Most women have vaginal discharge during ovulation as well as at other times throughout the monthly cycle. It is usually possible for a woman to tell whether she is ovulating or not by examining the appearance of her vaginal discharge at different times in the month. The discharge usually has a different appearance and texture, depending on where a woman is in her cycle. Discharge that occurs during ovulation is normally clear in color and very stretchy, similar to uncooked egg whites.
Many women may not notice discharge during ovulation, but in most cases it is present. If a woman notices no discharge around the time she should be ovulating, it is possible that ovulation did not occur that month. However, in most cases the woman probably did ovulate and only had a small amount of vaginal discharge. If ovulation does not occur during a random month, this is not necessarily a reason to be concerned. Some women may skip ovulating occasionally, and it should only be something to worry about if it is happening regularly.
Just after the monthly menstrual period, most women may experience very little or no vaginal discharge. When a woman is getting closer to ovulating, her discharge may appear to be slightly thick in texture and white in color. During ovulation, the vaginal discharge is normally stretchy and clear. There may also be more of it than at other times during the month. When it is time for the menstrual period to begin again, the amount of vaginal discharge typically decreases and feels stickier when touched.
Some women rely on the presence of discharge during ovulation for the purpose of trying to conceive. When a woman is ovulating, the chances of pregnancy are the greatest. In addition to monitoring the vaginal discharge, it may be helpful for a woman who wants to conceive to keep track of her basal body temperature. This is normally done by tracking the body temperature every day for the month and noticing the changes during ovulation. The body temperature usually increases by roughly half a degree on the day of ovulation and again just after ovulation.
Noticing discharge during ovulation also helps some women prevent pregnancy. Women who practice this method of birth control make a point to notice the ovulation discharge and avoid sexual intercourse during that time. Unfortunately, this is not generally considered a reliable form of birth control because pregnancy can occur at any time during the cycle. Doctors often recommend using condoms as a form of back up birth control for women who use this method.