As important as ovulation is, many of the signs it’s happening are not as obvious as you’d expect. But regardless of whether you are trying to conceive or just want to build awareness around your fertility window, it’s important to know what to be on the lookout for as far as signs of ovulation go. After all, ovulation is arguably the most important part of a woman’s cycle, even if society doesn’t give it the attention it merits.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, Monash University researchers in Melbourne polled 204 women seeking treatment at two different Assisted Reproductive Technology clinics in Melbourne [1]. The study found that only 13% of women were able to correctly identify the days of the menstrual cycle when they could become pregnant! A separate study found that having poor fertility awareness could actually be a contributing factor to infertility [2].
With so much hinging on a constantly recurring phase of the menstrual cycle, isn’t it important to know when it’s happening? We think so, which is why this article will talk about all the ways one can know ovulation is imminent–from the expected ways, to the unexpected ways you might never had heard of before.
Expected signs of ovulation
Each month, during ovulation, the female body prepares itself for potential pregnancy by releasing an egg from a follicle inside one of the ovaries. The egg then travels to one of the fallopian tubes for possible fertilization by a sperm.
For healthy, fertile women, this process occurs so often and so regularly that we may forget how much more is going on at the same time. The foundation for creating life and the conditions to maintain a pregnancy are also being established in the process! But this is no simple feat, which is why it comes with many physical and hormonal changes to accomplish the job. Unsurprisingly, these changes can manifest in several ways.
Body temperature changes
During ovulation, Basal Body Temperature (BBT) will rise 0.5-1.0 deg Fahrenheit [3]. This rise is due to the release of progesterone. Recall that progesterone is the hormone that prepares the uterus for the implantation of an early stage embryo. Approximately 2-4 days before the temperature spike is when women are most fertile. When employing the symptothermal method of natural family planning, women can chart their BBT and know when they’ve ovulated. More information on BBT and how to track it can be found here.
Mittelschmerz
Mittelschmerz serves two functions. It translates to “middle pain” in German and is a fun word to try pronouncing (although it probably isn’t as fun to whoever experiences it). The pain usually occurs on one or both sides of the body surrounding the ovaries. It can last from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the woman and from one cycle to the next.
The exact cause of the pain is unknown. It may be that a mature follicle swells and pushes against the ovary wall just prior to the egg being released. This may be accompanied by blood and fluid being released along with the egg and could contribute to abdominal discomfort. According to another theory, cramps could be occurring as the fallopian tubes and uterus contract in an effort to move the egg along its journey during the cycle.
Increased libido
Testosterone levels will rise during ovulation and allow the body to recognize that it is fertile. Heightened testosterone levels also feed the primal instinct to procreate, leading to an increased sex drive. This increase in libido might also be accompanied by more energy to allow for the full employment of this increased drive.
Some studies have gone as far as suggesting that ovulating women are more likely to choose revealing clothing and more likely to wear red or pink during peak fertility [4][5]. This color choice shouldn’t come as a surprise since men tend to find women more attractive when wearing these colors than when they wear plain colors.
Changes in cervical mucus
As estrogen production increases in the days surrounding ovulation, so does cervical mucus production. Cervical mucus will begin to get slippery and stretchy to create a nutrient-rich environment for any incoming sperm hoping to fertilize the newly released egg. Cervical mucus reliably changes as the menstrual cycle progresses. These changes are so consistent that tracking them is a great tool for women practicing or hoping to transition to Natural Birth Control.
Unusual indicators ovulation is happening
Some signs of ovulation are more unconventional in humans. While female chimpanzees advertise their fertility via swelling and color changes to their bottoms, humans don’t really make a show of it. This isn’t to say that human females don’t display atypical signs of ovulation, though. Some research suggests that barely perceptible physical signs can have a profound effect on the way males act around ovulating females and vice versa.
For example, in 2007, researcher Geoffrey Miller studied lap dancers to determine whether women silently broadcast their monthly period of fertility in a physical way [6]. The study tracked the earnings of exotic dancers from lap dances throughout their cycles. Researchers found that the exotic dancers earned around $67/Hr when near ovulation, only $52/Hr at less fertile times, and $37/Hr during menses.
We can’t know for sure what made these comfort-seeking men more willing to part with their money when a woman was more fertile. But other research has shown that as ovulation nears, subtle physical changes do occur in naturally-cycling women.
