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Does your discharge look weird after ovulation? Curious what it means?
You’re right to wonder. Discharge after ovulation if pregnant often looks different from a regular cycle.
That’s because as your hormones change, so does your cervical mucus. Meaning, your discharge can offer major clues about your fertility. It can help you understand your cycle better–and even help predict pregnancy.
So how does cervical mucus after ovulation if pregnant compare to discharge after ovulation if not pregnant? That’s exactly what we’ll cover in this article.
But first, let’s lay the groundwork with some basics on cervical mucus.
Takeaways
- Cervical mucus helps with conception and offers hints about where you’re at in your fertility cycle.
- Estrogen fluctuations throughout your menstrual cycle can cause changes to cervical mucus.
- Near ovulation as estrogen rises, cervical mucus is slippery and wet and resembles raw egg whites.
- After ovulation, cervical fluid normally decreases and becomes dry and sticky as estrogen falls.
- But if sperm fertilizes an egg and implantation occurs, your cervical mucus may increase or stay the same.
- Cervical mucus after implantation may also take on a creamy consistency.
- Cervical mucus changes aren’t the only sign of early pregnancy. Fatigue, mood swings, and food cravings are other clues that big changes are underway.
Cervical mucus changes are subtle and unique to each person. If you don’t spot any changes, don’t worry! You could still be pregnant.
What is cervical mucus?
Cervical mucus is a type of fluid produced by your cervix.
It has two main jobs.
- It forms a protective barrier to prevent pathogens from entering your vagina.
- Near ovulation, it helps sperm swim more easily as they search for an egg.
Your cervical mucus will change in response to the hormone estrogen. The color, consistency, and amount of your cervical mucus change throughout your cycle as estrogen shifts. That’s why cervical fluid can look and feel different depending on your menstrual cycle phase.
But hormones aren’t the only thing that causes cervical mucus to change. Vaginal sex, lubricants, medications, and surgery can change the look and feel of your discharge too.
How to track cervical mucus?
Tracking your cervical mucus is simple. All it takes is two fingers and a notebook.
Here’s how to check your cervical mucus:
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Insert your index finger into your vagina.
- Remove your finger and examine the mucus. Take note of its color and consistency.
If you don’t want to touch your cervical mucus, you can still track its fluctuations. Here are two ways:
- Inspect your undies: When you use the bathroom, look at your underwear. Take note of any discharge you see.
- Try toilet paper: Before you pee, wipe your vulva with toilet tissue. Check the tissue for any discharge and notice how it looks.
What does your cervical mucus look like? Is it clear and watery? Or white and cloudy?
And how’s the consistency? Does it feel slippery and wet? Dry and pasty? Or does it have a creamy yogurt-like consistency?
Whatever you notice, jot it down in your notebook or on your calendar. That way, you can track how your cervical mucus changes throughout your fertility cycle.
How does cervical mucus change throughout my menstrual cycle?
Estrogen rises and falls throughout your menstrual cycle. As it fluctuates, it triggers changes in your cervical mucus.
Here’s a handy chart to sum it up:
Phase of cycle | Estrogen levels | Cervical mucus | Vaginal discharge |
Start of cycle | Low | Dry, sticky | Dry, sticky |
Towards fertile window | Rising | Liquidy, creamy | Increases in quantity |
Ovulation | High | Raw egg whites | Appears water and slippery like egg whites |
Post-ovulation | Dropping | Dry, thick | Cloudy white with a thicker, sticky consistency |
As you can see from the chart, your estrogen levels affect the amount, color, and consistency of your cervical mucus. It may be dry and sticky or creamy like lotion depending on your cycle phase.
As ovulation nears, estrogen levels hit their peak. This causes an uptick in cervical mucus and changes how it looks.
During ovulation, cervical mucus becomes clear, watery, and slippery–similar to the consistency of egg whites. This wet, slippery cervical mucus makes it easy for sperm to swim toward the egg. That’s why fertile cervical mucus is often called ‘egg-white cervical mucus’.
Any discharge that looks like raw egg whites is a sign you’re in your fertile window. So if you’re trying to conceive (TTC), now’s the time to baby dance!
Keep in mind that cervical mucus isn’t the most reliable method to track ovulation. For a surefire way to know you’re in your fertile window and have ovulated, use Inito. Inito tracks four fertility hormones on a single test strip – LH, estrogen, and FSH tell you when you’re in your fertile window, and PdG (urine metabolite of progesterone) confirms ovulation.
Know More: Cervical Mucus 101: What Can Your Cervical Mucus Tell You About Your Body?
