Sometimes, deciding what category your cervical fluid falls into is not so black and white. Maybe it’s kind of sticky, yet kind of runny at the same time, or maybe it was creamy in the morning, then eggwhite in the afternoon, then creamy again in the evening, and you have no idea what to enter in the app. Or maybe it doesn’t seem to fit into ANY of Kindara’s categories, and you find yourself scrutinizing your underpants for wayyy longer than you expected to, and you’re busy as it is, and OH MY GOD WHY IS THIS SO CONFUSING.
Has this ever happened to you?
If not, you can probably skip the rest of this blog post. But if so, you’re in luck! ‘Cause I’m here to help :)
First, go back and read this awesome article by our co-founder Kati, which gives a reeeally in-depth explanation of what the different categories of cervical fluid in the app mean. Keep in mind that the four categories in the app are broad terms that are meant to encompass a broad range of cervical fluid descriptions. So for instance, ‘creamy’ can mean a lot of things – according to Kati’s article, it can apply to CF that is “milky, cloudy, like hand lotion, yogurt, whole milk, or heavy cream”.
If your cervical fluid appears to be two of the categories at once (like eggwhite AND watery), you can record both of those categories in the app. Likewise, if you experience more than one type of cervical fluid in the same day, you can mark all of the types of cervical fluid that you experienced that day in the app. In terms of your fertility, assume that your cervical fluid for that day was the most fertile type you observed. The app will always record the most fertile CF on your chart.
Even if your cervical fluid doesn’t exactly follow the pattern of None -> Sticky -> Creamy -> Eggwhite -> Watery -> Creamy/Sticky/None, this doesn’t mean you’re not ovulating. The most important thing that you’re looking for is a pattern of changes in your cervical fluid that goes from dry -> wet as you approach ovulation, and then back to dry after ovulation occurs. The wetter/stretchier the CF, the more fertile you are.
Questions? Comments? Still not sure how to mark your cervical fluid in the app? Let me know in the comments section, I’ll get back to you :)
Comments
25 comments
Hi, my CF is becoming very frustrating to determine which category it belongs to... What if it's a mix of creamy and egg white but with small chunks? Is this a problem?
Hi bridgetcoop, when tracking your CF, always mark the most fertile type of CF you noticed for that day. So from your description, that would be eggwhite. You can describe your CF in more detail in the Journal section of the app.
Having different types of cervical fluid at the same time doesn't mean there's a problem - but to get a better idea of what's going on, it would be useful to know where you are in your cycle. If you're approaching ovulation, seeing a mixture of creamy and eggwhite is totally normal! Also, if you've just come off the Pill, this is normal as well.
If your CF is all over the place throughout your cycle, this could indicate a hormone imbalance. Here's an article with some useful info about how to regulate your hormones/cycles: https://kindara.zendesk.com/entries/23651868-How-To-Regulate-Your-Period
Hi I've been tracking and up to o I got wetter and wetter then went back to sticky/dry. Since 3dpo however I've been spotting and cramping a light pinky or brow colour and my temps are still up. I'm 8dpo now. Is this normal?
Hi Jessica,
Hm, unfortunately it's not possible for me to say what's going on here. Because the spotting has been going on for several days, you may want to contact your doctor to rule out any medical issues.
Hi on cycle day 24 I woke up that morning feeling very wet cervical fluid. Since then I have had very light blood mixed with the cervical fluid for the next two days but then back to virtually no cf at all? Any ideas what causes this? And should I record this as light mestruation? I'm due my actual period in around 4-6 days.(heavy bleeding)
This wet mucus with a hint of blood has happened for the past 3 months? The doctor has done some checks and tests which all came back clear. I want to make sure I'm recording it properly to get the best charting for ovulation and lutal phase
Thanks
Hi there,
Hm, the wet CF with light blood sounds like it may just be pre-menstrual spotting. If it's very light (not enough to warrant the use of a tampon and wouldn't soak through a pad), then it's spotting, not menstruation. We'll be adding a spotting feature to the app VERY soon - however in the meantime you can keep track of spotting with the Custom Data section of the app. To do this, create a row titled 'Spotting' and tap it on the days that it applies.
Hi Courtney,
I just started charting and am still learning the differences between CF types. I checked my cervix tonight and looked at my finger and found it was covered in a clear, gel-like medium with pieces of white sitting on top of the gel-like medium. I feel like it's the consistency of aloe vera with white hand lotion speckled throughout. It wasn't sticky and I think I know what the egg white medium should look like and didn't feel like it would fit in that category either. What do you think it would be considered? Thanks for all your help!
Hey there! Was the cervical fluid stretchy at all? If so, it's probably eggwhite. If not, it's probably creamy. Or, it's also possible that the fluid was not actually cervical fluid but was just normal vaginal secretions (like sweat). The way to tell the difference between vaginal secretions and cervical fluid is that vaginal secretions will dry much quicker (if on your finger), and are water-soluble - so they'll dissolve if you put your finger in water. Cervical fluid, on the other hand, takes much longer to dry, and is not water-soluble, so if you put your finger in water, it won't dissolve.
