Ovulation is a process whereby an egg is released by either side of the woman’s ovaries into the fallopian tube. Copulating during the window period will allow a higher chance of conception and women who wish to conceive should be well aware of this said period. Women with 28 days of cycle will ovulate around day 14. Your most fertile window is at day 12, 13 and 14.
There are variations for each women, therefore there are many methods which you can estimate the period you are ovulating. For instance, you can purchase ovulation predictor kit over the counter, observe the changes in your vaginal mucus discharge or even mnitoring the increase of basal body temperature of 0.5°C two weeks (14 days) before your next menstrual cycle with a thermometer at home.
What does ovulation feels like?
Many women may not have obvious symptoms when it comes to ovulation. However, there are certain symptoms you can note throughout your menstrual cycle which may suggest that you are ovulating which include:
Cervical Mucus Changes
Your body produces estrogen more and more as you near your ovulation period. Therefore, the consistency of your cervical mucus will change to become clear and stretchy like an egg white which helps to assist sperm motility to reach the egg that is released during ovulation.Cervical mucus changes happen in most women, but you have to know what you’re looking for. The amount of cervical mucus and what it looks and feels like varies from woman to woman. To test it, insert a clean finger into your vagina, remove some of the mucus and then stretch out the secretion between your thumb and finger. If it is sticky and stretchy or very wet and slippery, that is a good sign you are in your fertile phase.
Mild Pelvic or Lower Abdominal Pain
A lot of women does not feel ovulation but a mild ache or pain at hypogastrium or one side of the lower abdomen (not the same side each time). This ovulation pain, called Mittelschmerz, can last anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours but rarely more than 12 hours. You might also experience slight vaginal bleeding, discharge with nausea, vomiting and constipation.
There’s no need to worry about this as it goes away with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. However, if ovulation pain persists or gets more severe, please consult a doctor to rule out conditions such as endometriosis or an ovarian cyst. Do monitor and record your ovulation symptoms every month to get an idea of what is normal for your body, so you can easily spot any abnormal ovulation symptoms.
Breasts Soreness or Tenderness
Tender breasts or sore nipples can be another sign of ovulation. As you know, our breasts are very sensitive to hormonal changes and the peak of estrogen before ovulation says it all!
Light Spotting or Discharge
Brown discharge or spotting during ovulation is normal and occurs among 3% of women anywhere between day 11-12. The exact cause is unknown but one study found that people who had spotting has high level of luteinising hormone (LH) around ovulation. Having high or low level of hormone does not predict the success of conception.
Spotting also can be caused by other factors like contraceptive use (birth control pill, IUDs, other hormonal contraceptives), pregnancy, fibroids, polyps, or infection. If you’re in doubt, consult your doctor.
Heightened Sense of Smell
Some women may have sensitive sense of smell because in this fertile phase, your body is primed to be more attracted to the male pheromone androstenone.
Libido Changes
Some women notice that their sex drive increases during ovulation, which might be nature’s way of ensuring we keep the species alive and well! But the sex drive can be influenced by a good mood or romantic ambiance.
Changes in the Cervix
During ovulation, your cervix may become higher, softer and moist. Sometimes, the cervix become so soft and higher that it seems to disappear. You can check your cervix, along with your mucus for ovulation symptoms but it can take time to learn the differences you’re feeling for and is often more difficult than watching for the other signs of ovulation mentioned above.
If you’d like to try and get into a squatting or standing on one leg with the other on the toilet bowl lid, or if you used to using tampon, be in your preferred position. Gently insert one or two fingers into the vagina and feel for the cervix – it is in upper front
In many women with a regular cycle, the feel of cervix right before ovulation is like touching your lips, but after ovulation it will feel harder, more like touching the tip of your nose.
Healthy lifestyle promotes ovulation
A balanced diet is key to promoting ovulation. Healthy lifestyle such as exercise and avoidance of smoking plays a vital role as well. To accurately understand if your body is ovulating, you might need to consult a doctor to obtain certain blood hormone levels at certain period of your menstrual cycle. Other parameters which include your basal metabolic, thyroid and adrenal functions can also be assessed.
Hope these information help and if you wish to find out if you’re ovulating accurately, you may consult your doctor.
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