What Happens to Vaginal Discharge during Ovulation?

The changes that occur in vaginal discharge during ovulation may vary from woman to woman. The average woman, however, will notice that her discharge becomes more clear and wet or slick during this time. Often, people refer to the discharge that is present during ovulation as egg white cervical mucus because the discharge is a consistency that resembles egg whites. Often, the discharge is also more elastic during this time, which means a person may stretch it between two fingers without having it break.

Each woman's bodily response to ovulation may vary somewhat. The hormonal changes that happen during ovulation do have generally the same effect on most women, however. The average woman will notice that her discharge gradually becomes clearer and less sticky as she approaches ovulation. Most women will also note that it becomes wetter and even slick right around the time that they are at their most fertile.

Interestingly, the typical discharge during ovulation is often referred to as egg white cervical mucus. This is because the cervical mucus a woman has at this time often resembles the look and feel of egg whites. When this type of mucus is plentiful, a woman may notice it as discharge. Some women, however, are unaware of its presence because it remains in the vagina.

If a woman has egg white cervical mucus during ovulation time, she may notice that it differs from other discharge in terms of more than just appearance and feel. It also differs in terms of stretchiness. During most of a woman's cycle, her discharge usually does not stretch. On some days, it may seem creamy while on others it may feel sticky or even dry. When a woman is at her most fertile, however, she may find that she can stretch the egg-white-like discharge between two fingers. This type of discharge during ovulation won't typically break and may actually spring back when released.

It is important to note that some women do not have egg-white-like discharge during ovulation. This can occur for a number of reasons. For example, an imbalance of hormones might interfere with typical vaginal discharge changes. Additionally, egg white cervical mucus seems to become more scanty as some women age. Some women also have egg white discharge that is present before ovulation but seems to dry up before the egg is released; others have lotion-like or creamy discharge at this time.