Ovulation Symptoms, Discharge and Your Fertile Days

The most common ovulation symptoms are clear, stretchy discharge like raw egg white, a mild ache on one side of the lower tummy and, for some women, tender breasts or a higher sex drive. Ovulation happens about 10 to 16 days before your next period, around day 14 of a 28-day cycle. This guide is by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, an English-speaking GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280) who sees patients by video in English and Spanish.

What is ovulation and when does it happen?

Each cycle, one ovary releases a mature egg. The egg travels down the tube and can be fertilised for about 12 to 24 hours.

Your cycle starts on the first day of your period. Ovulation is not always on day 14. It depends on how long your cycle is. What stays the same is that it comes about 10 to 16 days before your next period. In a 32-day cycle, for example, it is often around day 18.

What are the symptoms of ovulation?

• Egg-white discharge: more of it, clear, slippery and stretchy. This is the clearest sign.
• Ovulation pain: an ache or twinge on one side of the lower tummy. It lasts from minutes to a couple of days.
• Light spotting: a few drops of blood or pink discharge in some women.
• Tender breasts, or breasts that feel a bit swollen.
• A higher sex drive.
• A rise in resting body temperature: a few tenths of a degree the day after you ovulate, which lasts until your period.

Many women notice nothing and still ovulate. No symptoms does not mean no ovulation.

What does discharge look like during ovulation?

After a period, discharge is often light or thick. As ovulation nears it becomes wetter, clear and stretchy. It stretches between your fingers without breaking. After ovulation it thickens again. If discharge smells bad, itches or changes colour, ovulation is not the cause. Read our guide to bacterial vaginosis.

Why does one ovary hurt when I ovulate?

Ovulation pain is common and harmless. You feel it on the side that releases the egg that month, so it can switch sides. Warmth and a simple painkiller, used as the leaflet says, are usually enough. Read more about ovary pain.

When are my fertile days?

They are the 5 days before ovulation and the day you ovulate. Sperm can live for up to 7 days inside the body, but the egg lives only about a day. So sex in the days before ovulation gives the best chance of pregnancy.

If your cycles are irregular, working out fertile days from a calendar is not reliable.

Do ovulation tests work?

Pharmacy urine tests pick up a rise in luteinising hormone (LH), which comes shortly before you ovulate. A positive result means ovulation will probably happen in a day or two. They help you choose the days, but they do not prove ovulation happened. With polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) the results can be confusing.

What is a progesterone test for?

Progesterone rises after ovulation. A blood test about 7 days before your expected period (around day 21 of a 28-day cycle) shows whether you have ovulated. It is one of the first tests when it is hard to get pregnant. If your cycle is longer, the test day changes, and your doctor will tell you when.

Why might I not ovulate, or have irregular cycles?

Common causes are PCOS, thyroid problems, high prolactin, stress, very hard exercise, being very underweight or overweight, breastfeeding and nearing the menopause. Read about PCOS, weight and insulin resistance.

Can tracking fertile days work as birth control?

On its own it is not reliable, especially with irregular cycles. If you do not want to get pregnant, talk to a doctor about an effective method. If you think you might be pregnant, read about early pregnancy symptoms.

What do I ask for at a Spanish pharmacy?

Ask for a test de ovulación (ovulation test). A blood progesterone test is an análisis de progesterona, which a doctor requests.

When to see a doctor

• Cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 35, or missed periods.
• You have tried for a baby for a year with no luck, or six months if you are 36 or over.
• Ovulation pain is very strong or lasts more than two or three days.
• Bleeding between periods that keeps happening, or after sex.
• Discharge that smells, itches or changes colour.

When to call 112

• Sudden, very strong pain on one side of the tummy, especially with dizziness or fainting.
• Pain with a high fever or vomiting.
• Pain and bleeding with a positive pregnancy test, because of the risk of an ectopic pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions about ovulation

Getting a medical assessment

If you are in Spain and have questions about your cycle or want to get pregnant, you can book a video consultation with Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, a physician registered in Spain. You can also read about pregnancy and planning a pregnancy. A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.

This guide is general information. It does not replace the package leaflet or the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.