Cervical Mucus During Ovulation: Look, Feel, Consistency


You probably already know that your cervical mucus changes throughout your cycle. But did you know that the way it changes is nature’s way of encouraging conception?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about your cervical mucus during ovulation — including how it changes, how to track it, and why it’s a key component of planning or avoiding pregnancy.
What Is Cervical Mucus and Why Is It Important for Fertility Tracking?
Cervical mucus is a fluid secreted by the glands in and around the cervix. Its job is to:
- Keep the vagina lubricated
- Prevent infection in the reproductive tract
- Support the movement of sperm throughout the vagina, cervix, and uterus
The texture, consistency, and volume of cervical mucus are controlled by hormonal fluctuations. This is why you may notice your cervical mucus changes throughout the menstrual cycle.
Here’s what’s going on inside your body:
- Estrogen rises in the run-up to ovulation. This causes cervical mucus to increase in volume and become slipperier and stretchier.
- After ovulation, estrogen decreases and progesterone increases. This causes cervical mucus to decrease in volume and become dryer and stickier.
Whether you are trying to conceive (TTC) or trying to avoid (TTA) pregnancy, paying attention to how your cervical mucus changes can help you anticipate your fertile window.
The Cervical Mucus Timeline: Changes Throughout Your Cycle
Cervical Mucus During Menstruation
During your period, cervical mucus is secreted with menstrual blood. This makes it difficult to identify as the two fluids mix together. Fertility is at its lowest during menstruation, meaning the chances of conception are very low.
Post-Period Cervical Mucus (Days 5–10)
In the days immediately following your period, it’s normal not to see any cervical mucus. If you do, there probably won’t be much of it, and it may feel dry or sticky. ‘Dry’ days like this are a sign of low fertility.
Pre-Ovulation Cervical Mucus (Days 10–14)
As estrogen levels rise in the days leading up to ovulation, you may notice your body produces more and more cervical mucus. During this transition, cervical mucus becomes creamier in texture. It may also appear yellow, white, or cloudy white.
This type of discharge is a sign that a developing egg in your ovaries is maturing and preparing for release through ovulation. Fertility increases with each day as you approach ovulation.
Ovulation Cervical Mucus (Day 14)
Estrogen levels peak just before ovulation, causing the body to release the most cervical mucus right before ovulation and during ovulation. During this time, cervical mucus is stretchy, slippery, and clear. It’s often described as resembling raw egg whites.
This jelly-like discharge signals peak fertility, and it actually plays a critical role in supporting conception. In fact, research shows that cervical mucus accepts, filters, and prepares sperm for fertilization. It can also store the sperm and release it at the right time to maximize the chances of conception.
Post-Ovulation Cervical Mucus (Days 14–22)
After ovulation, progesterone levels rise. This causes cervical mucus to become increasingly lotion-like, thicker, and stickier in texture. It’s also normal for it to be much lighter in volume compared to ovulation. This signals the end of the fertile window, meaning the chances of conception are lower.
Pre-Period Cervical Mucus (Days 22–28)
Right before your period, progesterone levels decline. During this time, it’s normal for the cervical mucus and discharge before your period to be low in volume and sticky or glue-like in texture (similar to post-period cervical mucus). Some days, you may not even notice any cervical mucus at all. Again, these ‘low’ or ‘dry’ days are a sign of low fertility.
Discharge During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, it’s normal to experience more cervical mucus and creamy white discharge (often referred to as “leukorrhea”) than normal. This increase in discharge is caused by fluctuating hormones — particularly increasing estrogen levels.
As discharge gradually increases during pregnancy, it also helps to build up the mucus plug — a collection of mucus that helps to protect against infection. The mucus plug is eventually released through the vagina before labor. When this occurs, it looks like heavy discharge.

Cervical Mucus Monitoring 101
How to Check Your Cervical Mucus
There are three different ways you can check your cervical mucus:
- Option 1: Observe the color and texture of discharge in your underwear when you go to the bathroom.
