How to monitor cervical mucus + track ovulation
Did you know that ovulation is a sign of health + vitality? For women in their menstruating years, regular ovulation can be an encouraging sign of balanced hormones, cellular health + so much more.
Identifying if and when you’re ovulating can also be an important skill for preparing for conception + getting pregnant.
One of the best signs to assess ovulation + hormone balance is cervical mucus.
What is cervical mucus?
Cervical mucus (CM) is a very common vaginal discharge around a woman’s ovulation window. It’s produced in the cervix, primarily in response to rises in estrogen right around ovulation. It is loaded with prostaglandins to moderate inflammation, immune cells to keep vaginal + uterine health stable and to regulate the advancement of sperm for conception.
CM can even help regulate “healthy” sperm from sperm that are morphologically abnormal to optimize conception efforts. Our bodies are so intelligent!
When looking at cervical mucus under a microscope, it literally looks like a highway with straight lines and paths for the sperm to use!
Benefits of cervical mucus:
Helps maintain vaginal pH balance and overall health
Helps regulate healthy sperm for advancement
Helps with lubrication of the vaginal canal
Can be used to assess ovulation
How to assess cervical mucus?
Understanding the flow of the monthly cycle can really help with this. During menstruation, there is mostly menstrual flow as the discharge. Once menstruation is over, it’s common for there to be a day or 2 of more dryness.
Around day 7 or so (for a typical 28 day cycle) it’s common to notice more vaginal moisture. Most women notice this with wiping as the toilet paper ‘slides’ more easily. This is usually when I recommend starting to do a more thorough assessment of consistency and quantity of cervical mucus. This can be done by inserting a clean finger vaginally and doing a little “sweeping” motion to gather what cervical mucus may be in the vaginal canal.
Decoding the stages of cervical mucus production:
Days 7-9: creamy discharge
Days 10 - 12: wet and clear
Days 13-14: egg white consistency, slightly opaque and thicker
Days 15 - 21: thicker, sometimes much less cervical mucus during this time *peak ovulation time*
Days 21 - 28: little to no cervical mucus
Tools for tracking of your cycle:
The 2 most effective ways to assess ovulation timing and track cycles are:
Assess cervical mucus + keep track of consistency for at least 3 months
Tracking basal body temperature + keep track for at least 3 months
→ my FAVORITE tool for tracking basal body temperature is HERE (10% off with the link). 🥳
These 2 practices provide so much clarity and insight into fertility, ovulation and how best to support the cycle for a healthy pregnancy!
When things aren’t lining up:
If you’re having irregular cycles or tracking your cervical mucus and temperatures for 3 months or longer and getting unpredictable patterns, it could be worth doing a deeper dive into hormone imbalance or root cause issues.
As mentioned, estrogen and progesterone balance throughout the cycle are KEY to healthy cervical mucus, so if there is inconsistency in CM production, assessing hormones is a clear way to gain insight.
→ Get my Fertility Checklist for steps on optimizing ovulation + what labs to prioritize!
How to optimize cervical mucus:
Stay hydrated with good, filtered water. Aim for at least ½ your body weight in water, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
Avoid chemicals based or toxic feminine products, including menstrual care + lubricants.
Eat 6-9 servings of fruits + vegetables daily (more vegetables than fruits)
Consider seed cycling to help with estrogen + progesterone balance through the month
Castor oil packs to help with lymphatic flow and hormone balance
Dancing, yoga or other movements aimed at increasing pelvic circulation
Vitamin E & C
Evening Primrose Oil
L-arginine
Also, make sure you’re using a fertility friendly lubricant so as to not negate the benefits of your healthy cervical mucus! In an ideal scenario, cervical mucus is the perfect lubrication!
If you’re looking for a comprehensive and functional approach to your hormones + fertility, you’re in the right place.
Uncovering the root cause of hormone imbalances + optimizing fertility health is the core of my work. If you’re ready for clarity about how best to balance your hormones and prepare for a pregnancy, learn more about my approach + highly successful strategy.