When is mucus fertile

Plan to have unprotected sex three days prior to ovulation. Using this method along with the cervical mucus method increases your chances of successfully predicting ovulation. There are free online ovulation calendars. These can help predict your ovulation days. Your doctor can perform a physical exam and tests to check ovulation and make sure your hormone levels are normal.

You can also track ovulation at home using a digital ovulation predictor or test strips. These tests check for the luteinizing hormone LH surge to help predict your most fertile days.

A surge in LH initiates the start of ovulation. This may be a symptom of an infection. Look out for the following:.

Let your doctor know if you notice any cervical mucus of an abnormal color or with a foul smell, or experience itching or redness.

Tracking cervical mucus can be an effective way to help predict ovulation. Make sure you track your mucus for at least one cycle prior to trying to conceive.

An increase in vaginal discharge is normal during pregnancy. Here are nine possible causes for yellow discharge before your period, plus signs that you should see a doctor. A wet mount vaginitis test is used to help diagnose vaginal infections or inflammation. Learn about symptoms of vaginitis, preparation for the test…. If you are pregnant and have green vaginal discharge, see your doctor. It may be an infection that could cause serious complications for your…. Some health care providers also recommend avoiding unprotected sex or using a barrier method of contraception during your period because it's difficult to detect cervical secretions when they're mixed with menstrual blood.

Interpreting and charting cervical secretions can be challenging. Most women need more than one instructional session to recognize the pattern of secretions in a typical menstrual cycle. Talk with your health care provider if you have questions or concerns.

A simpler version of the cervical mucus method is an approach called the TwoDay Method. With the TwoDay Method, you note whether you've seen cervical secretions that are clear, stretchy, wet and slippery — a sign of peak fertility — either today or yesterday. If the answer is "yes," then consider yourself fertile. Abstain or use a barrier method of birth control to avoid unintended pregnancy.

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Sections for Cervical mucus method for natural family planning About. Overview The cervical mucus method is a type of natural family planning. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Hatcher RA, et al. In general, the cycle of discharge follows this pattern :.

Ovulation plays a significant role in determining the consistency of cervical fluid. A person who does not ovulate may notice fewer changes in their vaginal discharge. Fertile cervical fluid is a good signal of increased fertility.

Anyone trying to get pregnant should have intercourse during the time when they notice the fertile discharge. An egg only lives 12—24 hours after ovulation, but sperm can live much longer, often 3—5 days in fertile cervical fluid.

This means that, for people wishing to become pregnant, the best time to have intercourse is right before ovulation, as sperm can live in the reproductive tract for several days.

If they are already there when ovulation occurs, they can immediately fertilize the egg. To determine fertility, check the appearance of cervical fluid at least once a day, beginning on the first day after a period. Several factors can influence the way that cervical fluid looks, which is why a person should monitor the appearance and consistency over time, to get a sense of what is normal for them.

Some people find that their cervical fluid looks different after sex. For example, when semen mixes with vaginal fluids, this can change the appearance of vaginal discharge. Soap, lubricants, and other products that can also result in changes. Others produce no fertile cervical mucus, and this indicates a problem with ovulation. Some medical conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, make ovulation less likely. Being underweight can also cause the body not to ovulate.

As a person approaches menopause , they may ovulate less frequently. Some people run out of eggs early, which a doctor would diagnose as a decreased ovarian reserve.

This can cause a person to ovulate irregularly, if at all. Save Pin More. Egg white? Here's what your cervical mucus looks like before your period, after ovulation, and every day in between so you can predict the days you're most likely to conceive.

Start Slideshow. Credit: Peter Ardito. Cervical Mucus Type 1: Least fertile You produce the least amount of cervical mucus immediately after your period.

Cervical Mucus Type 3: High fertility As your egg starts to ripen, your body produces type 3 cervical mucus. Type 4 of Cervical Mucus Most Fertile. Cervical Mucus Type 4: Most fertile Your body produces the most cervical mucus as it prepares for ovulation. Sticky White Icing Smear.