What discharge looks like if you’re pregnant vs. not pregnant
Tracking your cervical mucus can offer hints about early pregnancy – even before a missed period! Here’s how.
If an egg isn’t fertilized during ovulation, estrogen drops.
This causes your cervix to slow cervical mucus production down. That’s why you may have less discharge on your underwear the week or so before your period. Any discharge you do have will change from clear and liquidy to dry and sticky.
In contrast, if an egg is fertilized, estrogen rises rapidly.
Because of this, your early pregnancy cervical mucus may increase or hold steady instead of decreasing. Rather than turning dry and sticky, it may feel creamy and liquidy.
Fertility phase | Post-ovulation (but not pregnant) | Early pregnancy |
Estrogen levels | Dropping | Increasing |
Cervical mucus | Dry, thick | Liquidy, creamy |
Vaginal discharge | Cloudy, white with a thicker, sticky consistency | Increases in quantity |
Keep in mind that cervical mucus tracking, while helpful, isn’t a reliable way to predict pregnancy. Taking a pregnancy test is your best bet to know for sure.
That said, if you’re TTC and notice more cervical mucus post-ovulation, it could mean you’re pregnant.
What color is cervical mucus in early pregnancy?
Cervical mucus can take on a pink tinge for some women in early pregnancy. That’s because 15- 25% of women have implantation bleeding in the first trimester.
This happens when the egg latches onto the uterine wall. For some women, this can cause light spotting or brown discharge.
Implantation bleeding is one of the first definitive signs of pregnancy. But it doesn’t always happen. So you can’t rely on it as an accurate gauge of pregnancy.
Know More: Implantation Bleeding vs. Period: What Does Implantation Bleeding Look Like?
What if I don’t notice any changes in cervical mucus?
You could still be pregnant. Cervical mucus changes are subtle and vary from person to person.
Some women may notice changes. But many don’t. So if you’re cervical mucus isn’t changing much, don’t worry! It may be too early. Or your body could be sending other signals you’re pregnant. A positive pregnancy test is the only way to know for sure.
Other early pregnancy signs
Implantation bleeding and changes in cervical mucus aren’t the only signs of early pregnancy. As your hormones change and your body prepares to nurture new life, your body may drop some hints.
Here are some other early pregnancy clues to watch out for:
Implantation cramps
Some women have mild cramping as the fertilized egg attaches to their uterine lining. Implantation cramps may feel like pricking, pulling, or tingling sensations in your lower abdomen.
Implantation dip
If you are tracking your basal body temperature (BBT), some anecdotal evidence suggests that it may dip for a day near implantation. This is said to be due to the hormonal changes implantation brings.
Fatigue
Many women feel more tired or flat-out exhausted in the early days of pregnancy. This is all thanks to rising progesterone levels. Fatigue may hit as early as one week after conception.
Mood swings
Pregnancy can take your hormones on a roller coaster ride, along with your mood. You may feel happy one moment and angry the next. Or you may find yourself crying for no reason. These mood swings can be tough on you and your partner. But they’re a normal part of early pregnancy. So hang in there!
Headaches
Headaches and dizziness are common in early pregnancy too. This is due to hormonal shifts and an increase in your body’s blood volume.
Food cravings or aversions
You may start craving random foods or strange combinations of foods. Or you may feel suddenly grossed out by foods you used to love.
Breast tenderness
Due to rising progesterone levels, your breasts may feel sore, fuller, or more sensitive than usual.
FAQs
It has two jobs. During ovulation, cervical mucus helps sperm move through the cervix so it’s easier to reach the egg. Plus, it protects the vagina from foreign pathogens.
Cervical mucus that’s bright yellow or green or smells fishy or foul-smelling can be a sign of infection. A thick, clumpy discharge similar to cottage cheese can also mean something is amiss. If your mucus fits this description, talk to your healthcare provider.
It’s possible. Cervical mucus changes during early pregnancy as your hormones shift. In a normal menstrual cycle, cervical mucus decreases after ovulation. But if you’re pregnant, you may notice your cervical mucus amp up or hold steady post-ovulation.
Early in pregnancy, your cervical mucus may have a creamy, more liquid consistency. It could also have a pink tinge due to implantation bleeding. That said, cervical mucus changes are subtle. And many pregnant women don’t notice any changes at all.
Your estrogen levels climb after ovulation if pregnant, as the fertilized egg hooks onto the uterine wall. These hormonal shifts can cause changes in your cervical mucus. Fatigue, mood swings, and tender breasts are other clues you could be pregnant.
Creamy white discharge after ovulation can be a sign of pregnancy. That said, cervical mucus isn’t a reliable way to tell if you’re pregnant. Only a positive pregnancy test can do that.
