Ovulation symptoms: 10 signs your body is ovulating

What is ovulation? 

Ovulation is a process where your ovaries  release egg (ovum) for fertilization. It is the beginning of the conception cycle. 

On average, your ovary releases one egg at a time. The sperm cells and egg may come into contact when the egg travels through the fallopian tube. The egg then fertilized when a sperm cell penetrated the egg and fused to form a mass of cells, which later formed a fetus. 

After performing sexual intercourse, a sperm can remain alive inside your womb for 3 to 5 days. The pregnancy chance is higher when your egg is present in your fallopian tube. This is after the sperm cells made an arduous journey all the way from vagina to fallopian tube, at where your egg currently resides. 

Therefore, if you’d like to get pregnant as soon as possible, you should pay attention when your body is the most fertile. This can be done by tracking your ovulation signs and when your body is ovulating.

However, if you do not want to get pregnant, avoid having sexual intercourse at any time when your body is the most fertile.  This method may not be 100% effective in preventing pregnancy as your chance to get pregnant is still higher without using any contraceptive methods. Please consult your doctor to find the most suitable contraceptive method to avoid pregnancy. 

Signs of ovulation

Your body will produce obvious ovulation signs to signal you this is the right time for you to get pregnant. Paying attention to ovulation signs will significantly boost your chance to get pregnant.

By monitoring when your body is ovulating, it will help you to schedule the best time to have sexual intercourse. You can monitor your ovulation days by jotting the day when your body is ovulating in a calendar. Your ovulation day will be typically around 7 days after your last period ends.

Sometimes, your ovulation may show subtle signs. If you do not notice any obvious ovulation signs, you can use ovulation predictor kit (OPK) to assist you identify your most fertile day. 

 Some of the ovulation signs as follows:

1. Sudden surge in basal body temperature (BBT)

Your basal body temperature (BBT) is the body temperature while you are resting. You can track your daily BBT by plotting a monthly body temperature chart.  You can measure your body temperature every morning after waking up.

A normal woman’s BBT should be within the range of 36.1 °C (97 °F) and 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) when you are not ovulating.

Your BBT during ovulation period will surge from 36.4 °C (97.6 °F) to 37 °C (98.6 °F). Your body might feel a bit warm, though not feverish during your most fertile period. 

The BBT will remain higher even after the ovulation period ends.  As soon as you notice the surge of BBT, consider planning sexual intercourse several days prior and before body temperature surge.

For instance, if your BBT surge is on day 14th of your period cycle, you should plan to have sexual intercourse on day 9th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 19th day of your period cycle. This follows by a few days of sexual abstain to allow fertilized egg implantation at the uterus wall. 

Monitoring your BBT pattern is highly recommended by  American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as it provides the most accurate method to identify ovulation days.  

2. Changes in cervical mucus

Your vaginal discharge can tell a lot about your fertility. The vaginal discharge that flows out during your most fertile day originates from mucus secreted by your cervix.

You may notice that your cervical mucus texture resembles raw egg white texture leading up to ovulation days. It is slippery, stretchy and clear.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the volume of cervical mucus is even higher closer to ovulation days.

The cervical mucus secreted during your most fertile period will facilitate sperm cells to swim towards your egg, hence boosting your chance to get pregnant.

3.Changes in cervix position

Your cervix position may be slightly higher during your most fertile period. You can feel your cervix position by inserting a clean finger into your vagina. Your cervix should feel like a nose tip with a dimple in the middle.

When you are ovulating, your cervix texture is much softer, position slightly higher, moist than usual, and more open during ovulation. These changes will create a conducive environment to welcome the sperm cells into your womb. 

Your vulva (the outer lips of your vagina), are slightly swollen and more sensitive during your ovulation days. 

4.Ovulation cramps

Your lower abdomen may experience small cramps or twinges as a result of ovulation. The cramps depend on which ovary releases the egg. For example, if your left ovary releases an egg, the cramp will be on your left side.

The medical term for ovulation cramps is mittelschmerz. 

The ovulation cramps may be followed by lower back pain. If the pain interferes with your daily life, you can take pain reliever medicine such as ibuprofen or Panadol. 

For more information about ovulation cramps, see more at (…….page link….).

5.Spotting

You may notice spotting on your underwear during ovulation. This is a sign that your follicles are releasing an egg from your ovary, which results in slight bleeding. 

6.Breast tenderness

Your breasts may feel painful, heavy, and achy.  Your nipples may feel sore and tender. The breast tenderness during ovulation is as a result of  the surge of progesterone hormone. 

7.Heightened sense of smell

The hormonal changes during ovulation may cause some women to experience heightened sense of smell. 

The heightened sense of smell by ovulating women is to draw male pheromones and androsterone, thus boosting your chance to get pregnant. 

8.Increased sex drive (libido)

Right before and during ovulation, some women may feel sexually appealing, flirtatious, more outgoing, and more sociable. 

The surge in libido may encourage you to always be “in the mood” for sexual intercourse with your partner. It happens because of your hormonal influences.

The sex drive increase would begin around three days before the luteinizing hormone (LH) peaks. It happens between 24 to 36 hours before ovulation.  The surge of libido lasts for about six days, in tandem with LH surge. 

9.Changes in appetite and mood

If you are a foodie, you may eat less and not as hungry as before right before you ovulate. This is because of hormonal influences.

The rapid surge of estrogen before ovulation causes you to not have a big appetite for food. 

However, as your progesterone surge after ovulation, your appetite goes back to normal. This is to prepare your body for any potential pregnancy, as you need a lot of food to grow a baby in your womb.

A woman’s daily calorie consumption rises between 90 and 504 calories more during the second half of their menstrual cycles than it does during ovulation. 

10.Fluid retention

You may experience fluid retention and bloating right before you ovulate due to a rapid surge in LH and estrogen hormones. Your progesterone hormone may also be to blame for  slower digestion and more farting.

The good news is this condition only lasts for a few days until your ovulation ends.