Learn the basics of using your cervix position as an optional
fertility sign.
Learn how to observe and record your cervix position sign.
Major Points in this Lesson:
Cervix Position (CP)
is a secondary, optional fertility sign.
The cervix changes
throughout the menstrual cycle in response to the hormone, estrogen.
During non-fertile
times, the cervix is closed, firm and low.
As ovulation
approaches and fertility is high, the cervix opens up, becomes soft
and high and is harder to reach.
More...
Just
as increased estrogen causes the production of fertile cervical fluid
that aids conception by promoting sperm nourishment and migration,
estrogen also produces observable changes in the cervix that also
facilitate conception. To allow the passage of sperm from the cervix
into the uterus, the cervix opens, softens, and heightens before
ovulation. After ovulation, the cervical os closes, returns to a
lower position, and the cervical tissues again become firmer.
Your
cervical position is an optional, secondary fertility sign. It
provides the same kind of information as cervical fluid (estrogen
presence) so is not strictly essential if your cervical fluid signals
are clear. Some women like to check the cervix position for
cross-checking or when cervical fluid observations are unclear.
Whether you choose to check your cervix position or not, read on to
understand how the cervix changes during the menstrual cycle.
Early in your cycle,
during and just after menstruation and prior to peak fertility when
your estrogen level is low, your cervix is low, hard, firm and closed
and easy to feel with your fingers. Your cervix lifts and straightens
and becomes softer, higher and more open as your fertility (and the
presence of estrogen) increases.
These cervical changes
make the cervix more receptive to sperm and allow them to enter your
reproductive tract and travel into the fallopian tubes where an egg
may be fertilized. After ovulation, your cervix again becomes more
closed and firm and lower.
Though this fertility sign
is considered optional, checking your cervical position can provide
useful information about your state of fertility. The changes in the
cervix can be used to double-check observations made from checking
BBT and cervical fluid.
It
may take a few cycles to notice the changes your cervix experiences
throughout your fertility cycle. It is a good idea to check when you
know you are fertile (as indicated by your cervical fluid or cycle
statistics) and then again when you know you are not fertile (as
indicated by your thermal shift in your luteal phase) when you are
getting started. With this correlation, you will more easily feel the
differences between your fertile and non-fertile times.
When
you are approaching ovulation, your cervix will be high and soft. You
may or may not notice that it feels more open also. When you are no
longer fertile, your cervix will feel lower, more firm and you may
notice that it is more closed.
If
you are not comfortable checking your cervix or you find the changes
difficult to observe, and you are able to observe your cervical fluid
easily, checking your cervix is not absolutely essential. If you are
comfortable checking your cervix and are able to identify changes,
you will benefit from the additional information that will help
cross-check your other signs.
Checking
your Cervix
If you choose to check
your cervical position as an indicator of fertility, here are some
guidelines:
To avoid the possibility of infection, always check your cervix with
clean hands.
Check the cervix once a day after menses. You only need to check
once a day, unlike cervical fluid which you may check several times
a day.
Check your cervix at the same time every day as it may change
throughout the day.
Use the same position for checking your cervix throughout the cycle
as changing positions will change your observation of cervical
height.
Empty your bladder before checking your cervix.
Squatting or placing one foot on a stool (or toilet seat) are good
positions.
Relax. (You will be able to more easily relax as you gain more
experience).
Insert one or two fingers into the vagina. At the back of the
vagina, you should be able to feel your cervix. You have found your
cervix when you feel something at the back of your vagina that stops
your fingers. If you apply gentle pressure you will notice that it
feels smooth, round and firmer that the surrounding vaginal tissues.
Feel your cervix and make the following observations:
Is the cervix high or low? (It is more difficult to reach when it
is high.)
Does the cervix feel soft or firm?
Does the cervix feel open or closed? (Women who have already had
children may notice that the cervix always feels slightly open.)
Does the cervix feel wet or dry?
Record observations.
Recording Cervical Changes
You can record
the position, firmness, and openness of
your cervix.
Position:
Your cervical position may be: low, medium or high. Your cervix
heightens and becomes harder to reach as you approach your most
fertile time. The important thing is to notice how it changes
throughout your cycle in relation to your fertility. Observations can
be subjective so you need to notice your own unique changes. Notice
the change relatively. This may take a few cycles to really
notice.
Low:
Record "low" for your least fertile cervical position.
This is the position where it is easiest to feel and reach your
cervix.
Medium:
Record "medium" for the position between your lowest and
highest.
High:
Record "high" when your cervix is hardest to reach. You
may not even be able to reach it. You will notice that it feels
more wet, soft and open at this time as well. This is your most
fertile cervical position.
Firmness:
Again, the issue is to notice the changes in the texture of your
cervix relatively throughout your cycle as it transforms. Like
your cervical position, it may take a few cycles to notice your own
pattern. To get an idea of what you are looking for, check when you
know you are fertile (when you have egg white cervical fluid) and
when you are sure you are not (after ovulation has been confirmed by
three high temperatures) so that you know what you are looking for.
At your least fertile time, both before and after ovulation, your
cervix will feel the most hard and firm, a bit like the tip of your
nose. As you approach ovulation, your cervix will soften, feeling
more like your lips. You can record the firmness of your cervix as
Firm, Medium, or Soft.
Firm:
Record "firm" as the most hard and firm texture you
experience throughout your cycle. Your cervix will likely also be
low and quite easy to reach at this time.
Medium:
Record "medium" when your cervix feels between your most
firm and most soft. You may feel this just before you approach your
more fertile time before ovulation and after ovulation as well.
Soft:
Record "soft" when your cervix feels the most soft. It
will probably feel quite wet and high at this time as well and you
may even notice that it also feels open. It may be hard to reach.
This is your most fertile cervical texture.
Openness:
Not everyone is able to observe this sign, but you may also notice
that your cervix feels more open when you are most fertile. If you
are not able to observe this sign (many people are not) simply do not
use it. The firmness and position of your cervix should provide
enough additional insight into the changes in your cervix to allow
you to cross-check your other signs if this is the case. This
observation can also be quite subjective because women who have
already given birth may notice that their cervix always feels
slightly open. Women who have never given birth, may not notice the
change at all or may notice that the cervix only opens slightly at
their most fertile time. Like your other cervix signs, you should
record how your cervix changes relatively throughout your
cycle. If you are certain that you can notice the change in the
openness of your cervix, you should record the following:
Closed:
Record closed when your cervix feels at its most closed, least open
position.
Medium:
Record medium when your cervix is slightly open.
Open:
Record open when your cervix feels at its most open position.
This is the data
entry field for your cervix data on FertilityFriend.com:
For
more details about data entry using FertilityFriend.com please [Click
Here].
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