7 Ovulation Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

The female cycle… still a mysterious world. Even women, who are the most directly affected, often lack information. Let’s take a closer look at an important phase of the menstrual cycle: ovulation.

Definition and symptoms: we tell you everything!

Ovulation: what is it?

To truly understand ovulation, we need to go back over all the steps that come before and after it. The true story of the female cycle: a quick refresher!

First, let’s address a common misconception: the length of the cycle. It’s not always 28 or 30 days. Depending on the woman, it can range from 18… to 40 days! Also, the cycle is divided into four phases (even though we tend to only notice one – menstruation).

➡️ The follicular phase:

• Connection between the brain and ovaries (which contain follicles – small sacs – inside which oocytes, the female reproductive cells, mature).
• Follicle growth.
• Among all the maturing follicles, one prepares to release the most promising oocyte (which contains the woman’s genetic material, or half the genes passed on to the fetus).
• Secretion of estrogen (a hormone essential for both ovulation and pregnancy).

➡️The fertile ovulatory phase:

• Thickening of the uterine lining, also known as the endometrium.
• Slight opening of the cervix.
• Production of cervical mucus (commonly known as “cervical fluid” or “discharge”).
• Growth of the dominant follicle and release of the egg.

This is when ovulation occurs. The egg is captured by the fallopian tube while the follicle (its casing) remains in the ovary. This is called the corpus luteum. Note that ovulation doesn’t always occur on day 14 of the cycle — this varies from woman to woman!

➡️The luteal phase:

• This is the lifespan of the corpus luteum (between 11 and 16 days).
• During the first few days, the corpus luteum waits to see whether the egg is fertilized or not.
• If the egg is fertilized, the embryo implants in the uterus and sends beta-HCG (the pregnancy hormone). The corpus luteum – which secretes progesterone, a female sex hormone – then remains in the ovary.
• If the egg is not fertilized, the corpus luteum degenerates and the uterine lining sheds, causing menstruation.

➡️Menstruation:

• This is the most well-known phase, as it’s the easiest to recognize.
• This is the shedding of the thickened endometrium when the egg is not fertilized, resulting in bleeding and often uterine cramps.
• Menstruation marks the beginning of a new cycle.

Want to learn more? Feel free to download the May app, where you’ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your pregnancy.

What symptoms are felt during ovulation?

Now that we better understand the female cycle, we can focus on an essential question: how can you identify each phase of the cycle and what are the symptoms?

To answer this question, let’s talk a bit about Cycle Observation Methods (MOC). These are reliable scientific methods for tracking the ovulatory cycle based on daily observation of a woman’s fertility “biomarkers.”

A biomarker is a sign the body gives a woman to help her navigate her cycle. Menstruation, for example, is the most obvious biomarker. But there is another, equally accurate but much more subtle one: cervical mucus (commonly referred to as discharge). This is one of the most noticeable ovulation “symptoms,” but it’s not the only one! Let’s explore the key biomarkers.

Cervical mucus

Cervical mucus (or “cervical fluid” or “discharge”) is produced by the cervix. It is composed of 90% water, immune cells, and various nutrients and enzymes. It forms a 3D mesh-like structure that tightens or loosens depending on the stage of the cycle, allowing or blocking sperm. Hence its crucial role in fertility!

More than that, the texture of cervical mucus is a major sign of ovulation. It is both an internal and external sign, noticeable and visible. Its texture changes a few days before ovulation. Cervical mucus is a biological marker a woman can detect very precisely if she has learned how to observe it.

It’s worth noting that the cervix always produces mucus, but its nature changes with hormonal fluctuations.

➡️For most of the cycle, the cervix is plugged with thick mucus. During this infertile phase, the mucus is dry and sticky.

➡️However, during 4 to 5 days, the cervical mucus becomes more fluid, flows out, and allows sperm to pass during intercourse (making it observable).

At the beginning of the fertile phase, the mucus is thick and crumbly, then becomes creamy and stretchy as ovulation nears. Right before ovulation, at the peak of fertility, it becomes fluid, like raw egg white and stretchable. After ovulation, it gradually becomes dry and sticky again, or even absent until the next period.

A woman’s fertility is thus regulated by the changes in these secretions. Because of their variety, a woman can assess her fertility by observing changes in the appearance and feel of her cervical mucus at the vulva.

Basal body temperature

Another key biomarker is basal body temperature (the resting body temperature). When a woman takes her temperature (using a precise thermometer with two decimals) orally, rectally, or vaginally (always in the same way!), before getting out of bed, she may observe the following:

➡️Temperature is lower before ovulation.

➡️It rises by 0.3 to 0.5°C at ovulation and remains high until menstruation — the post-ovulatory thermal plateau.

Based on these two primary biomarkers, there are two types of MOC methods:

➡️Methods based on cervical mucus alone: the Billings Ovulation Method™ and the FertilityCare™ method.

➡️Methods based on both cervical mucus and temperature: symptothermal methods.

Each method has its own pros and cons. The key is to choose the one that suits you and to be trained by certified professionals. The FOCUS Fertility association provides information about each MOC and lists certified instructors on its website.

❗Whatever the method, a woman must observe herself daily, record observations, and be guided during the learning phase (3 to 6 months) until she becomes independent.

These are the most common and accessible methods, but the body also sends other signs during ovulation — though these are not typically included in MOC methods.

Position of the cervix

Did you know your cervix can change position? In their book The Natural Female Cycle, Dr. Sophie Saab-Tsnobiladzé and midwife Marion Vallet explain that during ovulation, the uterus and cervix shift position.

➡️In a fertile phase, the uterus “straightens up” and centers itself deep in the vagina — farther from the vulva.

➡️In an infertile phase, the uterus sits lower and is anteverted (tilted forward, over the bladder).

They also mention: “These signs can be perceived by the woman if she examines her cervix by inserting a finger deep into the vagina. Of course, this examination is not necessary to understand your cycle” (Chapter 3, Key Elements of the Ovulatory Cycle – page 46).

Vulvar swelling

In the same book, Dr. Sophie Saab-Tsnobiladzé and Marion Vallet discuss Professor Erik Odeblad’s research on vulvar swelling, another ovulation sign. His work shows that estrogen also causes increased blood flow to the pelvis.

This leads to swelling of tissues and cells in the vulva. Women may notice this through sensations and/or touch: “The vulva[…] is more swollen and tense during the pre-ovulatory fertile period, and the swelling peaks on the most fertile day.” (p.47)

Pain

Some women may also feel pain in the lower abdomen during ovulation. The intensity, duration, and exact location vary from person to person. This is not a reliable indicator to identify ovulation.

Increased libido

As mentioned earlier, right before ovulation (during the follicular phase), the body secretes estrogen. During ovulation, this hormone can significantly increase libido — which makes sense, as this is the fertile window, the ideal time for conception… The body knows what it’s doing!

Psst! If you still have questions, check out Marion Vallet’s masterclass on natural contraception methods on May, or read her book The Natural Female Cycle.

How long do ovulation symptoms last?

The duration of ovulation symptoms varies from one woman to another. However, we do know that an egg lives for about 24 hours (if not fertilized). Estrogen levels then return to normal, and the egg is expelled during menstruation.

Ovulation is one of the most important phases of the menstrual cycle. It’s a step that can be identified using biological markers, notably cervical mucus and basal body temperature.

To learn more: The Natural Female Cycle, by Marion Vallet (midwife) and Dr. Sophie Saab-Tsnobiladzé (general practitioner).

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