Saw Mucus But Should Not be Ovulating Yet…..?
Question
First off I went off the pill in June and my husband and I have been not avoiding pregnancy since then and really trying since August. Over the past few months I have been tracking my cervical mucus. Last month I completely missed my period, but after several HPT’s and an ultrasound no baby was found. I usually have a 35 day cycle. This month I started my period on 10/7 and had pliable mucus from the 19-22. My husband and I had intercourse during that time,but with a 35 day cycle I should not be ovulating until Friday 10/28 and fertile as of now, but I have no mucus really to speak of right now. After last weekend my mucus went from stretchy to watery. Could I be pregnant?
Answer
Last Updated: July 24, 2013
First I’d like to congratulate you for coming off the pill. It is a drug with many side effects and can be an abortion causing drug (see websites below for information). Next, I’d like to congratulate you for being interested in fertility awareness.
The artificial hormones from the pill can remain in your system for several months, and this hormonal residue can affect your mucus sign. Also because of this residue, as an NFP instructor, I recommend not trying to conceive for 3-6 months after discontinuing the pill. The Pill manufacturers recommend that you do not become pregnant 3 months after because they fear lawsuits related to birth defects. I realize it has been 4 months for you, but I feel the above is important information.
Fertility usually returns fairly quickly after discontinuing the pill. However, sometimes fertility is permanently damaged. In your case your fertility has returned but is having a probable transition period. You wrote you “missed my period”. In reality you had a longer cycle than before you went on the pill. This can happen. Your last period was 10-7 and you noticed mucus from days 19-22; again this is normal. Mucus is a sign of fertility. With a mucus patch of four days, and sexual intercourse occurring at this time it is possible that you are pregnant. I am not sure of your NFP knowledge, but you can expect your period to come Peak day plus 14 days-which would be about 14 days after your mucus patch. If you do not have a period and you have no further mucus you can take a pregnancy test.
I teach the sympto-thermal method of NFP, which includes your basal body temperature as a sign. With this method you can observe fertility with your mucus as well, but an elevated temperature confirms ovulation has occurred. This would be indicated on your charts. A positive sign of pregnancy using this method would be a missed period and an elevated temperature of 21 days. If you’d like to check out the Sympto-thermal method look on this web site for CCL or Northwest Family Planning teachers or check out the website ccli.org.
Mary-Lynn Ott
The artificial hormones from the pill can remain in your system for several months, and this hormonal residue can affect your mucus sign. Also because of this residue, as an NFP instructor, I recommend not trying to conceive for 3-6 months after discontinuing the pill. The Pill manufacturers recommend that you do not become pregnant 3 months after because they fear lawsuits related to birth defects. I realize it has been 4 months for you, but I feel the above is important information.
Fertility usually returns fairly quickly after discontinuing the pill. However, sometimes fertility is permanently damaged. In your case your fertility has returned but is having a probable transition period. You wrote you “missed my period”. In reality you had a longer cycle than before you went on the pill. This can happen. Your last period was 10-7 and you noticed mucus from days 19-22; again this is normal. Mucus is a sign of fertility. With a mucus patch of four days, and sexual intercourse occurring at this time it is possible that you are pregnant. I am not sure of your NFP knowledge, but you can expect your period to come Peak day plus 14 days-which would be about 14 days after your mucus patch. If you do not have a period and you have no further mucus you can take a pregnancy test.
I teach the sympto-thermal method of NFP, which includes your basal body temperature as a sign. With this method you can observe fertility with your mucus as well, but an elevated temperature confirms ovulation has occurred. This would be indicated on your charts. A positive sign of pregnancy using this method would be a missed period and an elevated temperature of 21 days. If you’d like to check out the Sympto-thermal method look on this web site for CCL or Northwest Family Planning teachers or check out the website ccli.org.
Mary-Lynn Ott
Answered By:
Mary-Lynn Ott
Mary-Lynn Ott, RN, Professional Member of CANFP, teaches the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP through Couple to Couple League, with her husband Tom, in the Stockton Region.
