Positive Ovulation Test But No Egg White Cervical Mucus

LH surge without estrogen surge

As you approach ovulation, estrogen and LH rise. Estrogen often beats LH to the punch, surging first. This rise in estrogen actually stimulates the surge in LH.

But it doesn’t always happen this way!

Rising estrogen levels have a domino effect. First, it stimulates your brain to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which then stimulates your pituitary gland to secrete LH.

You may be thinking that estrogen is required for an LH surge. However, research shows that LH surges can occur even if estrogen levels are low.

It may be possible to have a surge in LH without a rise in estrogen, and this is likely normal.

In these cases, you can get an LH surge but no egg white cervical mucus.

Learn More: LH Surge But No Estrogen Surge: Is It Possible?

Factors related to cervical mucus

Many underlying factors can affect your cervical mucus. Let's look at a few.

Physiological

As we reviewed, your cervical mucus changes throughout the month according to your estrogen levels. But you may produce less cervical mucus compared to other women.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it may make it more difficult to track changes in your cervical mucus.

This is why it is recommended to use more than one tracking method when trying to conceive.

You may not be checking your CM properly

To get a good sample of cervical mucus, you need to know how to check for it accurately. Obtaining a sample from your underwear or toilet paper may not always be accurate, so it’s best to use your fingers.

Follow the guidelines below for how to check for cervical mucus. You should do this consistently every day for a couple of cycles. The more you practice the better you will get!

Step 1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Sing your heart out to the alphabet while doing so!

Step 2. Gently insert a clean finger into the vagina to obtain a sample of your cervical mucus.

Step 3. Remove your finger from inside your vagina and roll the cervical mucus in between your finger and your thumb.

Step 4. Pull your fingers apart to determine its consistency. (If it stretches and resembles egg whites, then you are fertile. If it's dry and sticky, then you're not ovulating).

Know more: Cervical mucus 101: What can your cervical mucus tell you about your body?

Factors altering cervical mucus

Your hormones are not the only factor that can affect your cervical mucus.

Changes in your health or daily routine can also impact your cervical mucus.

Here are a few things to look out for if you're having trouble tracking your cervical mucus.

Vaginal infections

When you have a vaginal infection, you often experience abnormal vaginal discharge. This discharge varies in smell, consistency, and color. This makes it difficult to check your cervical mucus accurately.

Medications

The following medications can change your cervical mucus:

• Antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants may decrease the amount of vaginal secretions.
• Clomiphene citrate, a fertility medication, can reduce the amount and quality of your cervical mucus.
• The birth control pill: While you're on oral contraception, you may experience a thick, white vaginal discharge throughout the month. And then when you stop taking the pill, it takes about 2-3 months for your hormones to regulate. So your cervical mucus may be all over the place during this time.

Feminine hygiene products and douching

Harsh products and methods like douching can clear out the natural secretions of your cervix and vagina.

Dehydration

Dehydration reduces the amount of secretions you produce since you are depleted of fluids.

Breastfeeding

Cervical mucus is often not reliable during breastfeeding. Your cervical mucus may not accurately represent your hormones during this time.

Perimenopause

Around perimenopause, your estrogen levels start to naturally decline. Decreased estrogen levels cause decreased cervical and vaginal secretions.

Factors related to ovulation tests

Ovulation tests are accurate 9 out of 10 times, but many factors can affect their accuracy.

Not testing correctly

There is room for human error when using ovulation tests. If you don't use the tests correctly, you run the risk of getting an inaccurate result.

Here are some tips for using them correctly:

• Make sure to test the strips for validity. Sometimes strips can be faulty!
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Try to use your first-morning urine so it's concentrated.
• Avoid drinking large amounts of fluid right before testing, as it will dilute your urine.

False positive on OPKs

There are many reasons you may get a false positive OPK. These include the following:

Anovulatory cycles

Occasionally, you may have cycles when your LH surges but ovulation does not occur. This can happen once or twice in a year and is nothing to worry about. But if it happens too often, it's worth consulting an HCP.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

This is a type of hormonal imbalance where you have high androgen levels that cause multiple cysts to develop in your ovaries. This can affect ovulation and cause you to have high LH levels throughout the cycle.

Different surge patterns

While textbooks have us believe that LH levels rise as a single sharp surge, this isn't always the case. LH surges actually vary by their onset and pattern such as biphasic surge, plateau surge, multiple surges, etc. Different surge patterns can cause inaccurate OPK results.

Know more: LH Levels & Surges: What Does a ‘Normal' LH Level Look Like?

Cross-reactivity with hormones like FSH, TSH, or hCG

Hormones like LH, TSH, and hCG have similar molecular structures. Some ovulation tests are not able to differentiate between the hormones which can result in cross-reactivity.

Medications

Fertility medications such as danazol, hCG, and clomiphene can throw off the results of your ovulation test.

If you want to learn more about false positive OPKs check out this blog: False Positive on an Ovulation Test: 6 Reasons They Happen

Only tracking your LH levels

LH levels are helpful in predicting when you are about to ovulate. But they cannot confirm ovulation. Only blood progesterone levels or PdG (a urine metabolite of progesterone) can do that.

Progesterone is the hormone that rises after ovulation. Once the egg gets released, the ruptured follicle forms the corpus luteum. This structure produces progesterone thereby confirming that you actually ovulated.

And LH levels will not clue you into your cervical mucus. Only estrogen can do that.

If you're only tracking your LH levels, you're missing out on a lot of insights into your fertility.