Discharge Question

[JodiM]

OK, I know this is probably redundant... even more so because I have 4 kids.. but I am very curious.

Does the discharge/secretions that I get every month mean I am ovulating?

I have always assumed it did, because it always happened about 11-14 days after AF.. but I am not really sure.

[Palmetto210]

Hi Jodi,

From what you shared, the secretions you're observing is a postive sign that your body is fertile around those days. It may/may not mean you ovulated. These sensations are likely Cervical Fluid, or Cervical Mucus (CM), and are caused by an increased level of estrogen in your body. As the estrogen tapers off, and the progesteone increases, you may notice a sticky/tacky sensation, then a drying up before menses. Some women notice a return of that same secretion a day or so before their period starts. This is because the progesterone levels are dipping, which allows the estrogen to dominate once again.

If what you have is an extended phase where you notice CM, and there is no drying up, then you may not have ovulated. Once the ovum is released, it leaves behind a corpus luteum (Latin for yellow body), kind of like a shell...and it is this shell that produces progesterone, which in turn dries up the CM. Hope this isn't too detailed, but I wanted to give you a solid answer. :)

Palmetto

[JodiM]

Thank you for all the detail, now I feel like I am in the 'know'.