Does cervical mucus change when pregnant

Chart, Stages, Tracking & Fertility

Overview

Checking cervical mucus for fertility using your fingers.

What is cervical mucus?

Cervical mucus is a fluid produced by and released from the cervix (the opening to uterus). Hormones cause your cervical mucus to change in texture, volume and color throughout your menstrual cycle. It can be used to identify when you are most fertile.

Your mucus is thick, white and dry before ovulation (when your ovary releases an egg). Just before ovulation, your cervical mucus will turn clear and slippery. This consistency makes it easy for sperm to swim up to meet an egg at ovulation. If you want to get pregnant, this type of discharge tells you it's time for sex.

Some people chart their cervical mucus to tell them where they are in their cycle. Cervical mucus can tell you when you are fertile or most likely to conceive. It can also indicate when you are not fertile and pregnancy is less likely. This process is called the cervical mucus method of natural family planning.

Function

What does cervical mucus do?

Cervical mucus, or cervical fluid, has two jobs depending on where you are in your cycle. The first is to help sperm move through the cervix so it can fertilize an egg during ovulation. The second job is to prevent sperm or other substances from getting into the cervix.

What are the different types of cervical mucus?

Not every person will be the same, but your cervical mucus will resemble all or most of the following during your menstrual cycle:

Dry or no cervical fluid.
Sticky like paste. It can be white or yellow.
Creamy like yogurt. Smooth in texture and usually white.
Slippery, stretchy. Resembling raw egg whites.
Wet, watery and clear in color.

The type or texture of your cervical mucus will depend on what stage of your menstrual cycle you're in. Your mucus generally starts as dry or pasty before moving to a creamier texture. As ovulation nears, your discharge will become wet, stretchy and slippery. The most common analogy used for super fertile cervical mucus is looking and feeling like raw egg whites. If you see that texture, you will know you're at your most fertile time. After ovulation, your cervical mucus goes back to thick and dry.

How does cervical mucus help with conception?

Cervical mucus plays a key role in conception. The hormone estrogen peaks just before ovulation. This causes cervical mucus to change from pasty or creamy to resembling stretchy, raw egg whites. This wet, slippery discharge makes it easier for sperm to swim up the vagina and into the uterus to meet an egg. If you have sex at this time, you increase your chances of getting pregnant.

Think of your uterus as a swimming pool, your cervical mucus as water and the sperm as a person trying to swim. If the water was thick or mud-like, there's no way a person could swim through it to reach the other side of the pool. This is how hard it is for sperm to reach your fallopian tubes if your cervical mucus isn't fertile. It's easier for sperm to swim up the uterus to meet an egg for conception in thin, wet, egg white mucus.

How does cervical mucus change throughout my menstrual cycle?

The changes in cervical mucus happen as a result of hormones shifting throughout your menstrual cycle. Estrogen increases before ovulation and makes your cervix produce the fertile, egg white mucus. It's your body's way of making it easy for sperm to reach the egg it's about to release. After ovulation, estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels rise. This rise in progesterone helps the fertilized egg implant into your uterus if conception occurs. However, this causes your cervical mucus to begin to dry up.

If you have a 28-day menstrual cycle, your cervical mucus will generally follow this pattern:

Days 1-4 after your period ends: Dry or tacky. It can be white or yellow-tinged.
Days 4-6: Sticky. Slightly damp and white.
Days 7-9: Creamy, yogurt-like consistency. Wet and cloudy.
Days 10-14: Stretchy and resembles raw egg whites. Slippery and very wet.
Days 14-28: Dry until menstruation occurs.

Most women with a 28-day cycle ovulate around day 14. This is why your cervical mucus is slippery, stretchy and highly fertile just before the egg is released.

How long will I have egg white cervical mucus?

The egg white discharge lasts about four days. If your cycle is 28 days, the fertile cervical mucus occurs around days 10 to 14.

How does cervical mucus change during early pregnancy?

