Ovulation Spotting

Some women who are trying to get pregnant are lucky, in some ways. They have a regular cycle of exactly 28 (or maybe 25, or maybe 30) days, and so they can easily enough predict when they’re ovulating. Other women never really know when they’re going to be fertile because their cycle is irregular, and so they have to rely on other signs. Some of the most common and most reliable methods of tracking ovulation are basal body temperature and cervical mucus charting, but in some cases a woman may experience consistent ovulation spotting that can help her know when the time is right.

First, you need to understand a little something about ovulation. Ovulation is the release of a mature egg by the ovaries. The egg travels into the fallopian tube, where it can be fertilized. Ovulation takes place sometime between day 11 and day 21 of their cycle. Most women ovulate every month, but some may occasional experience anovulation (missed ovulation) from time to time, for a variety of reasons.

Sometimes a woman will experience “mittelschmerz,” which literally means “middle pain.” This is pain in the ovarian region and occurs during ovulation. If you’re a woman who typically experiences this, you might be able to help predict ovulation.

Some women will have a little bit of bleeding around this time, as well. Ovulation spotting is usually brown or pink in color. It will often be mixed along with cervical mucus. If it’s more than just a little bit of spotting, however, it’s probably not indicative of ovulation.

Ovulation spotting is most likely caused by the hormones that work with the follicle. These hormones cause the surface of the follicle to weaken, which can create a hole. This is what allows the egg to pass. In some cases, this also causes light bleeding. Other experts believe that the bleeding can be caused by a rise in estrogen that happens during ovulation.

You may not have ovulation spotting every month. It may only happen occasionally. For some women, it’s like clockwork. If yours is consistent, charting it and comparing it to basal body temperature and cervical mucus can help you get a better handle on knowing when you ovulate.