The fertile phase is very important for couples who want to have children, especially for women. And one of the signs of this phase is exactly fertile mucus, or as it is also known, egg white discharge. However, did you know that this mucus isn’t necessarily a discharge?
Most of the time, the presence of discharge means that something is wrong in the body, such as a disease1. That’s why “egg white discharge” isn’t the right term to use when referring to this fertile secretion. Ideally, it should be called egg white mucus. And egg white mucus is nothing more than the mucus from the woman’s fertile period, which shows that the body is ready for pregnancy at that moment.
Men are, theoretically, fertile every day and do not depend on a cycle. But women are not fertile every day of the menstrual cycle. That’s why nature sends signals when the body is getting ready or is already capable of conception.
Egg white mucus results from a very intense hormonal stimulation in the female body, which is quite different from the white mucus common throughout much of the cycle. The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of bright red bleeding. Then the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is released by the pituitary and starts to increase. This hormone is responsible for recruiting the follicles.
These follicles grow, as they have enough receptors for this, and then release estrogen. Estrogen produces a positive feedback on luteinizing hormone (LH). Then there is an LH surge, called the ovulatory peak, and this hormone is responsible for the production of progesterone.
When It Happens and Benefits of Egg White Mucus
Usually, egg white discharge appears on the first day of the fertile period. When the follicles reach about 20-24 mm, it is possible to feel the effects of hormones in the cervical mucus.
It is usually thick at first, like a gelatinous lump, and gradually becomes more flexible as the days go by. Some women, however, have much thinner mucus from the beginning, which is also completely normal. In fact, the soap-like mucus is the most fertile of all. It’s the type that doesn’t stretch and is very slippery.
However, this is not the only function of egg white discharge during the fertile period. Besides increasing the mobility of sperm, for example, egg white mucus can also nourish and keep them alive for quite a long time.
For women who produce little or no fertile mucus, there are special lubricating gels available to help with fertility. As well as improving lubrication, they also optimize the vaginal canal conditions for sperm. This is the case with FamiGel, for example, which has a texture identical to natural vaginal mucus.
If a man’s sperm is healthy, it can remain alive inside the body waiting for the egg for at least 48 hours2, and up to 4 days depending on the conditions. That’s why the fertile period is longer than just the day of ovulation itself, since the egg only survives about 24 hours in the body.
The lubrication from sexual arousal is not the same as egg white mucus, although they are similar in appearance. The fertile period can bring an increased sex drive for women, and the mucus will be more abundant. One tip to tell the difference is to rub a little of the secretion between your fingers. Fertile cervical mucus doesn’t dry out quickly, while arousal lubrication disappears rapidly.
The major hormonal stimulation during this phase is also responsible for thickening the endometrium. This is important to help with the implantation of the baby and to support the pregnancy. It’s in the endometrium where the embryo initially settles, until the placenta forms3.
Remember to have intercourse for a week starting from the first sign of egg white mucus, at least every other day to increase the chances of conception. Now, if getting pregnant is not the goal, then the recommendation is to avoid unprotected sex for 10 days.
