What is Ovulation?

Many young girls and women are unaware that they ovulate. Ovulation occurs when an egg moves from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes and is ready for fertilization. It occurs midway in a woman's menstrual cycle, but the timing varies for each woman.

When an egg moves into the fallopian tubes, a sperm cell can fertilize the egg, which could then move into the uterus, or womb, and develop into a fetus.

During ovulation, the walls of the uterus also thicken to prepare for a fertilized egg, but if the egg is not fertilized, the uterus sheds that lining, causing the monthly bleeding of a menstrual period. Having a period does not always equal ovulation, though.

“The most misunderstood thing about ovulation is the idea that if you are menstruating, it means that you are ovulating; and that is indeed not the case at all,"

When a woman is getting her period, but not getting pregnant, it may be because she is not ovulating. But to prove that you need to visit the hospital and get checked by a gynecologist.

Signs of Ovulation

Change in cervical fluid – the Cervical fluid that resembles “egg whites” is a sign that you are near ovulation or are ovulating. Every woman can experience her own type of cervical fluid, and not all cervical fluid looks the same. Ovulation usually takes place on the day a woman has the most amount of wet fluid. 

Change in basal body temperature – For most women, you will see that prior to ovulation, the basal body temperature is rather consistent. As you get closer to ovulation, you may have a slight decline, but it will be followed by a sharp increase after ovulation. The increase in temperature is the sign that ovulation has just occurred. 

Change in cervical position or firmness – The cervix goes through many changes as a woman ovulates. During ovulation, the cervix will be soft, high, open and wet. For most women, it will take some time to be able to differentiate between what their cervix normally feels like and the changes it goes through during ovulation.

Secondary Ovulation Symptoms

These ovulation symptoms may include:

• Light spotting
• Slight cramping or pain on one side of the pelvis
• Breast tenderness
• Abdominal bloating
• Increased sex drive
• Heightened sense of smell, taste or vision

Note:  Ovulation symptoms vary from woman to woman with some women experiencing no symptoms at all.