Billings Ovulation Method

» mercury931 - A question about mucus

I've been thinking about getting rid of the Pill for many reasons. Most particular is that I'm learning lots of things about it that I didn't know before. I'm curious, after reading about the Billings Method, does mucus always mean it's your fertile period (ie. even if you are on the pill)? If I'm on the pill am I suppose to have that same "fertile period discharge"?

I always thought mucus was just a natural part of the process (which it is) but never considered it was something that wasn't suppose to happen when on the pill. Of course I also used to think you didn't ovulate on the pill either but a 3 cm ovarian cyst (benign) has taught me otherwise.

Thanks for the help

-- posted by mercury931

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» butterfly8 - Re: A question about mucus

In response to message posted by mercury931:

Thanks for reading the Billings article and for your interest in this topic. I must confess that I know very little about the birth control pill. I have no personal experience with it (except for one attempt at the pill years ago to alleviate terrible menstrual cramps, but the first pill made me so violently ill, even though the doctor said that was impossible, that I never took another!) and no research experience with it. However, my understanding is that mucus while on the pill *should* not be fertile. (Of course, there are always small failure rates.) Do you notice a change in your mucus patterns or do you just have a constant light mucus pattern (the latter would most likely be infertile)? Does anyone else out there (pill users or others) have insight or experience with this? If you don't mind, I'm going to refer this question to Debbi Craig, the suite101 CE for the birth control topic. She knows A LOT about this stuff. (Thanks, Debbi, I'm really putting you on the spot. :-) )

I'm sorry to hear that you had an ovarian cyst. My understanding is that you don't have to ovulate to have a cyst. For example, women with PCOS often have many maturing follicles which never ovulate and then turn into cysts. I don't know your particular situation, however -- did your doctor give you an ultrasound and tell you that you had ovulated?

Good luck with your decision about birth control! If you should decide to discontinue the pill, consider taking zinc, magnesium, essential fatty acids (like flax seed oil or evening primrose oil), vitamin E, and B vitamins to help your body recover and return to normal cycles.

Thanks for your question, and I hope that my response, Debbi's response, and any readers' responses will be helpful to you.

Kristin Steinmetz
CE, Natural Family Planning

-- posted by butterfly8

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» ttcweb - Re: A question about mucus

Well, let me see if I can answer this question without totally confusing any readers :D

First there are different kinds of cysts (the one associated with ovulation are called corpus lutem cysts) and these are present from ovulation to just after your period starts. It is present to help 'support' a developing fetus if pregnancy occurs. If pregnancy does not occur then the cyst will disappear, usually during your period. This is a good page with information on the different types of cysts http://www.indiandoctors.com/diseases/ov... and might help to explain better then I can.

The pill primarily prevents ovulation, but it does other things to a woman's body to help prevent pregnancy from occuring. If the pill is not taken at the same time each day (this is especially true of the mini-pill) then ovulation can occur. If ovulation occurs then you may experience cervical fluid that looks like egg whites. It will be clear and will stretch, this is very fertile cervical fluid and the sperm cells can travel easily in this. Other types of 'fertile' cervical fluid include opaque and stretchy, streaked (some white, some clear) and stretchy, creamy and/or lotion like may look milky too, may have some stretch to it. During all of these types of cervical fluid you should consider yourself fertile IF you are not using birth control. Even though the pill regulates your hormones, you may still have some 'fertile' cervical fluid, but you should not experience any egg white, opaque or streaked cervical fluid. This is mostly because your body is 'preparing' to ovulate. Even in women that have anovulatory cycles (they don't ovulate) they may still experience the different types of fertile cervical fluids.

The pill should create thick, non-stretchy, types of cervical fluid. While taking the pill you should not experience any 'wet' feelings associated with cervical fluids. If you are taking the pill each day at the same time, and you are also experiencing a wet feeling along with fertile types of cervical fluids, you should then either talk to your health care provider about a different form of birth control (if using the mini-pill switch to the combined pill).

While taking the pill, your cervical fluid should either not be present (dry), or if it is present should be limited to the following types - crumbly or gummy feeling, thick (no stretch at all), very light (not much) but clear or somewhat white (no stretch), sticky (no stretch at all), or very watery (with no stretch), general vaginal sensation should be a feeling of being dry or moist, but not wet.

I hope that I have been able to answer your questions (hopefully with out creating too many more :D). Simply put, some cervical fluid is to be expected, but it should not be wet feeling or have any stretch to it.

Hope I have helped, and do let me know if you have any additional questions.

Best Wishes,

-- posted by ttcweb

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