Changes in the body during ovulation

1. Basal body temperature monitoring

Sometimes referred to as BBT, your basal body temperature is the
temperature of your body at rest. At the beginning of your cycle, basal
body temperature remains fairly consistent and averages between 97.2
and 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit. As you get closer to ovulation, theres a slight
dip in basal body temperature followed by a sharp increase, typically of
about 0.4 to 1.0 degrees, just after ovulation. One of the ways to
determine when and if ovulation happened is to track your basal body
temperature over a series of months.

2. . Cervical mucus changes

As you near ovulation, your body produces more estrogen, causing cervical
mucus to become stretchy and clear, like egg white, which helps sperm
swim to the egg thats released during ovulation. Cervical mucus changes
happen in most women, Moore says, but you have to know what youre
looking for. The amount of cervical mucus and what it looks and feels like
varies from woman to woman. To test it for ovulation, insert a clean finger
into your vagina, remove some of the mucus and then stretch out the
secretion between your thumb and finger. If its sticky and stretchy or very
wet and slippery, thats a good sign that youre in a fertile phase.

3. Heightened sense of smell

For some women, a more sensitive sense of smell in the latter half of a
normal menstruation cycle can be a sign of ovulation. In this fertile phase,
your body is primed to be more attracted to the male pheromone
androstenone.

4. Breast soreness or tenderness

Breast and nipple sensitivity, tenderness or soreness can be another sign of
ovulation, thanks to the rush of hormones entering your body right before
and after ovulation.

5. Mild pelvic or lower abdominal pain

Some women can actually feel ovulationtypically as a mild ache or pain
in the lower abdomen, usually on one side or the other (not the same side
each time). The sensation, called Mittelschmerz, can last anywhere between
a few minutes and a few hours. You might also experience light vaginal
 bleeding, discharge or nausea along with the ache or pain, which is usually
mild and short lived.

Theres no need to worry about ovulation pain that goes away with an OTC,
anti-inflammatory medication (such as Motrin), Moore says. But if ovulation
pain is persistent or severe, see a doctor to rule out conditions such as
endometriosis or an ovarian cyst. Moore suggests monitoring and recording
your ovulation symptoms every month to get a sense of what is normal for your
body, so you can more easily spot any abnormal ovulation signs and symptoms.
When in doubt, check it out, she adds.

6. Light spotting or discharge

Brown discharge or spotting during ovulation is normal if not that common.
This ovulation symptom can occur when the follicle that surrounds and
protects the developing oocyte, or egg, matures, grows and then ruptures,
resulting in a small amount of bleeding. As blood gets older, it turns brown,
which is why the vaginal discharge may range from red to dark brown. Its
not a cause for concern unless the spotting persists, in which case you
should see a physician to check for signs of infection and the possibility of
an ectopic pregnancy if youve been sexually active.

7. Libido changes
Some women notice that their sex drive increases during ovulation, which
might be Mother Natures way of ensuring we keep the species alive and
well! But, as Moore says, sex drive can be influenced by just about
anything, including whether you had a glass of wine or are just in the
mood.

8. Changes in the cervix

During ovulation, your cervix may become higher, softer and more open.
You can check your cervix, along with your mucus, for ovulation symptoms,
but it can take time to learn the differences youre feeling for and is often
more difficult than watching for the other symptoms mentioned above. If
youd like to try and get more comfortable checking for cervical changes as
a sign of ovulation, Moore recommends standing in whatever position you
use to insert a tampon (for example, next to the toilet with one foot up on
the closed seat) and using your finger to feel inside. In many women with a
regular cycle, right before ovulation the cervix will be softer, like touching
your lips, but after ovulation it will feel harder, more like touching the tip of
your nose. An OB-GYN can also check for cervical changes using a speculum
and help give you more guidance on how to do it at home.