Watching ovulation periods is necessary for women who are having difficulties conceiving. Certain symptoms such as a high temperature and vaginal fluids are indications of ovulation. These signs are also beneficial for women using the rhythm method to avoid pregnancy. Ovulation can be monitored using journals and calendars to ensure a woman's fertility days are detected.
Basal Temperature
Basal temperature changes happen throughout the menstrual cycle. When women are in their ovulation period, the basal temperature rises approximately 0.4 degrees F. It's important to have a thermometer that shows small fractions of a temperature, because the rise in measurement is only .4 degrees. Women who are carefully monitoring their fertility time should use a thermometer every morning when waking. The temperature should also be taken before eating or beginning daily activities to ensure accuracy. Temperature measurements can be taken orally or rectally.
Cervical Mucus
When the woman's body prepares for the egg, the uterus mucus lining changes. These changes can be detected by inserting one finger into the vagina and observing the consistency and color of the mucus from the cervix. The cervix mucus becomes more sticky, clear and stringy. After the period, the mucus is cloudy and less is present on the cervix. These differences can be used to detect ovulation periods for fertility. Women who are trying to get pregnant should have sex every day or every other day after observing vaginal mucus changes.
Pain and Personality
Some other changes occur that are noticeably different during ovulation periods. Women have hormonal changes, and doctors can provide detection kits to detect hormone levels. Women can also detect ovulation periods when their breasts become tender. The breasts may be tender to touch. Women also have an increased sexual desire during this time, which helps during fertility attempts. Pain in the side is common, which is called mittelschmerz. This occurs when the ovary releases an egg. One ovary releases an egg at a time, so the side that is painful is the ovary releasing an egg down the Fallopian tubes.
