood test - a progesterone test, which is done by blood analysis, is also helpful in assessing the course of ovulation. This test allows confirmation of the presence of ovulation in a given cycle. In the case of a 28-day cycle, it is performed on day 21. If periods are irregular, the test should be performed 7-8 days after a positive ovulation test.