Signs Ovulation Is Over: When Does Fertility Window Close? 

Tracking your menstruation cycle is extremely important, not only when trying to conceive or planning a baby. It is useful for knowing if you are getting your menstruation cycle regularly or not. But when you are planning for a baby, tracking your cycle and knowing when you are ovulating and when your ovulation is over is important for planning your pregnancy. 

But knowing the signs of ovulation and the fertility window is something that can help you with your family planning. If you are ready to be a parent, then start looking for the signs ovulation is over and when you have the window open. Being aware of the perfect time to conceive gives you a better shot at getting pregnant.

Our body tells up when we are ovulating and when we are done with it. You just have to look for the signs your body is trying to show you. One of the common questions is, “can ovulation cause nausea?” Yes, nausea during ovulation is not something uncommon. But sometimes, it can happen because of stress and stomach-related issues. Let’s look at those signs.

What Are The Signs Ovulation Is Over?

Every month an egg is released from one of the ovaries approximately after 7 to 10 days of menstruation. This process is called ovulation. But tuning into the signs can e a bit difficult in the beginning. It takes a little bit of practice before you become an expert at reading your own body. 

1. Cervical Mucus

If you notice the consistency of your cervical mucus, you will get a clear indication if you are ovulating or not. When you are ovulating, the mucus is released in a large quantity. 

During ovulation, the consistency of the mucus is thin, slippery, and clear, and this is because it provides a better environment food the sperm. The texture is a lot similar to the texture of egg whites.

After ovulation is over, the texture of the discharge thickens and turns yellow-white or white. This creates a toxic surrounding for the sperm and lowers the chances of getting pregnant drastically.

Checking your discharge can seem a little weird in the beginning, but this is the best possible way to track your ovulation and is almost 91% accurate in most cases. This is also something that can say a lot about your vaginal health.

How To Check Your Cervical Mucus? 

• Take some of the samples in toilet paper and check the consistency and texture.
• Also, you can collect it using your hands. After washing your hands, insert a finger in your vagina and collect some of the mucus directly from your cervix.

The texture of cervical mucus	Point in the menstrual cycle
Dry/sticky	Ovulation is over or has not begun yet.
Creamy (like lotion)	Ovulation is near
Thin and watery	You are very close to ovulation
Clear and stretchy (like egg whites)	This is a sign that you are ovulating

2. Vaginal Dryness

Throughout the menstrual cycle, the texture of cervical mucus does not only change, but the amount of discharge also changes. While you are ovulating, your body tries to help the sperm to reach the egg; this is when the volume of cervical fluid is at its highest, and you might feel the need to use a panty liner.

When the ovulation period s over, the volume of discharge decreases drastically, and it can make you feel drier than usual. It can be a bit difficult to master how to check this, but it can actually help you in tracking your ovulation.

How To Check The Level Of Cervical Fluid?

• Check your toilet paper after urinating if there is any mucus on it.
• Keep an eye on your underwear or the panty liner and check if there is any discharge on it.
• Pay attention and check if your vagina feels dry or not.

3. Basal Body Temperature

The basal body temperature changes whenever there is any change in the hormones. After your ovulation is over by 24 hours, there is a surge in progesterone, and this causes the basal body temperature to rise by almost 0.5 degrees to 1 degree. 

If you keep tracking your basal body temperature throughout the month and notice a sudden change, that means ovulation is over. But this can lo happen because of a fever or if you have consumed too much alcohol. Thus this method is not 100% accurate.

How To Check The Basal Body Temperature?

• Get yourself a basal body temperature thermometer, accurate upto 2 decimal places.
• Check the temperature under your tongue before getting out of bed every morning.
• Keep a note of it or use an app.
• If you see a rise in temperature by 0.5 degrees, that is an indication that you are done ovulating.

Cervix Height And Firmness

For sperm to meet the egg, it has to pass through the cervix. So it is nothing to be surprised that, at this time, the cervix will be slightly high and soft during the fertile window. And after you are done with your ovulation, the position of the cervix lowers and gets firm, and closes up. 

You would have to check this throughout your cycle to know what the cervix feels like. But mostly, it feels like pushing on the further end of your nose. 

How To Check Your Cervix?

• Check your cervix at the same time of the day to notice the changes easily. 
• Keep your hands clean and insert a finger inside your finger as far as it can go.
• When you find something firm and round than the vaginal wall, you know you have found your cervix. But if you can’t reach it, that means you are ovulating.

5. Fall In Libido

When you have the fertile window, you will find yourself more interested in sex. This is something very natural and nature’s way of letting you know when you get your best shot. And it is natural that the libido is going to drop once you are done ovulating. This is one of the signs ovulation is over.

How To Track The Libido?

• Maintain a journal or track it through your phone.
• Another thing you can do is color-code the dots in a calendar to keep track of when you felt in the mood and when you did not.

6. Abdominal Cramps

While you are ovulating, you might experience abdominal cramps, tenderness as well as bloating. This causes when the follicle ruptures and small amounts of blood are released, which irritates the abdominal lining. You might also find light spotting. 

How To Identify Cramps Caused By Ovulation?

• A little bit of cramping in the middle of the menstrual cycle is a sign of ovulation.
• There might be a little bloating, a popping sensation, or a little bit of pain.
• Keep track of if this is happening every month, and when the pain subsides, that means you are done ovulating.

7. Breast Tenderness

When you start ovulating, there is a spike in progesterone, and this can make the breast feel tender and swollen. 

How To Check Breast Tenderness?

It is not necessary to check your breasts every day. But it is important to keep track if you are feeling a little bit sore. If there are other signs along with this, then be sure of the fact that you are ovulating.

When Do You Have Your Fertile Window?

Five days before the release of the egg and the day when the egg is released is your fertile window. The egg survives till 24 hours after ovulation. His is known as the ovulation period. If we consider that you are trying to get pregnant, tracking your ovulation would be of great help. 

Ovulation generally happens in the middle of the cycle, to be precise, the 14th day from the 1st day of the cycle if we consider the first day of menstruation as the first day of the cycle. 

Wrapping up!

The points mentioned above are the signs ovulation is over, and those are the ones you should be looking for if you are trying to track your ovulation. But sometimes, your skin can also tell the tale of your ovulation. Once your ovulation is over, your skin can feel a little oily and greasy, and you might also notice breakouts.

Additional Reading:

• How To Get Periods Overnight
• How To Get Periods Immediately To Avoid Pregnancy?
• Are Cramps During Pregnancy Normal? When Should I Be Worried?