- Option 2: Use white toilet paper to wipe the opening of the vagina to get a sense of the look and feel of your cervical mucus.
- Option 3: Use your fingers to gather a sample from inside the vagina near the cervix and observe its color and texture.
Everyone’s body is different and certain methods may work better for you than others. Non-touch methods (such as observing mucus in your underwear or on toilet paper) may be easier if you tend to have lots of discharge/cervical mucus that is easy to see. Gathering a sample with your fingers may work better in cases where discharge tends to be lower in volume or less noticeable.
No matter which method you choose, always make sure to wash your hands both before and after checking your cervical mucus to prevent infection.
Tools for Accurate Tracking
It’s impossible to remember the look, feel, and consistency of your cervical mucus each day without some sort of tracking tool.
The most basic way to track your findings is by logging them in a notebook or ovulation planner. For the most accurate tracking, we recommend using a cycle tracking app — such as the Mira App. It’s free to download and has a place to log cervical mucus characteristics alongside other key cycle data.
Factors That Can Affect Your Results
Certain factors can alter the volume, texture, and appearance of cervical mucus. This includes:
- Breastfeeding – vaginal flow often increases while breastfeeding.
- Medications – certain antibiotics, antidepressants, hormone therapies, and chemotherapies can interfere with vaginal discharge.
- Sexual activity – being sexually aroused causes an increase in arousal fluid, which increases overall discharge.
- Lubricants – some lubricants may alter the appearance of vaginal discharge making it difficult to observe cervical mucus.
- Vaginal conditions – certain vaginal conditions such as yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea may lead to abnormal vaginal discharge.
Being mindful of these interfering factors can help you more accurately monitor changes to cervical mucus.
Advanced Methods for Cervical Mucus Monitoring
Sometimes, just having a general awareness of your cervical mucus is enough to casually plan or avoid pregnancy. However, if you have more concrete and specific fertility goals, it’s worth following a more advanced method of cervical mucus monitoring.
Here’s a quick overview of the three most common methods.
The Creighton Model
The Creighton Method utilizes a research-backed, standardized process for observing, tracking, and charting daily cervical mucus characteristics with a finger test sample. The method must be taught by a certified Creighton Model consultant, who can also provide personalized guidance on fertility and reproductive health issues.
If you are TTA, the Creighton Model is 98.7-99.5% effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use and 83-97% effective with typical use. This is similar to the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives.
If you are TTC, the Creighton Model can also be helpful. In fact, a study of 50 couples found that 49 (98%) became pregnant within six cycles of using the Creighton Method, with 28 (76%) of pregnancies occurring in the first cycle.

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Schedule NowThe Billings Ovulation Method
The Billings Ovulation Method also requires an instructor — however, it does not involve finger testing. Instead, the method requires you to focus more on the “sensation” of cervical mucus at the vulva throughout the day.
If you are TTA, the Billings Ovulation Method is 98.9% effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use and 89.5% effective with typical use.
If you are TTC, one study found that 62.5% of couples achieved pregnancy within 2 years after following the Billings Method.
The 2-Day Method
The 2-day Method does not require you to observe and record specific features of your cervical mucus. Instead, all you have to keep track of is whether or not you have had any cervical mucus at all.
At the end of each day, you must ask yourself:
- Did I have any cervical mucus today?
- Did I have any cervical mucus yesterday?
If the answer is yes to one or both of these questions, you are considered fertile and the chance of pregnancy is high. If the answer is no to both questions, you are not considered fertile and the chance of pregnancy is much lower.
This is a much simpler approach; however, it is less accurate than the Creighton and Billings Method. For example, the 2-Day Method is approximately 96% effective at preventing pregnancy when followed correctly and 86% effective with typical use.
The 2-Day Method is not typically recommended to those TTC, as other fertility tracking methods will be more accurate for planning a pregnancy.
