In addition to basal body temperature, cervical fluid, and other indicators that can help you recognize when you’re ovulating, there are a number of general health symptoms that – if you pay attention to them – can help give you greater insight into your unique cycle and your fertility. Tracking these health symptoms can help reveal patterns that can also help you better understand not just your cycle and fertility, but also your overall health.
Which physical symptoms relate to ovulation and fertility?
- Mittelschmerz: About ⅕ of people who are ovulating will notice some slight pain on one side of the lower abdomen, known as mittelschmerz, which is German for “middle pain.” The cause of mittelschmerz is not entirely known, but most doctors believe it has to do with the rupturing follicle that houses the egg.
- Backaches: Doctors agree that lower back pain is quite often an indicator of ovulation, much in the same way, and for the same reasons, as mittelschmerz.
- Tender breasts: Some individuals will experience tender or swollen breasts as they ovulate, due to their fluctuating hormone levels. However, tender breasts can be symptomatic of a variety of things, so the correlation between tender breasts and ovulation isn’t especially strong.
Tracking your ovulation physical symptoms with Ovia can help you learn a lot about your body and your fertility – and can make it easier for you to proactively address certain symptoms. The more you know, the better you can take care of yourself. Simply enter your symptoms on a daily basis, and Ovia will monitor them for you.
