Clear, cloudy, thick, none at all? We’re here to help you decode cervical mucus & understand why it changes throughout your menstrual cycle
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you have more vaginal discharge than at other times of the month? This could be due to changes in your cervical mucus and these fluctuations are all part and parcel of your menstrual cycle.
Read on to find out more about what your cervical mucus is telling you and the clues it can give you about ovulation.
What is cervical mucus?
Cervical mucus is a type of discharge from your cervix that can look like a fluid or gel-like substance. It leaves the body through the vagina and you may notice it on your underwear or as you wipe after going to the toilet at certain times of the month.
It’s triggered when hormones stimulate glands in the cervix to produce mucus, and the consistency and amount of cervical mucus you have can change throughout your menstrual cycle as your hormones fluctuate. It’s these changes that can give an indication as to whether you’re ovulating or not.
How does cervical mucus change throughout the menstrual cycle?
Although it’s different for everyone, here are some ways that cervical mucus could change throughout the different stages of the menstrual cycle:
- During your period – cervical mucus may be covered by blood, so you may not notice it
- After your period – there could be three to four days without any mucus, known as ‘dry days’
- Before ovulation – as your body is preparing to release an egg (ovulation), it produces cervical mucus which could look white, yellow or cloudy. It may feel sticky, tacky, gluey or stretchy
- Immediately before ovulation – as oestrogen levels rise right before ovulation, your mucus could look similar to egg whites with a clear, stretchy, watery and slippery texture
- During ovulation – the egg white texture may remain during ovulation as it provides a protective texture and pH for sperm
- After ovulation – the amount of discharge may start to decrease, and it could have a thicker, cloudy or gluey texture. Some people may experience ‘dry days’ after ovulation with no discharge
What is the cervical mucus method?
The cervical mucus method is a fertility awareness method. It can be used as a type of natural family planning to help improve your chances of becoming pregnant. It involves tracking what your mucus looks and feels like throughout your menstrual cycle to help you predict when you might be ovulating.
Ovulation happens when an egg is released from the ovaries, typically once per cycle after periods begin. Conception happens if sperm fertilises this egg in the fallopian tubes, where sperm can survive for up to seven days.
Pregnancy is most likely around ovulation, which usually occurs 10 to 16 days before the next period. For those with a 28-day cycle, this is around day 14. However, for shorter cycles or early ovulation, it’s also possible (though less likely) to conceive shortly after a period.
If you’re trying to conceive, you should try to have sex every two to three days. Try to have sex without using contraception around the time that you’re ovulating. Around this time, you might notice your cervical mucus has become thinner, watery and slippery (resembling egg whites).
The fertility awareness method can be hard to learn, so it’s best to start with the advice of a specially trained medical professional such as a doctor, nurse or family planning counsellor. It’s also important to note that it may not work for everyone, especially if your cycles are irregular or long, or you naturally don’t produce very much cervical mucus. We discuss some other things you can do if you’re trying to conceive, further down in the article.
When trying to prevent pregnancy, the cervical mucus method, a part of the fertility awareness approach, isn’t suitable for everyone. It’s less effective than other forms of birth control.
More reliable options, like condoms or hormonal contraception, are typically recommended when used correctly.
If you're interested in using this method, make sure to speak with your doctor, nurse, or midwife to see if it might be a suitable choice for you.
How do I check my cervical mucus?
There are three ways to check your cervical mucus, including:
- Putting a clean finger or two into your vagina near the cervix (at the upper end of the vagina) and then checking the colour and texture of your discharge. Pulling and rubbing it between your thumb and index finger can help you feel its consistency
- Wiping the entrance of your vagina with toilet paper before you use the toilet and noting the consistency and colour of your cervical mucus
- Checking what your discharge looks like on your underwear or pantyliner (although, this method can be less reliable as the colour of your underwear and length of time the discharge has been there can change its appearance)
You should wash your hands thoroughly after touching your cervical mucus and may like to use an intimate wipe such as FemFresh Wipes around your vaginal area if you have a lot of discharge and it’s bothering you.
If you’re tracking your cervical mucus, after checking your discharge, you should write down your findings on a chart, noting when it’s cloudy, sticky, clear and so on. You should also write down the dates of your period days and ‘dry days’. The goal is to have a note for every day of your menstrual cycle and over time you may be able to see patterns emerging that can help you tell when you might be ovulating, if your cycle is regular.
What else can cause changes to your cervical mucus?
Other factors can cause changes to your cervical mucus or produce other types of vaginal discharge. If you’re trying to track ovulation, some of these changes might not affect you.