Hi Courtney,
What about just one spotting of CM that isn't totally egg white but is not clear it's like a gel almost and only has shown up once and no CM the rest of the day. The CM also has pink in it and I just had my period end on day 6 I am on day 11 of my chart could it be residual or would that show ovulation already? I have only had pink cm when experiencing implantation bleeding but I had my menstrul cycle so I am confused.
I started using this app last month and have been checking CM on a daily basis. The only time I noticed EWCM was on my period, otherwise it's it usually watery/creamy. Is this common?
Hi lmstamle, some women experience eggwhite quality fluid that's clear and gel-like. This is very fertile fluid - especially if you're seeing some pink in it, this could indicate ovulation spotting. So it does sound like you could be ovulating to me!
Lisamac, it's fairly unusual to see EWCM during your period, but it's not unheard of. It may take you a few cycles to get the hang of what your patterns usually look like. Once you chart a few cycles you'll probably get a good sense of what your unique fertility pattern looks like :)
hi! cm after ovulation?after ovulation i notice that my cm is sticky and creamy.i read alot of
your knowledge base there saying that after the ovulation my turn to dry but my sticky and creamy maybe its symptom of early pregnancy?if i'm not wrong.
give me some advice.thank you
Hi there, thanks for contacting us! Creamy cervical fluid after ovulation is actually quite common for some women. As long as this cervical fluid happens after you've confirmed ovulation, this creamy cervical fluid is NOT fertile fluid, and it also does not necessarily indicate early pregnancy. So don't worry, this is totally normal :)
Hi, I am having trouble determining whether I have NO cervical fluid, or whether it's creamy. Essentially, it's clear but not watery. There's essentially no milkiness or cloudiness to it, but it "feels" creamy. I don't know if I can follow the dry days rule!
Hi Priscilla, thanks for contacting us! I totally understand how confusing it can be when your body doesn't behave as expected. One good way to check whether the fluid is real cervical fluid or just vaginal moisture is doing the "glass of water test." Fill a glass with water, and then dip a sample of the fluid into the water with your finger. If it dissipates into the water, it was probably just vaginal moisture. If it stays on your finger, you've found real cervical fluid (and therefore should consider yourself potentially fertile). I hope that helps!
I never ever ever have ewcm the closest I get it's really wet am I hostile to his sperm? Can I get pregnant without it?
My period is 3 days late. I've had unprotected sex (but pulled out- I know that's not 100%) about once a week since my last period. Yesterday my CM was very thick clear sticky and dry (and I had unprotected sex). Today it's a little more wet and eggwhitey. Does it sound like I'm about to get my period?? Sometimes it's irregular. I took a pregnancy test and it said negative. *fingers crossed* for that being right.
Hi Jen, thanks for contacting us! You can get pregnant without eggwhite cervical fluid, but the presence of eggwhite fluid may increase your chances of getting pregnant. If you don't conceive within 3 cycles or so, I'd recommend seeing a doctor to rule out the possibility of any medical complications with conception. Good luck!
Hi aeasterwood, thanks for contacting us! Hm, it's hard to say whether you're about to get your period or not based on this information alone. However, it's possible that your period is late due to a delayed ovulation rather than a pregnancy. Women often ovulate later than usual due to stress or other factors. So unfortunately the best advice is simply to wait for your period to arrive, or you could also take another pregnancy test in a few more days to get a more definitive answer, as pregnancy tests are more accurate the longer you wait to take them. Good luck!
Hi I'm new to the kindara app and am loving the information on here to help track fertility! To help even more it would be great of you had pictures showing examples of the various types of cervical mucous. That way we could have a point of reference for when things down there may be a bit confusing :)
Hi Katarina, thanks for contacting us! I'm so glad to hear you've found Kindara useful :) We think a cervical fluid photo gallery is an interesting idea, and it's something we've been considering for a while. I'll talk to the team about it and we'll see if there's something we can do :) Thanks for the suggestion!
what category would clear, thick and sticky CF fall into?
Hi there, thanks for contacting us! If the CF is thick and sticky and doesn't seem very slippery or lubricative, it sounds like it would most likely qualify as sticky cervical fluid. Let me know if you have any questions!
Hi I am about 6 dpo and it's still a week before my period is expected and I am having ewcm. Why am I having the ewcm and what does it mean?
Will not drinking enough water affect how much cervical fluid you produce, and thereby affect your chances of getting pregnant?
So I almost always have something on my underwear and I can't tell if it's "none"- just my natural lubrication or "creamy." It disappears quickly when you rub between two fingers, is clear when wet but dries white on my underwear in a light "crusty" kind of layer. Thoughts? Thanks!
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