Ah, ladies, in the struggle to get pregnant we end up forgetting a super important ally: mucus! Yes, cervical mucus can help when you are trying to conceive, did you know? It can help those trying to conceive figure out which hormonal phase they are in and if ovulation is near yet.
You know that whitish mucus we see when we do the swab test or cervix test?
When does mucus appear?
When we menstruate, the body releases progesterone. In some cases, it starts right after menstruation ends. Once the bleeding, spotting and everything else finishes, the whitish mucus begins. This mucus is caused by progesterone and is a sign that the body has continued its cycle1.
As the time to ovulate approaches, the body starts releasing another hormone that matures the follicle and, consequently, the egg. Eventually, fertile period mucus is gel-like and slippery, and it looks similar to egg white. This mucus is very rich in vitamins and minerals.
It has a temperature and consistency that favors sperm survival inside the uterus for up to 72 hours! In some rare cases, it can survive for up to 110 hours, but only under very, very favorable conditions.
When to have intercourse?
So what’s the “secret trick”? Have sex every other day. But if that is still not enough, know that some doctors recommend having sex only on the right days, to give time for the sperm “reservoir” to refill. But I’ve seen several cases of women who have sex every day during the fertile period and it works very well.
Use of Lubricants
It may happen that a woman doesn’t have enough cervical mucus to favor pregnancy. What to do in these cases? Nowadays there are some gel lubricants that can help by acting as mucus and even helping sperm to move better2.
There are some brands that can only be found abroad at a higher price, others can be found here. Even so, it’s worth investing in them since they are appropriate for conception. Some of these lubricating gels are:
- Conceive Plus (also in the Easy version)
- Zestica Fertility
- Yes Baby
- FamiGel
I have already tried Pre-seed and really liked the results. I read the package insert and it says it contains some vitamins like calcium and magnesium, and it also has the right alkalinity for semen survival3.
Most of these lubricants are water-based and therefore do not harm the sperm. Of course, they don’t have the same vitamins and the same consistency as natural lubrication, but they help a lot for those who have little mucus.
Think about your needs and how important this investment is for you. Whenever you see stretchy mucus, have plenty of sex! It is a sign that ovulation is very close.
Good luck and see you soon!
See also: Billings Method