The Bigger Picture: How Cervical Mucus Fits In with Other Fertility Indicators
Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
After ovulation when progesterone levels rise, there is also a slight increase in basal body temperature (BBT). BBT is your body’s temperature when it is completely at rest, and it increases by approximately 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit (0.3 degrees Celsius) right after ovulation.
It’s possible to measure BBT with an extra-sensitive thermometer known as a BBT thermometer. When tracked over time, you can see when your BBT levels rise. This allows you to estimate the day that ovulation occurred.
BBT tracking is an excellent complement to cervical mucus tracking. By tracking both, you can not only anticipate ovulation, but you can more accurately pinpoint when ovulation occurred.
Cervical Positioning
The positioning of the cervix also changes around ovulation. In the runup to ovulation, the positioning of the cervix is high and feels softer and more open. After ovulation and around your period, it’s positioned lower and feels firmer and more closed.
Here’s how you can check:
- Insert your finger into the vagina
- If it stops around the first knuckle, it’s considered ‘low’ – meaning you’re not close to ovulation
- If it goes past your second knuckle, it’s considered ‘high’ – meaning you are close to ovulation
When the cervix is positioned higher around ovulation, it also may feel ‘wetter’ than normal. This is a sign of fertility and will likely be accompanied by the classic egg white discharge.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Surge
Around 24 to 36 hours before ovulation, there is a sharp increase in luteinizing hormone (LH). This is called the ‘LH surge’, and it’s what triggers the body to ovulate.
Tracking LH levels in urine is one of the most accurate ways to anticipate ovulation. This can be done with traditional ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) or with more advanced hormone monitoring systems — like the Mira Monitor and Wands.
If you track both cervical mucus and your LH levels, you’ll notice that your cervical mucus increases in volume and becomes stretchier and slipperier in texture during your LH surge. This is normal, and it’s a sign that your body will ovulate soon.
All the Signs of Ovulation You Need to Know
It’s clear that the body undergoes quite a few different changes during ovulation. Here’s a comprehensive list of the many signs and symptoms you may experience:
- Increase in cervical mucus
- Egg white discharge
- Higher cervical positioning
- Cervix that feels softer, wetter, and more open than normal
- Cramping, sometimes referred to as “ovulation pain” or “mittelschmerz”
- Increased sexual arousal
- Breast tenderness
- Nipple sensitivity
- Slight rise in BBT, a sign that ovulation occurred
Your hormones also fluctuate a lot around ovulation. To see what they’re actually doing inside your body and make sense of your symptoms, consider tracking your hormones with the Mira Hormone Monitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can cause a watery discharge during ovulation?
Watery ovulation discharge is most likely caused by hormonal fluctuations. It can also be caused by sexual arousal.
How to know if I am ovulating without discharge?
Other common signs and symptoms of ovulation include:
High cervical positioning
Light cramping
Increased libido
Breast tenderness
Nipple sensitivity
Surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) ahead of ovulation
Slight rise in BBT following ovulation
Will your discharge disappear after ovulation if you are pregnant?
No — in fact, discharge will likely increase during pregnancy. Pregnancy discharge is often thin, clear, or milky white in color.
Can fertile mucus guarantee ovulation?
If your cervical mucus displays all the tell-tale signs of ovulation (i.e. clear discharge that is slippery and stretchy), this is a positive sign that ovulation is approaching. However, it is only a sign, and it cannot confirm with 100% certainty that ovulation will occur.
More accurate methods for confirming ovulation include testing your progesterone levels (either in blood or urine) or having an ultrasound.
What does the discharge color mean?
Discharge can change in color throughout the menstrual cycle. For example, red discharge is associated with menstrual bleeding while clear or white discharge is associated with ovulation.
For a full overview of what your discharge means, check out our article: Vaginal Discharge: Understanding the 6 Common Colors & Causes.
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