Changes in cervical mucus can be a sign of early pregnancy. After ovulation, your cervical mucus thickens or dries up, then you eventually get your period. However, if you conceived at ovulation, you may still produce some cervical mucus. This can indicate to some women that they might have conceived. In other cases, implantation bleeding occurs. Implantation cervical mucus is tinged brown or pink. This happens around your period, leading some people to think they didn't become pregnant.

It's important to note that every person is different and not everyone has implantation bleeding or noticeable changes in cervical mucus.

Anatomy

Where does cervical mucus come from?

Cervical mucus is produced by your cervix when the hormone estrogen rises. Your estrogen level begins low, then climbs to its peak at ovulation before dropping again. This is why you see the changes in your mucus instead of it being the same all the time.

What can cervical mucus look like?

Cervical mucus can look sticky, creamy, pasty, watery, stretchy or slippery. At your most fertile time, your mucus is slippery and watery. When you're not fertile, the mucus will be thick or pasty. Your cervical mucus is generally odorless. If it's foul-smelling, it could mean you have an infection. It's common for your mucus to be white, off-white or clear in color.

At certain times, especially if implantation has occurred, your discharge might be tinged with pink or brown. If this happens regularly, talk to your healthcare provider as it could be spotting between periods or signs of a problem.

Conditions and Disorders

What can cause changes to cervical mucus?

Certain factors can play a role in the amount of cervical mucus you have or what it looks like. Things that can affect your cervical mucus are:

Breastfeeding.
Sexual lubricants.
Hormonal birth control.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Other vaginal infections like yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.
Surgery on your cervix.
Medications.
Stress and diet.

How do you know if you have a problem with your cervical mucus?

If you check your cervical mucus and don't believe you see the slippery, fertile cervical mucus, it could be a sign of ovulatory problems, infection or other issues. Your healthcare provider will diagnose cervical mucus problems by performing a pelvic exam and discussing your health history and any medications you take. They'll examine your cervix for signs of infection, scarring or other conditions that could impact vaginal discharge.

Care

Are there medications to take to increase cervical mucus?

To naturally increase your cervical mucus, try increasing your water intake and eating more fruits and vegetables. Certain medications and vitamins are available that claim to increase cervical mucus. Before taking any supplements for cervical mucus production, talk to your healthcare provider. They will want to discuss issues you are having with conception and rule out any problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my cervical mucus?

You can check your cervical mucus a few different ways:

Use your fingers: With clean hands, place a finger in your vagina. Remove your finger and look at the mucus. You may need to use another finger to see if it stretches.
Check your underwear: Look at your underwear when you go the bathroom and note the discharge you see.
Use toilet paper: Using toilet paper is probably the least reliable method to check cervical mucus, but it can still be helpful. After urinating and wiping, check your toilet paper for cervical mucus.

Pay attention to how your cervical mucus looks and feels. Is it sticky, creamy, watery or dry? If it's dry or sticky, you're probably not fertile yet. If it's wet, slippery or soaking your underwear, you are likely fertile.

How do I start charting cervical mucus to get pregnant?

Charting or tracking your cervical mucus is called the cervical mucus method of family planning. Determining ovulation is one of the best tools you can have in your toolbox if you want to conceive.

To chart your cervical mucus, keep track of the changes you see each day — the amount, texture and color. It might be helpful to use a calendar and label days as pasty, creamy, wet or dry. You're most fertile around the time your mucus becomes slippery and wet, like raw egg whites. Once you see this type of mucus, it's time to have sex if conception is your goal. To prevent pregnancy, you should abstain from sex or use another method of birth control.

If you need help recognizing patterns or think your cervical mucus never reaches a fertile stage, talk to your healthcare provider for guidance.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Tracking your cervical mucus is a helpful way to track your menstrual cycle and identify when you're fertile. Learn how to check your vaginal discharge and note your findings, especially if you're trying to conceive. Cervical mucus alone isn't a reliable form of contraception, so if you don't wish to become pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider about more effective contraception. If you notice any foul-smelling discharge, speak with your healthcare provider so they can rule out any issues.

Cervical Mucus: An Early Pregnancy Sign?

