Hi,
I am so curious why you know so much about your cycle, and why you are tracking your CM (cervical mucus), ovulation dates, cycle lengths, etc?
To answer your questions:
1. Yes, you could have had sex while you were ovulating, as it is possible to ovulate at any time of your cycle. Since you are tracking your CM and cycle days, you are correct that when you experience the most CM, then you are most likely around ovulation time. CM around ovulation is described as "abundant, thin, clear and egg-white consistency".
You are also correct that you are most fertile when you experience the most mucus, as this is most likely around the time you are ovulating. Your other statement/question: ovulation occurs after mucus is gone, is not necessarily correct...I explain why below.
Ovulation is not an exact science, and even the "ovulation predictor kits" that women invest a lot of time and money in are only as good as their names suggest...they are only "predictors" and can not "pinpoint" or "guarantee" the exact moments of ovulation. Please know that your entire cycle, including ovulation, is a PROCESS, and not a one-time, one-moment occurrence. Most information-sources say that ovulation occurs in the middle of your cycle (day 14, whereas day 1 is the first day of bleeding with your period, in a perfect 28-day cycle), primarily to give woman the general idea that ovulation occurs, usually, in mid-cycle. Please know that ovulation can occur much earlier or much later in your cycle, and this can change from cycle-to-cycle. In your particular case, for this one specific cycle, it does make sense that you were ovulating around the time of May 27-29, since it was around days 12-14 and you had a CM "surge". The exact, precise moment of the mature egg being released from your ovary, traveling down your fallopian tubes, waiting to be fertilized for about 24 hours...this exact moment is unknown, as it is a series of "moments", but can be estimated within a day or two with tracking and monitoring. Does that all makes sense?
2. What you experienced is most likely not implantation bleeding, as it would only be a one-time occurrence. You noticed spotting on two different days, two different times. Today is day 22 of your cycle, and although you have not had spotting before...this cycle you may! Woman's cycles really can change without notice; they can be shorter or longer in duration; include spotting or no spotting; they can change in color (red, pink or brown); they can change in heavy or light flow. You said you have never spotted before in the 7 years that you have menstruated, but I am wondering if you have always paid this close attention to every detail of your menstrual cycle? Our bodies are always changing and adapting/reacting to the environment around us. If you have experienced excess stress, recent illness, new medication...these are all reasons for a slight cycle change. It could also have just changed with no reason and no underlying medical condition or pregnancy!
You are correct in that the fertilized egg would implant within about 10-14 days after ovulation (and after unprotected sex), around the time of an expected period. It takes this long for ovulation to occur, the fertilized egg to travel from the fallopian tubes into the uterus, to implant in the uterus.
Does this answer all of your questions?
Let us know when your period begins, as it sounds like you are not pregnant (do you want to be, even though you are using protection)?
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Hi,
I am so curious why you know so much about your cycle, and why you are tracking your CM (cervical mucus), ovulation dates, cycle lengths, etc?
To answer your questions:
1. Yes, you could have had sex while you were ovulating, as it is possible to ovulate at any time of your cycle. Since you are tracking your CM and cycle days, you are correct that when you experience the most CM, then you are most likely around ovulation time. CM around ovulation is described as "abundant, thin, clear and egg-white consistency".
You are also correct that you are most fertile when you experience the most mucus, as this is most likely around the time you are ovulating. Your other statement/question: ovulation occurs after mucus is gone, is not necessarily correct...I explain why below.
Ovulation is not an exact science, and even the "ovulation predictor kits" that women invest a lot of time and money in are only as good as their names suggest...they are only "predictors" and can not "pinpoint" or "guarantee" the exact moments of ovulation. Please know that your entire cycle, including ovulation, is a PROCESS, and not a one-time, one-moment occurrence. Most information-sources say that ovulation occurs in the middle of your cycle (day 14, whereas day 1 is the first day of bleeding with your period, in a perfect 28-day cycle), primarily to give woman the general idea that ovulation occurs, usually, in mid-cycle. Please know that ovulation can occur much earlier or much later in your cycle, and this can change from cycle-to-cycle. In your particular case, for this one specific cycle, it does make sense that you were ovulating around the time of May 27-29, since it was around days 12-14 and you had a CM "surge". The exact, precise moment of the mature egg being released from your ovary, traveling down your fallopian tubes, waiting to be fertilized for about 24 hours...this exact moment is unknown, as it is a series of "moments", but can be estimated within a day or two with tracking and monitoring. Does that all makes sense?
2. What you experienced is most likely not implantation bleeding, as it would only be a one-time occurrence. You noticed spotting on two different days, two different times. Today is day 22 of your cycle, and although you have not had spotting before...this cycle you may! Woman's cycles really can change without notice; they can be shorter or longer in duration; include spotting or no spotting; they can change in color (red, pink or brown); they can change in heavy or light flow. You said you have never spotted before in the 7 years that you have menstruated, but I am wondering if you have always paid this close attention to every detail of your menstrual cycle? Our bodies are always changing and adapting/reacting to the environment around us. If you have experienced excess stress, recent illness, new medication...these are all reasons for a slight cycle change. It could also have just changed with no reason and no underlying medical condition or pregnancy!
You are correct in that the fertilized egg would implant within about 10-14 days after ovulation (and after unprotected sex), around the time of an expected period. It takes this long for ovulation to occur, the fertilized egg to travel from the fallopian tubes into the uterus, to implant in the uterus.
Does this answer all of your questions?
Let us know when your period begins, as it sounds like you are not pregnant (do you want to be, even though you are using protection)?
June 6, 2010 - 7:28pmThis Comment
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