New Health Guide
The cervix is the womb’s opening, located in between the uterus and vagina. The cervix plays an integral role in conception and many women actually track the position of their cervix to identify if conception has taken place. The cervix contains a mucous and this is called the cervical mucus. You can also keep track of the consistency of the mucous to confirm pregnancy. How to check cervix in early pregnancy and mucus to tell if you are pregnant or not?
How to Test
You can use your cervix position to test for pregnancy. This requires inserting a finger into the vagina, and most people use the middle finger as it is the longest. You need to ensure that your hands are clean and it’s best to do this exercise after taking a shower so as to minimize the risk of developing an infection.
Cervical Position During Ovulation
During ovulation, the cervix normally drops to a lower level in the vagina and you can actually feel its firmness which resembles the nose tip. Many women have reported feeling the low position of the cervix a week before menstruation while others say that they feel a soft and tender cervix. After ovulation, the cervix drops and hardens and this is also known as the low cervix.
Cervical Position During Pregnancy
With early pregnancy, the position of the cervix rises back, but it will not go as far back as it was before pregnancy. You will also notice that the cervix softens or ripens as some people will say and you can easily feel these changes using your finger. What you need to know pertaining the cervix and pregnancy is that a pregnant cervix tends to be soft, while a non-pregnant one is hard and more like a fruit that is not ripe. The reason why the cervix softens with pregnancy is because it becomes bloated with blood early in pregnancy. It’s important to note that not everyone will be able to feel the cervix as it is usually at the end of the vagina. In order to get the hung of this process, we recommend that you keep a daily journal of the position of your cervix.
You need to remember that the cervix naturally rises with pregnancy; however the timing of the rise will vary amongst women. Usually, the cervix rise will occur just days after conception and this too could vary amongst different women. In some cases, it may not rise within the first month of pregnancy. One of the things you also need to be on the lookout for is vaginal discharge which progresses with pregnancy. However, cervical mucus is usually at a minimum, and this is due to cervix closing after pregnancy to facilitate fetal development.
Cervical Mucus During Ovulation
The cervical mucus will change its texture and consistency when one is approaching ovulation. Usually, the mucous is torpid in texture and after ovulation it becomes dry and a bit grainy as well. The cervical mucus lightens during ovulation to become watery so as to allow easy access for sperms to travel for fertilization. Women who regularly check their cervical mucus are able to identify the right time to conceive.
Cervical Mucus During Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, her entire body changes and the cervical mucus is one of the major changes. During the first stages of pregnancy, the consistency cervical mucus differs amongst women. In some women, the cervical mucus will be thick and sticky as it was during menstruation. In other women, it will have the same consistency as that of the ovulation phase and it will remain watery and light. The changes on the cervical mucus become more evident as pregnancy continues and vaginal discharge tends to increase over the course of the pregnancy.
Implantation Bleeding
Implantation bleeding may also occur and this is often mistaken for menstruation. Implantation bleeding takes on a brownish, pink color and while this occurs during pregnancy it is not very common. That said; this is one of the greater signs of early pregnancy and it is recommended that you take a home pregnancy test or visit your doctor for proper and more accurate pregnancy diagnosis.
Notes
Some women have mastered the art of using their cervix to identify signs of a pregnancy; in others however it’s not very easy. Like we have mentioned, cervical changes differ from woman to woman and due to these variations, it’s recommended that you do not solely rely on checking your cervix and the cervical mucus to identify pregnancy. Women need to be very careful when using the texture of the cervical mucus and its position to determine pregnancy since this is not a very reliable method to use. There are easier ways to tell whether or not you are pregnant and these include having a pregnancy test conducted by your physician or purchasing a home pregnancy test kit form your local pharmacy.
Checking your cervix is a simple yet distinct method that can be very useful, not only in identifying pregnancy, but also directing you on the ideal times to conceive. It helps to have a fertility chart or journal to closely monitor your cervical position and changes. Assessing your body changes is highly important when trying to identify whether or not you are pregnant, there are many other bodily changes to tell if you are pregnant, watch the following video for more.
A Guide to Checking For Early Signs of Pregnancy:
