How to Know When You're Ovulating
- Pain in the abdomen: A woman would mostly experience a mild form of abdominal pain when they are ovulating. This pain can occur either on the abdomen or the lower back. The severity of this pain can vary from a low grade ache to a stabbing form of pain.
- Changes in the cervical: There would be changes in the cervix during the ovulation period. Also instead of feeling tight, dry and hard it would tend to become wet, open and soft. As the body would sense that there is a hormone shift which can indicate a release of an egg from the ovary then it starts to prep up itself for this incoming of the sperms so as to provide the eggs one of the best chance to get fertilised. One of the most obvious sign would be of the cervix. At the start of the cycle the cervix will stretch during the birth for accommodating the head of the baby wherein it would be low, closed and firm. As the ovulation tends to approach then it pulls itself back again, tends to soften a bit and open up a little to allow the sperm to go through on their way for their targeted eggs. There are few women who can feel this change easily whereas others face a tougher time.
- Soreness in the breasts: Just before ovulation there would be an increase in the level of estrogen hormone which it can lead to the breast feeling quite tender and tingly.
- Spotting: Few women may experience light form of bleeding or it can also be spotting just after their menstruation thereby indicating that one is ovulating. This symptom is known to occur mostly when the follicle that surrounds as well as protects those developing oocyte or the egg start to mature and grow thereby leading to rupture and resulting into small amount of bleeding. As this blood becomes older it may turn out to be brown hence the vaginal discharge can range from being red to dark brown in color.
- Formation of thin mucus: During the period of ovulation, the cervical mucus is most likely to change from the whitish to becoming light, transparent and watery. After the period ends there would be mostly dry spell and one should not expect much in the cervical mucus but as the cycle progresses there would be an increase in the amount of mucus which can turn out to be white or have a cloudy experience and in case if you try to stretch it in between the fingers then it may tend to break apart.
- High basal temperature: Just post the ovulation, the body temperature tends to rise hence by charting the body temperature over multiple cycles may help for identifying the fertile days. This temperature is checked with the help of a special basal body temperature. This temperature is considered to be the baseline reading which can be taken first thing in the morning, after a sleep of minimum three to five hours and before one gets out of the bed, sits up or even speaks. This BBT is known to change throughout the cycle as and when there are fluctuations in the hormone levels. The basal temperature is known to reach its lowest point just at the ovulation and then it may rise all of a sudden to half a degree as soon as the ovulation starts.
- Bloating in the abdomen: There are few women who are experience signs of abdominal bloating either before or post the ovulation period.
- Tenderness of the breasts: One of the common signs of ovulation is the tender feeling of the breast. It can occur either before or after the ovulation period. This is due to the rush of hormones which start to enter the body just right prior and post the ovulation.
- Rise in feeling of sensitivity: The women may feel heightened sensitivity towards taste, smell or vision which can again occur during or after the ovulation period. For certain women they would get more sensitive towards smell during the latter half of the normal menstruation cycle which can also turn out to be one sign of ovulation.
- There is an increase drive for sex: Most of the women have a stronger urge for sex during the ovulation period and it is due to the increase in the production of estrogen.