These factors include:
- Some hormonal birth control methods, such as the contraceptive pill or intrauterine device (IUD) which typically thicken cervical mucus to help stop sperm from reaching an egg
- Taking the morning after pill
- Certain medications
- Having cervical surgery
- Going through early menopause
- Certain feminine hygiene products
- Douching
- Breastfeeding
- Having vaginal sex
- Using lubricant (either during sex or a pelvic exam)
- Being pregnant – when you first become pregnant, your discharge could be thick and gummy before turning white or yellow as you progress through pregnancy. In late pregnancy, it could be thick with pink streaks, which could be a sign that labour has begun. This is also known as a ‘show’. It’s a sign your cervix is beginning to stretch and soften to get ready for labour
- A vaginal infection such as bacterial vaginosis, a yeast infection like thrush, or a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
When should you see a GP about vaginal discharge?
You should see a doctor if you experience:
- Fishy smelling discharge – this could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis
- Thick and white discharge that looks like cottage cheese – this could be a sign of thrush
- Green, yellow or frothy discharge – this could be a sign of trichomoniasis, a type of STI
- Discharge alongside bleeding or pelvic pain (pain in the area between your tummy and thighs) – this could be a sign of chlamydia or gonorrhoea (both types of STIs)
- Discharge alongside blisters or sores – this could be a sign of genital herpes (another type of STI)
You should get help from NHS 111 if:
- There’s a change to the colour, texture or smell of your vaginal discharge
- You have more discharge than is usual for you
- You feel sore or itchy in your vaginal area
- You experience bleeding in between periods or after sex
- You find it painful to wee
- You experience pelvic pain
What should you do if you’re trying to get pregnant?
If you’re trying to conceive, there are a several things you can do to help improve your chances, including considering lifestyle factors such as:
- Eating a varied and balanced diet – to help maintain a healthy weight
- Avoiding drinking alcohol – here are some tips for cutting out alcohol
- Avoiding smoking, or quitting if you do smoke – here are some of our tips for going smoke-free
You should aim to have sex every two to three days without using contraception, making sure sperm is entering the vagina, and try to have sex around the time that you’re ovulating.
When trying to conceive, it’s important to take a folic acid supplement every day until you’re 12 weeks pregnant. It helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, where the spinal cord doesn’t form properly, like spina bifida.
You may find it helpful to try an ovulation test like the Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test Kit which can help you identify possible fertile days. Or you could speak to a medical professional about trying the cervical mucus method or other ways of tracking ovulation. Some common methods include:
- The calendar method – which involves tracking your period and length of cycle to help predict ovulation
- The temperature method – which involves monitoring your temperature throughout your cycle, which typically rises during ovulation, and charting these to help see patterns
Both methods may not work for everyone and are best done with the advice of a medical professional who can provide you with further information and advice.
What should I do if I’m worried about conceiving?
If you’ve been trying to conceive for over one year and haven’t fallen pregnant, you should see your GP. They can offer more advice if you’re struggling to conceive.
You should also see your GP if you want to try to get pregnant and:
- You’re over the age of 36
- You take regular medication, as some medicines can affect pregnancy
- You have a condition such as sickle cell disease, as there could be a risk of passing it on to your baby
- You have a long-term condition such as diabetes
For more advice on ovulation and pregnancy, head to our Health Hub page on trying to conceive.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I be worried about cervical mucus?
While changes in cervical mucus are normal throughout your cycle, you should be concerned if you notice discharge with a strong odour, an unusual colour (like green or yellow), or if it’s accompanied by itching, soreness, or pelvic pain.
These could be signs of an infection or other health issue, and it’s important to see your GP for advice.
Is cervical mucus the same as discharge?
Cervical mucus is a type of vaginal discharge, but not all discharge is cervical mucus. Cervical mucus changes throughout your cycle and plays a key role in fertility, while other types of discharge can be due to normal cleaning processes of the vagina or other factors like hormonal changes. Both are completely natural.
What does thick jelly cervical mucus mean?
Thick, jelly-like cervical mucus often occurs after ovulation. It’s a sign that your body is producing less fertile mucus as it prepares for the non-fertile phase of your cycle. This type of mucus helps prevent sperm from traveling through the cervix and is normal at this stage of your cycle.
How many days after noticing cervical mucus do you ovulate?
Ovulation usually occurs about one to two days after your cervical mucus becomes clear, stretchy, and slippery, resembling egg whites. This indicates the most fertile time in your cycle, so if you're trying to conceive, try to have sex around this time.
To help increase your chances, make sure you have regular sex every two to three days without contraception.
