Breast tenderness
Lower abdominal discomfort (mittelschmerz)
About 20% of women feel ovulatory activity, which can range from mild aching to twinges of pain. Some women describe it as one-sided back ache or a specific tenderness. It may last from a few minutes to a few hours. If you notice the same type of pain at about the same time each month, check the condition of your cervical mucus as well. Ovulatory pain is a useful guide for some women.
Change in cervical mucus
As your cycle progresses, your cervical mucus increases in volume and changes texture. The greater volume and changes in texture is due to your body’s rising levels of estrogen. You are considered most fertile when the mucus becomes clear, slippery, and stretchy. Many women compare mucus at this stage to raw egg whites. You are most fertile on the last day you notice cervical mucus of this kind. It usually happens either on the day before, or on the day of ovulation.
A rise in body temperature
When you’ve ovulated, your temperature can increase by 0.5 to 1.6 degrees. You won’t feel the shift but you can detect it by using a basal body temperature (BBT) thermometer. Basal body temperature (BBT) is your temperature when you first wake up in the morning.
You’re most fertile in the 2 or 3 days before your temperature rises. It’s recommended that you chart your temperature for a few months to detect a pattern and discover your likely ovulation date. Then you can plan to have sex during the 2 to 3 days before the day your temperature normally rises. If you do become pregnant, your temperature will stay elevated throughout your pregnancy.