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Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Erica Cirino on June 13, 2019

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Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Jun 13, 2019

Written By

Erica Cirino

Edited By

Alina Sharon

Medically Reviewed By

Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, COI

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Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Erica Cirino on June 13, 2019

Cervical discharge changes during pregnancy

Highest category, Ph.D. Sciences. Author of more than 30 scientific articles, 6 patents for inventions of the Russian Federation on topical issues of otolaryngology, ENT oncology, head and neck surgery, as well as the author of a method for surgical prevention of bleeding during tonsillectomy, which allows bloodless removal of the tonsils. Repeatedly took part, made presentations at Russian and international conferences and scientific forums.

Contents

Discharge associated with infections
Mucus in pregnancy diagnostics
Cervical mucus: why does the cervix produce it?
Evaluation of vaginal discharge
Changes in mucus during the cycle under the influence of hormones
Pink or brown discharge, blood on linen
What does cervical mucus look like in early pregnancy?

Discharge associated with infections

Profuse, thick, yellowish, cheesy, foul-smelling, and itchy discharge during pregnancy may indicate an infection in the vagina. The use of an antibacterial agent for the treatment of vulvovaginitis, colpitis, "thrush" in a pregnant woman should be agreed with the doctor. If, in parallel or immediately after the use of an antibacterial agent, a quick restoration of the vaginal lactoflora is not performed, it is possible to reactivate the conditionally pathogenic microflora, which will lead to an exacerbation of thrush or bacterial infections in the expectant mother.

Lactoginal vaginal capsules may be prescribed to restore the balance of beneficial microflora. This is a French drug with enhanced lactobacilli LCR, specially designed to restore the intimate microflora. Lactoginal can restore pH, vaginal microflora and protect against re-exacerbation of bacterial vaginosis and thrush. Two-stage therapy has recently become the gold standard for the treatment of conditions accompanied by pathological discharge. Many experts are sure that only such a method using Laktoginal at the second stage can provide a pronounced and long-term therapeutic effect, strengthen local immunity, which serves as a prevention of subsequent exacerbations.

Mucus in the diagnosis of pregnancy

The onset of pregnancy from the earliest stages causes a number of successive changes in the body, including changes in the density, color and position of the cervix, the activity of its glands that produce cervical mucus. Although a home test can confirm pregnancy most accurately, observing changes in the cervical mucosa, the nature of vaginal discharge, will help in establishing a joyful fact. If a woman is perfectly healthy, she does not have inflammatory processes in the vagina and cervix, changes in the nature of the discharge during the period when menstruation should begin can help determine pregnancy.

Cervical mucus: why does the cervix produce it?

Cervical mucus is a gel-like fluid secreted by glands in and around the cervix. Throughout the entire menstrual cycle, the cervix undergoes certain changes caused by fluctuations in sex hormones. The mucus produced by the cervix performs a number of protective functions: it helps to lubricate and moisturize, cleanse and nourish the mucous membranes of the vagina and cervical canal. Hormonal changes during the reproductive cycle affect the amount and consistency of mucus produced. Thus, observing changes in the nature of the discharge can help a woman in determining the day of ovulation and planning for conception, and then in determining pregnancy.

Evaluation of vaginal discharge

Tracking changes in mucus throughout her own menstrual cycle helps a woman determine the days of ovulation. And if pregnancy is planned, its changes also allow you to assess whether conception has occurred.

There are several ways to control the consistency and nature of mucus:

Using toilet paper. Before urinating, you need to wipe the exit from the vagina with a piece of white toilet paper. It is necessary to check the color of the discharge, the feeling of stickiness, viscosity and consistency of mucus, the presence of impurities, pathological inclusions.
Checking panty gusset. This is the simplest method for evaluating excretions. Usually the volume of mucus increases during approaching ovulation, but this is not always noticeable on underwear due to the rapid absorption of fluid.
Finger method. This is the most accurate method for assessing changes in the nature of cervical mucus. Wash your hands thoroughly using soap and water. Then you need to insert two fingers into the vagina and after a few seconds them. You can then check the stickiness, color and consistency of the discharge of the cervix and vagina visually.

