Cervical Mucus
What is cervical mucus?
Cervical mucus is produced by the cervix and changes consistency throughout your menstrual cycle based on hormones associated with ovulation. Checking your cervical mucus can be a great indication of fertility when trying to conceive (TTC) or preventing pregnancy using the fertility awareness method (FAM). For example, egg white cervical mucus (EWCM) is a type of cervical fluid that is produced right before ovulation, a time when you are most fertile. The physical properties of the cervical mucus change during the menstrual cycle. The cervical mucus is produced by the cervix and changes consistency throughout your menstrual cycle based on hormones associated with fertility, egg development, and ovulation.
Shortly after the menstrual period ends, the cervical mucus is dry and prevents sperm from penetrating the cervix but around the time of ovulation it becomes thin, has egg-white consistency, and is penetrable by sperm. Cervical mucus (CM) is produced by glands in the cervix, the entrance to the uterus. It accepts, filters, prepares, and releases sperm for successful transport to the inside of the uterus, then, on to the fallopian tubes and the egg for fertilization. Cervical mucus changes are common throughout the natural menstrual cycle that women experience each month. For women who are trying to conceive, the changes in cervical mucus can play a factor in choosing just the right time for trying to get pregnant. About a week before ovulation, under the influence of estrogen, cervical mucus becomes abundant, sticky, and thick.