Voice pitch, body odor changes
For example, studies have demonstrated that a woman’s voice pitch will increase during high- as compared to low-fertility days, and that her body odor becomes more sexually attractive to men during these days as well [7][8]. Males appear to be innately sensitive to these subtle changes in fertility, appearance, and smell (which may come as a surprise to anybody that has ever smelled a men’s locker room or shared a home with a messy bachelor!).
Facial cues
Yet another study photographed women at their most fertile stage and then again at a less fertile time [9]. The pictures of the same women at different stages were shown to men who were asked to identify which photo they found most attractive. Once again, men demonstrated a preference for the photo of the female at her peak fertility versus during her less fertile time. This result supports the theory that there are subtle changes in visual cues on a woman’s face that signal to men when she is more likely to reproduce.
Cosmetic use
Likewise, researcher Nicolas Gueguen, PhD, led a study where he hypothesized that women would use more cosmetics when nearer to ovulation [10]. His method included tracking the fertility of female participants via their Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels (which peak near ovulation). The participants also estimated the amount of time they spent applying makeup each day. The women were then evaluated by professional makeup artists to determine the level and quality of their makeup application. The findings supported Gueguen’s hunch. Women’s makeup use was higher, and they demonstrated better application, when nearer ovulation.
Here’s why monitoring ovulation health is key
Four main vital signs are typically monitored by healthcare providers when assessing a patient’s overall wellbeing: heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Changes in these vital signs reliably help point the provider in the right direction when diagnosing and treating an ailment, or when assessing a patient’s stability.
When it comes to women’s health, women have an unofficial “fifth” vital sign: the menstrual cycle. A woman’s cycle is “the fifth vital sign” because the physical and hormonal changes she experiences throughout each cycle are an indicator of her overall health. A healthy cycle plays a positive role in her heart, brain, and bone development, for example. Similarly, a cycle with irregularities or complications can suggest that underlying physical or mental trouble exists.
Fertility awareness and ovulation appreciation
For these reasons, more and more women turn to non-hormonal natural family planning and fertility awareness based methods that allow for a normal cycle to take place while still effectively allowing women and couples to plan their families. The take-home message is simple and supported by research: women need to ovulate in order to maximize their health and wellbeing.
While the unusual signs of ovulation discussed above tend to be subtle, women can reliably know when ovulation is approaching via the expected signs of ovulation. Modern, evidence-based fertility awareness methods allow women to track their fertility biomarkers to accurately identify their fertile window before, during, and immediately after ovulation, and they can use that information to track their ovulation health.
References:
[1] Hampton, K. D., Mazza, D., & Newton, J. M. (2012). Fertility‐awareness knowledge, attitudes, and practices of women seeking fertility assistance. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 69(5), 1076–1084. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06095.x [2] Halleran, M., Chernoff, A., & Gordon, J. L. (2022). Fertility knowledge among women struggling to conceive without medical intervention: A brief report. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.828052 [3] Steward, K., & Raja, A. (2022, July 18). Physiology, ovulation and basal body temperature. NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546686/ [4] Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., & Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women’s choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451–1460. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167208323103 [5] Beall, A. T., & Tracy, J. L. (2013). Women are more likely to wear red or pink at peak fertility. Psychological Science, 24(9), 1837–1841. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613476045 [6] Miller, G., Tybur, J., & Jordan, B. (2007). Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: Economic evidence for human estrus?☆. Evolution and Human Behavior, 28(6), 375–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2007.06.002 [7] Bryant, G. A. (2008). Vocal cues of ovulation in human females. Biology Letters, 5(1). https://doi.org/doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008.0507 [8] Kuukasjärvi, Eriksson, Koskela, Mappes, Nissinen, & Rantala. (2004). Attractiveness of women’s body odors over the menstrual cycle: The role of oral contraceptives and receiver sex. Behavioral Ecology, 15(4), 579–584. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arh050 [9] Roberts, S. C., Havlicek, J., Flegr, J., Hruskova, M., Little, A. C., Jones, B. C., Perrett, D. I., & Petrie, M. (2004). Female facial attractiveness increases during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 271(suppl_5). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2004.0174 [10] Gueguen, N. (2012). ERIC – EJ1002522 – Makeup and menstrual cycle: Near ovulation, women use more cosmetics, psychological record, 2012. Psychological Record, 62(3), 541–548.Additional Reading:
FAM Basics: Ovulation, aka the “main event” of your cycle
The importance of monitoring ovulation health—even when you’re not trying to get pregnant
Charting and natural treatment options for ovulation pain, aka “mittelschmerz”
