Some people feel ovulation pain or “mittelschmerz”—a sharp or cramp-like pain felt on either side of the lower abdomen, that can last a few hours or days (3). Show
Tracking your basal body temperature (BBT) can also allow you to detect ovulation (1) — as progesterone rises to prepare the uterus for implantation of a fertilized , it causes a slight increase in your BBT (4). You can also use ovulation prediction tests/kits (OPKs). For some people, ovulation comes with a bit of blood or spotting.Spotting is any bleeding that happens outside of your regular period. Spotting occurs in about 5% to 13% of menstruating people (5,6). Ovulation bleeding probably occurs in 5% or less of people (5). Spotting can be caused by other factors too, like contraceptive use (birth control pill, IUDs, other hormonal contraceptives), pregnancy, fibroids, polyps, infections, physical uterine changes, bleeding disorders, and cancerous changes. It’s often said that midcycle bleeding not associated with a reproductive condition, like fibroids, is caused by low estrogen levels during the middle of the cycle (7,8). However,one study found that people who experience midcycle bleeding have higher levels of the hormones estrogen and LH—around ovulation (54). Spotters also had higher estrogen and progesterone in the luteal phase of the cycle (5). Since we’re curious, we asked the Clue community if anyone had experienced ovulation bleeding.In my experience, ovulation bleeding appears as a very light red, almost pink-ish hue, within my fertile cervical fluid. Here are some other folks’ experiences:
Your Vagina What is vaginal discharge and how does it change across the cycle?The quality, consistency, and volume of cervical fluid types changes along with... by Anna Druet, and Eve Lepage, MSN, RN
There’s still a huge knowledge gap when it comes to menstrual health and fertility.Although researchers are starting to study ovulation spotting, they still don’t know exactly why it happens, or whether it is a sign of something to be addressed with a healthcare provider. But there is currently no evidence that ovulation spotting is a cause for concern. Irregular bleeding and inconsistent spotting can be a predictor of other underlying health issues. If you regularly bleed between periods or you experience unusual heavy bleeding between your periods, talk to your healthcare provider. Can you ovulate and have your period at the same time?Although this is unlikely to happen, it is absolutely possible. Most women have normal menstrual cycles, which are 28 to 32 days long. In these cases, pregnancy is rare during the period. However, some women have short menstrual cycles (less than 25 days) and ovulation and menstruation may coincide.
What does ovulation bleeding look like?Ovulation bleeding tends to look like a few drops of blood on toilet paper or your underwear. 1 Because it's often mixed with cervical fluid (which increases during ovulation), it could appear light pink or red in color.
|