Secondary Fertility Signs
©
No, it's not a curse word from a foreign language. Instead, it's a classic secondary fertility sign.
Your three primary fertility signs -- basal body temperature, cervical fluid, and cervical position - give you all the information you need to chart your fertility reliably and comfortably. However, some women are fortunate enough to experience secondary fertility signs, which provide additional information to help determine fertile and infertile times.
These signs are called "secondary" because not all women experience them and not all women who experience them experience them each cycle. Secondary fertility signs can help you determine the general time of ovulation, but they can't be relied upon alone.
Some typical secondary fertility signs include:
Mittelschmerz - or "midpain," which could include a sharp pain or dull crampiness around the time of ovulation. This pain is believed to come from the swelling of follicles in the ovaries, the release of the egg through the ovarian wall, or the irritation of the abdominal lining. Some women swear they know the moment their egg is released because it is accompanied by a sharp, shooting pain from one ovary. However, all we can say with certainty is that midcycle pain occurs around the time of ovulation. Midpain is helpful in confirming other fertility signs, but it probably can't pinpoint the exact moment of ovulation. By the way, if you experience severe abdominal pain, or pain at other times in your cycle, be sure to discuss it with your doctor.
Midcycle Spotting - might include a few spots of blood or might seem like a light period. Midcycle spotting is more likely in longer cycles and is believed to be due to a sudden drop in estrogen right before ovulation.
"Personalized"Signs - or signs that are uniquely yours. A friend of mine gets a horrible headache every month around the time of ovulation. I experience a welcome burst of energy and creativity. Many women discover that ovulation is accompanied by an increased sexual drive and physical sensitivity. Do you have a secondary fertility sign that is all your own?
Whatever secondary fertility sign(s) you may experience (and some women experience none at all), be sure to chart them and become familiar with your personal fertility pattern. Although you cannot rely on secondary fertility signs with the same certainty as primary fertility signs, secondary signs do provide useful information and help you confirm when ovulation occurs.
Go To Page: 1
