12 Somewhat Surprising Signs of Ovulation
You may already have a basic knowledge of what happens during ovulation. The mature egg drops in preparation to be fertilized. But even though there is much more to the story, the trickiest part about ovulation is knowing when it is happening in your own body. This also happens to be the most important thing you can know when you are trying to conceive. So it is time to start paying attention to your body and the signs of ovulation.
After spending a little time in the TTC (Trying to Conceive) forums online, you will probably hear about at least three ways to find out when you are ovulating. Checking cervical mucus, charting BBT (Basal Body Temperature) and checking cervical position. But there are some lesser-known signs of ovulation that may surprise you. For example, did you know that ovulation feels almost like a light period for some women? We will get to that soon, but let’s first discuss the more common signs.
1. Checking Cervical Mucus – This one sounds icky, and it probably is to most people, but it is just the tip of the ickiness iceberg that is yet to come as you embark on your journey to motherhood. So let’s get past that and evaluate some cervical mucus. As you approach ovulation, your body will increase the quantity of cervical mucus it produces in an effort to help sperm in its journey. You will likely notice the change from wiping with toilet tissue, but you may also insert a clean finger into your vagina to evaluate. You will notice the mucus changes from dry, when you are not ovulating, to sticky, then creamy and finally to what is known as Egg White Cervical Mucus (EWCM) because it resembles raw egg white. When you notice this, you are in your most fertile period. However, you will want to keep track of each cycle to better predict when you will have EWCM.
2. Charting BBT – Your body temperature can tell you a lot more than whether you are sick. In fact, it can give you an indication of where you are in your cycle. To start charting, take your temperature the first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed. Keep a thermometer and a notepad by your bed, so you do not have to make many movements. Ideally, you will start charting on the first day of your cycle. When you are not fertile, your temperature will be at its baseline. Just before you ovulate, you may notice a dip in temperature, and it will rise after ovulation. Your temperature will remain elevated until your cycle ends. Look for this pattern and chart for a few months to be able to predict when you will ovulate.
3. Checking Cervical Position – The cervix will actually change position to prepare you for conception. This happens every cycle whether you have had sex or not. When you are most fertile, it will follow the acronym SHOW, which stands for Soft, High, Open and Wet. When you feel your cervix at this time, it should be soft like your lips and wet with cervical mucus. It will also sit high in your vagina. In fact, it may sit so high that you have trouble reaching it. When you are not fertile, the cervix is in the opposite state. It is Hard (like the tip of your nose), Low, Closed and Dry.
Now that we have covered the basics, let’s get to some lesser-known signs of ovulation that may surprise you. Some of them are even very similar to menstrual period symptoms. For example, if you were to experience all of the following ovulation symptoms, you may think you were getting a period.
1. Bloating
2. Abdominal Cramping
3. Light Spotting
4. Breast Tenderness
You may experience all, some or none of those symptoms, and that is perfectly normal. A few more signs you may notice:
1. Nausea and/or Headaches
2. Heightened Senses
3. Increased Sex Drive
And then there are two more signs that you may not have heard about. The first is sold over-the-counter. An Ovulation Predictor Kit (OPK) can help you predict ovulation by measuring the amount of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) in your urine. The OPK test will show a positive result when LH spikes, you can then expect to ovulate within 24-36 hours. Next, you can determine whether you are ovulating by looking at your saliva under a microscope. When you are fertile, you will notice a snowflake-like pattern called ferning.
Author Bio: Phil Druce founded Ovulation Calculator in 2014 with the goal of providing easy to understand, science backed knowledge and tools to couples trying to conceive. He was inspired to do this after his own fertility battle.
