Egg white cervical mucus is a stretchy, slippery discharge that is secreted from the cervix before and during ovulation to help sperm swim through the vagina more easily and protect against the acidic nature of the vagina. It can be used to predict ovulation and fertility, and an absence of it for more than a month can signal a lack of ovulation. Measuring basal body temperature can also help women determine fertility.
Egg white cervical mucus refers to the consistency of mucus secreted from the cervix directly before and during ovulation. While mucus during the rest of the menstrual cycle is typically rubbery, thick, or non-existent, mucus during ovulation is stretchy, slippery, and generally has a larger volume. This allows sperm to swim through the vagina more easily and offers protection against the acidic nature of the vagina.
A woman’s body is specially made for conceiving and caring for a growing child. Just before ovulation the follicles, which hold each mature egg inside the ovaries, begin to secrete a hormone that signals the cervix to start producing egg-white cervical mucus. It is secreted in large quantities from small cavities in the cervix to help sperm pass through the vagina and into the uterus. Without this thick protective coating, sperm cells would die due to the high acid content of the vagina.
Many women are able to use the presence or lack of egg white cervical mucus to predict when ovulation will occur. The mucus usually begins several days before ovulation and then ends within a day or so once it occurs. Women desiring to become pregnant will know to have intercourse during this time. Anyone who doesn’t want to have a baby will know how to abstain from sex. This method alone is not considered a reliable method of contraception by most healthcare professionals, although some research suggests it is effective when used correctly.
An absence of egg white cervical mucus for more than a month can signal a lack of ovulation. This can occur for a variety of reasons, although it usually involves a hormonal imbalance. Women will need to learn their own mucus patterns before deciding if fertile mucus is present. To do this, it is necessary to observe the discharge for several months. It will normally be sticky or rubbery during the weeks after your period and again after ovulation, with a period in between where it feels bulky and slippery.
Measuring basal body temperature throughout the month in correlation with checking cervical mucus can help women decipher which discharge is fertile and which is not. The temperature tends to rise soon after ovulation and stay higher until after the menstrual period. A consistently high temperature can signal pregnancy, especially if it is accompanied by a late or missed period.
Egg white cervical mucus can look slightly different in every woman. Some may experience very thick, clear, slippery mucus. Others may have mildly white or off-white discharge. Most notice that the mucus becomes stretchy, just like raw egg whites, during this time. It should also be odorless and should never be green, yellow or brown in color.
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