Stretchy cervical fluid during your post-ovulatory (luteal) phase gives you information about your estrogen and progesterone levels, but not about your fertility. Cervical fluid production is triggered by the hormone estrogen (which dominates the pre-ovulatory follicular phase) and suppressed by the hormone progesterone (which dominates the post-ovulatory luteal phase), but both of these hormones are always present in some amount throughout your entire cycle. It’s also super common for people to have stretchy cervical fluid during their luteal (or post-ovulatory) phase. Myth #3: Stretchy cervical fluid in the luteal (post-ovulatory) phase signals returning fertilityĪs I already mentioned, some folks have cervical fluid that ALWAYS stretches no matter where they are in their cycle. A few years ago, I would have totally freaked out and assumed that I was somehow fertile again, but now I know that it doesn’t mean diddly squat about my fertility. Just recently, I personally experienced post-ovulatory (and infertile) cervical fluid that stretched over an inch. In both of these cases (and many others), being told that stretchy fluid = fertile fluid is flat out confusing. And there are others who have fluid that is significantly stretchy during their luteal phase a week after they’ve confirmed ovulation with an undeniable temperature shift. There’s a large subset of folks whose cervical fluid always has some stretch to it, no matter where they’re at in their cycle. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone on a Facebook group ask for advice about how to decipher their stretchy fluid and be met with “If it’s stretchy, it’s DEFINITELY fertile, egg white fluid!” It’s a very common misconception that all stretchy cervical fluid is fertile and should be categorized as such. Myth #1: Cervical fluid that stretches should be categorized as fertile (or “egg white”) fluid Here are some super common myths I’ve heard about cervical fluid, along with the RIGHT way to check, categorize, and decipher it. It has taken me YEARS of working with people every single day, reading every study I can find, and literally making periods my job to finally feel confident as heck about the characteristics that are truly universal when it comes to fertile cervical fluid.Ĭhanging the way I thought about fertile cervical fluid turned everything I first learned about fertility tracking on its head, and I’m hoping this post will do the same for you. But it’s really not anybody’s fault - there’s so much information floating around on the internet that it can be tricky to figure out what’s legit and what isn’t. I see it on every Facebook group I’m part of, and it frustrates me to no end. Not everyone’s fluid will fit neatly into one of the above categories, but many folks assume that just because their own fertile cervical fluid can be categorized in a certain way, someone else’s can be, too.īut these assumptions are doing people a disservice because so many of us turn to Facebook groups or other public forums to get advice and unknowingly end up walking away with incorrect information. So how the heck are we supposed to know what “fertile” cervical fluid actually is? If you’re not quite sure what cervical fluid is or want to learn about how and why it’s made, you can read up on cervical fluid here.Įveryone’s cervical fluid pattern is a little different, and it won’t always follow the stereotypical “sticky” → “creamy” → “egg white” → “watery” pattern that websites seem to portray as “normal”. Because we’re not taught about this stuff as kids, many of us don’t know what it is, let alone that it changes throughout the menstrual cycle! Whatever you want to call it, it can be hella confusing. Cervical fluid, cervical mucus, ovulation discharge, that goo in your underpants.
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