To know when you are ovulating, several signs and methods can help:
- Cervical mucus changes: Around ovulation, vaginal discharge becomes clear, stretchy, and slippery, resembling raw egg whites, which helps sperm move toward the egg.
- Basal body temperature (BBT): Your resting body temperature rises slightly (around 0.5°F or 0.3°C) after ovulation. Tracking BBT daily over months with a special thermometer can help predict ovulation.
- Mild abdominal pain or cramping on one side (mittelschmerz) can occur during ovulation.
- Changes in cervix: The cervix becomes higher, softer, and more open around ovulation.
- Increased libido or mood changes can also be indicators.
- Using ovulation predictor kits that detect luteinizing hormone (LH) surge in urine can predict ovulation about 24 to 36 hours before it happens.
- Charting menstrual cycles to estimate ovulation, typically about 14 days before the next period in a regular cycle.
Monitoring a combination of these signs and using tools like ovulation kits or BBT thermometers can give a good indication of when ovulation occurs in the menstrual cycle.
