Ovulation occurs when a mature egg is released from the ovary to be inseminated by a sperm. This normally happens two weeks before menstruation. If you’re trying to conceive, knowing the signs of when you ovulate will increase your chances tremendously. Here are 7 common signs of ovulation that a woman may experience:
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Change In Cervical Mucus
When you are ovulating, your cervical mucus will change to a clear, stretchy, sticky and wet texture, similar to a raw egg white. This is caused by the fluctuations of the oestrogen hormone. The purpose of the mucus is to help the sperm reach the egg and to give an alkaline protection within the vagina’s acidic area.
Spotting
It is common to experience light spotting when you are ovulating. When the oestrogen level dips, it causes the follicle protecting the now-mature egg to rupture, leading to light bleeding. The colour of the discharge will turn from red to dark brown depending on how long the follicle rupture occurred: the longer it happened, the darker it becomes.
Breast Tenderness
When progesterone floods your body during or after ovulation, you may experience breast tenderness and soreness. This is a good sign that your body is preparing to conceive, so you know what to do!
Abdominal Bloating
When ovulation occurs, the levels of the oestrogen hormone will increase. This causes abdominal bloating in some women. So if you feel your pants or dress are a little tighter around your tummy, this may be a sign that you are ovulating – unless, of course, you just had a little too much to eat for lunch!
Heightened Sexual Drive
Some women experience an increased desire for sex just before ovulation. This is nature’s way of helping you get into the mood at the ideal time to conceive. So, take advantage of this natural “ovulation alert” to get intimate with your partner! However, if you are stressed or unhappy, you may not notice this increase in sexual drive, hence, it will not be a reliable gauge.
Sustained Basal Body Temperature Increase
A woman’s basal body temperature (BBT), which is her body temperature at rest, decreases a little before her ovary releases an egg (between 36.1°C and 36.4°C). After 24 hours, her temperature will rise a little due to the increase in progesterone levels and remain that way for a few days (between 36.4°C to 37°C). Still, as your body temperature goes up and down throughout the day depending on what you eat, do or the state of our health, you would need to take your temperature at the same time every morning. However, tracking your BBT may not be accurate if you work on night shifts or do not have regular sleeping hours.
A Positive Result In Ovulation Predictor Test
This is by far the most accurate and convenient sign compared to the others: having a positive result on Clearblue Digital Ovulation Test. It is a sophisticated and efficient method to monitor ovulation by measuring the change in Luteinising Hormone (LH) levels in a woman’s body. LH levels will rise about 24 to 36 hours before ovulation occurs. Just place the tip in your urine stream to get a 99% accurate reading that gives you the two best dates to conceive. It’s definitely easier to do than keeping track of your BBT!