Changes in mucus during the cycle under the influence of hormones

To determine the changes in cervical mucus during the first days of pregnancy, a woman must understand how the consistency of secretions changes during a normal menstrual cycle. The work of the glands is commanded by sex hormones, their fluctuations lead to regular changes in the activity of the mucous membranes.

If these are the first days after menstruation, the mucus has no color, its volume is very small.
One week after the end of the bleeding, closer to ovulation, hormones increase the activity of the glands, the discharge is thick and whitish.
On the day of ovulation, when the chances of conception are highest, the discharge is clear, watery and copious.
In the third week of the menstrual cycle, 4-5 days after ovulation, the discharge becomes cloudy, thick and sticky. This is due to a decrease in the activity of hormones.
On days when menstruation is about to begin, changes in the volume and consistency of mucus can tell whether pregnancy has occurred or not.

Pink or brown discharge, blood on linen

Pink or brown discharge, blood spots occur in early pregnancy, between 6 and 12 days of pregnancy. This is due to implantation bleeding, which occurs when the embryo implants into the wall of the uterus. Blood is released from damaged vessels, but there is very little of it. Sometimes there will be no spots during implantation - this is also normal. But it is important to know that blood or pink discharge can appear not only during implantation, it is possible due to ovarian cysts and hormonal changes. Brown discharge at the end of the cycle, a delay and a negative pregnancy test are a reason to see a doctor. Perhaps the blood appears due to the presence of serious pathologies.

What does cervical mucus look like in early pregnancy?

Cervical mucus in early pregnancy may be whitish-creamy, thick and sticky. In the first days of the delay, vaginal discharge intensifies and thickens, which is usually considered a sign of pregnancy. Elevated estrogen stimulates blood flow to the pelvic area, which leads to increased mucus production.

During the first weeks of pregnancy, the work of the cervix also naturally changes. Normally, the volume of discharge in the first trimester increases, and eventually it turns into a mucous plug that blocks the opening of the cervix, thereby protecting the baby from infections. The cork leaves already before childbirth, separating in the form of large lumps or small pieces.

Changes in the cervix during pregnancy

Pregnancy is always pleasant, but sometimes not planned. And not all women have time to prepare for it, to be fully examined before its onset. And the detection of diseases of the cervix already during pregnancy can be an unpleasant discovery.

The cervix is the lower segment of the uterus in the form of a cylinder or cone. In the center is the cervical canal, one end of which opens into the uterine cavity, and the other into the vagina. On average, the length of the cervix is 3–4 cm, the diameter is about 2.5 cm, and the cervical canal is closed. The cervix has two parts: lower and upper. The lower part is called the vaginal, because it protrudes into the vaginal cavity, and the upper part is supravaginal, because it is located above the vagina. The cervix is connected to the vagina through the vaginal fornices. There is an anterior arch - short, posterior - deeper and two lateral ones. Inside the cervix passes the cervical canal, which opens into the uterine cavity with an internal pharynx, and is clogged with mucus from the side of the vagina. Mucus is normally impervious to infections and microbes, or to spermatozoa. But in the middle of the menstrual cycle, the mucus thins and becomes permeable to sperm.

Outside, the surface of the cervix has a pinkish tint, it is smooth and shiny, durable, and from the inside it is bright pink, velvety and loose.

The cervix during pregnancy is an important organ, both in anatomical and functional terms. It must be remembered that it promotes the process of fertilization, prevents infection from entering the uterine cavity and appendages, helps to "endure" the baby and participates in childbirth. That is why regular monitoring of the condition of the cervix during pregnancy is simply necessary.

During pregnancy, a number of physiological changes occur in this organ. For example, a short time after fertilization, its color changes: it becomes cyanotic. The reason for this is the extensive vascular network and its blood supply. Due to the action of estriol and progesterone, the tissue of the cervix becomes soft. During pregnancy, the cervical glands expand and become more branched.

