How to avoid pregnancy by checking cervical mucus

Checking your own cervical mucus is a natural way to avoid pregnancy for women. Cervical mucus is a vaginal discharge that changes throughout your monthly cycle. At different times throughout the month, your body goes through changes and so does the consistency of the mucus.



You will need to be in tune with your body and chart the daily changes for a couple of months to notice a pattern. If you know your ovulation date, you will have a better chance of avoiding pregnancy using this method.



As you get closer to ovulation, you will notice sticky and thin cervical mucus. When ovulation is about to occur, your cervical mucus will be similar to raw egg white, clear, slippery and extremely stretchy. This type of mucus is perfect for sperm to swim and reach your uterus. After ovulation, the production of mucus is reduced and you are no longer fertile until the next cycle.

Instructions

• 1

  Check your cervical mucus at the same time daily after the last day of menstruation. It's best to use your fingers because it will be easier to see the results than with toilet paper. Do this by inserting your finger into your vagina to get a sample of the mucus.

• 2

  Examine the cervical mucus. You may not find any right after menstruation. In this case you are dry. At other times you may notice cloudy, wet, creamy or egg white mucus.

• 3

  Notate the results on a calendar by using the words dry, cloudy, wet, creamy or egg white.

• 4

  Refrain from unprotected sexual intercourse as soon as you notice egg white cervical mucus that you can stretch several inches before it breaks. This is fertile mucus and sperm can easily travel through it to your uterus for fertilization. Your chances of getting pregnant are slim after this cervical mucus is gone.