CM Fluid

[Jill]

Can you have egg white cm that isn't fertile? I am still waiting for ppaf but last week I had a ton of egg white cm...is it fertile or not fertile...this week, nothing!

[savedbygrace]

As far as I remember reading any ewcm should be considered fertile cm. Now sometimes the next day after bd you'll have what looks like ewcm but it is the left overs from the night before (ewwww sounds so gross)

[Eva]

Yeah, I would consider it fertile too. But if you had it last week then it's probably still to early to get AF this week. A normal lutuel phase is 12-16 days. So I would give it another week and you might just see AF or a BFP!

[Jill]

so if i don't get af by next week, I should test? we definitly bd'd a few times when I noticed the cm change...but i have a history of always thinking i am preggos before ppaf returns so i am just going to be patient and wait until hmmm...next thursday...hold me to it, ladies!!!

[BlessedMommy]

EWCM is fertile. If you're looking for a baby, definitely a good time to BD!

KUP!

[JRBL]

Now what's interesting is that in my book about charting your fertility it says you *can* have ewcm but NOT be fertile, which is why it stresses taking temp and charting your cervix too... if all three elements say you're fertile then chances are slim that you are NOT. Ruth- Is my book totally off there? That's why I made sure I checked all three every day this past cycle... for best BD timing. ;)

I had ewcm for the last three cycles before this past one, but never got pg... and I'm pretty sure I maybe only ovulated the past two cycles... sooo... but the book also says that if you're trying to prevent, then to just consider any and all ewcm as being fertile. Kinda sounds like a double standard but I understand the thinking... if you're TTC then you need to temp, chart your cervix and chart cm just to find your best day... and if you're trying to prevent you would be extra cautious about that ewcm no matter what. Hope you get a BFP Gal!

[Eva]

Well, the body is a very complex thing. Some women can get all the signs of ovulation without actually ovulating. While other women can get no signs of ovulation but still ovulate. EWCM usually indicates fertility but it's no gaurantee, that's why taking your temps help as a temp shift will show you if you actually ovulated. I think for most women EWCM is fertile but there are those women who do get EWCM without actually ovulating.

[JRBL]

OKay, thanks Eva. I didn't mean to hijack the post but since it was brought up I thought I'd ask, since I had been wondering already anyway! :)

[savedbygrace]

This is my understand and what I've always heard:

Ovulation and Cervical Mucus

As ovulation approaches, your cervical mucus (sometimes abbreviated on BBT charts as CM) changes from a consistency not-so-kind to sperm, to a more fertile variety that sperm can survive and swim through better. Right after ovulation, the cervical mucus changes back to the less fertile kind.
While everyone's body is different, the general changes that cervical mucus go through are dry or sticky, to creamy, to wet, to a raw egg white consistency, and then, back to dry and sticky.
When your cervical mucus is in the wet or egg white consistency stage, ovulation is approaching. This is the best time to have sex, if you want to get pregnant.
How to Check Your Cervical Mucus:


First, wash and dry your hands well.
Find a comfortable position, either by sitting on the toilet, squatting, or standing up and putting one leg up on the bathtub edge or toilet seat.
Reach one finger inside your vagina; your index or middle finger is probably best. (Be careful not to scratch yourself.) Depending on how much cervical mucus you're producing, you may not need to reach so far, but getting a sample from near your cervix (http://infertility.about.com/od/infertilityglossary/g/cervix.htm) is ideal.

Remove your finger from your vagina and observe the consistency of whatever mucus you find. Do this by both looking at the mucus and rolling what you find between two fingers (usually your thumb and index finger). Also, try pressing your fingers together and then slowly moving them apart.

If what you find seems sticky, or findings are scant, you're probably not ovulating yet.
If what you find is creamy, ovulation may be coming, but not just yet.
If what you find is wet, watery, and slightly stretchy, ovulation is very likely close. Find time for some baby-making sex.
If what you find is very wet, stretches between your fingers for an inch or more, and resembles raw egg white, your cervical mucus is very fertile. Ovulation is right around the corner, and now is the ideal time for intercourse.

If you are charting your BBT, you should mark down on your chart your cervical mucus findings. Abbreviations often used are S for sticky, C for creamy, W for wet, and EW for egg-white cervical mucus.
Tips:


Don't check your cervical mucus during or right after sex, or when you're feeling sexually aroused.
You can also check your cervical mucus by looking at the toilet paper or your underwear, but sometimes you can get a better sample by reaching inside, as described above.
If you have trouble finding anything, checking your cervical mucus after a bowel movement may be easier. (Don't forget to wash your hands well.)
Some women, especially those with PCOS (http://infertility.about.com/od/infertilityglossary/g/pcos.htm), have several patches of fertile-looking cervical mucus throughout their cycle. If this is your situation, predicting ovulation by tracking cervical mucus might not work well for you. Taking your BBT will help you pinpoint which patch of fertile mucus was related to ovulation.
Some drugs, including antihistamines and, ironically, Clomid (http://infertility.about.com/od/infertilitytreatments/a/clomid101.htm), can dry up your cervical mucus. In this case, you might not find as much fertile cervical mucus before ovulation.
If you never or rarely notice wet or egg-white consistency cervical mucus, let your doctor know. Infertility can sometimes be caused by something referred to as hostile cervical mucus (http://infertility.about.com/od/infertilityglossary/g/hostilemucus.htm).
Some women notice that their cervical mucus becomes wet or almost egg-white like again right before menstruation. Obviously, this isn't a sign of impending ovulation.
A day or two after sexual intercourse, you may confuse semen with wet cervical mucus. With experience, you can learn how to differentiate the two. But for the purposes of getting pregnant, assume that you may be approaching ovulation and mark your calendar or chart accordingly.