Screening examination of the cervix during pregnancy includes: cytological examination, smears for flora and detection of infections. Cytological examination is often the first key step in the examination of the cervix, since it allows to detect very early pathological changes that occur at the cellular level, including in the absence of visible changes in the cervical epithelium. The examination is carried out to identify the pathology of the cervix and the selection of pregnant women who need a more in-depth examination and appropriate treatment in the postpartum period. When conducting a screening examination, in addition to a doctor's examination, a colposcopy may be recommended. As you know, the cervix is covered with two types of epithelium: squamous stratified from the side of the vagina and single-layer cylindrical from the side of the cervical canal. Epithelial cells are constantly desquamated and end up in the lumen of the cervical canal and in the vagina. Their structural characteristics make it possible, when examined under a microscope, to distinguish healthy cells from atypical ones, including cancerous ones.

During pregnancy, in addition to physiological changes in the cervix, some borderline and pathological processes may occur.

Under the influence of hormonal changes that occur in a woman's body during the menstrual cycle, cyclic changes also occur in the cells of the epithelium of the cervical canal. During the period of ovulation, the secretion of mucus by the glands of the cervical canal increases, and its qualitative characteristics change. With injuries or inflammatory lesions, sometimes the glands of the cervix can become clogged, a secret accumulates in them and cysts form - Naboth follicles or Naboth gland cysts that have been asymptomatic for many years. Small cysts do not require any treatment. And pregnancy, as a rule, is not affected. Only large cysts that strongly deform the cervix and continue to grow may require opening and evacuation of the contents. However, this is very rare and usually requires monitoring during pregnancy.

Quite often, in pregnant women, during a mirror examination of the vaginal part, polyps cervix. The occurrence of polyps is most often associated with a chronic inflammatory process. As a result, a focal proliferation of the mucosa is formed, sometimes with the involvement of muscle tissue and the formation of a pedicle. They are mostly asymptomatic. Sometimes they are a source of blood discharge from the genital tract, more often of contact origin (after sexual intercourse or defecation). The size of the polyp is different - from millet grain rarely to the size of a walnut, their shape also varies. Polyps are single and multiple, their stalk is located either at the edge of the external pharynx, or goes deep into the cervical canal. Sometimes during pregnancy there is an increase in the size of the polyp, in some cases quite fast. Rarely, polyps first appear during pregnancy. The presence of a polyp is always a potential threat of miscarriage, primarily because it creates favorable conditions for ascending infection. Therefore, as a rule, more frequent monitoring of the cervix follows. The tendency to trauma, bleeding, the presence of signs of tissue necrosis and decay, as well as questionable secretions require special attention and control. Treatment of cervical polyps is only surgical and during pregnancy, in most cases, treatment is postponed until the postpartum period, since even large polyps do not interfere with childbirth.

The most common pathology of the cervix in women is erosion . Erosion is a defect in the mucous membrane. True erosion is not very common. The most common pseudo-erosion (ectopia) is a pathological lesion of the cervical mucosa, in which the usual flat stratified epithelium of the outer part of the cervix is replaced by cylindrical cells from the cervical canal. Often this happens as a result of mechanical action: with frequent and rough sexual intercourse, desquamation of the stratified squamous epithelium occurs. Erosion is a multifactorial disease. The reasons may be:

genital infections, vaginal dysbacteriosis and inflammatory diseases of the female genital area;
is an early onset of sexual activity and frequent change of sexual partners. The mucous membrane of the female genital organs finally matures by the age of 20-23. If an infection interferes with this delicate process, erosion is practically unavoidable;
is a cervical injury. The main cause of such injuries is, of course, childbirth and abortion;
hormonal disorders;
, cervical pathology may also occur with a decrease in the protective functions of immunity.

The presence of erosion does not affect pregnancy in any way, as well as pregnancy on erosion. Treatment during pregnancy consists in the use of general and local anti-inflammatory drugs for inflammatory diseases of the vagina and cervix. And in most cases, just dynamic observation is enough. Surgical treatment is not carried out throughout the entire pregnancy, since the excess of risks and benefits is significant, and after treatment during childbirth, there may be problems with opening the cervix.

Almost all women with various diseases of the cervix safely bear and happily give birth to beautiful babies!

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