Cervical fluid, or cervical mucus, is the vaginal fluid produced by your cervix. This fluid is produced naturally by your body, and it changes throughout the different phases of your menstrual cycle. Cervical fluid tends to be driest during and just following menstruation. Then, as you move through your cycle toward ovulation, it tends to become thick and sticky, then more watery, and finally, it turns clear, thin, and stretchy.
How is cervical fluid relevant to fertility?
Cervical fluid can be a good indicator of what stage of your menstrual cycle you’re in. So paying attention to these changes below can give you a better idea of when your fertile window occurs, which can clue you into when you might be ovulating.
Not only is cervical fluid a good indicator of when the timing is right for baby-making, but the fluid plays an essential role in helping along that very important task. For sperm to successfully reach an egg, cervical fluid must be at the right consistency, acidity, and amount. During ovulation, cervical fluid is at its most liquid, sticky, and acidic, which helps sperm travel through the cervix and into the fallopian tube so that conception can take place. Essentially, this kind of cervical fluid is easier for sperm to swim through.
How do I track it?
The first step in tracking your cervical fluid is to take a closer look at just what’s going on down below. Some women might notice these changes while just going about their daily business – like when going to the bathroom and wiping with toilet paper, for instance. But you can get an even better understanding of what your cervical fluid is like from day to day by actually feeling and investigating the fluid up close. For many women, a trip to the bathroom is a convenient time to check and can help you get into a comfortable position to do so. To check on the state of your cervical fluid, first, insert a clean finger into your vagina, and then observe the fluid you pick up by rubbing it between your fingers.
Ovia has identified four levels of cervical fluid: “none,” “school glue: creamy/sticky,” “water: clear/liquidy,” and “egg whites: clear/stretchy.” Again, cervical fluid tends to be at its driest during and shortly after menstruation and then clearer, liquidy, thinner, and stretchier as you move towards ovulation.
Once you feel and observe the consistency of your cervical fluid – its thickness, stickiness, and color – you should log this info in your Ovia account. Tracking your cervical fluid will not only help you have a better sense of the rhythms of your menstrual cycle and when you’re ovulating but also help Ovia better analyze and assess your fertility.
