What does ovulation discharge look like?
Ovulation discharge is clear, slippery and stretchy, a lot like raw egg white. You can often stretch it an inch or more between two fingers before it breaks. It appears in the few days before and on the day of ovulation, when estrogen peaks, and turns thicker, cloudier or drier soon after ovulation.
What it looks and feels like
The discharge you see around ovulation is cervical mucus. As estrogen rises, the cervix makes more of it and it becomes thinner and wetter, so sperm can swim through it. At its most fertile, it's:
- Clear or slightly cloudy, sometimes with a faint streak of pink
- Slippery and wet, like raw egg white or lotion
- Stretchy: it holds together when you pull it apart between your thumb and finger
- More plentiful, so your underwear may feel damp
- Odorless or very mild
How discharge changes through your cycle
| Cycle stage | What discharge is usually like |
|---|---|
| Period | Masked by blood |
| Just after your period | Little or none, feels dry |
| Early follicular phase | Sticky, white or cream, breaks easily |
| Approaching ovulation | Creamy, lotion-like, wetter |
| Ovulation (peak) | Clear, slippery, stretchy egg-white mucus |
| After ovulation (luteal phase) | Thicker, tacky or drier again as progesterone rises |
The last day you see slippery, stretchy mucus is often called the peak day. Ovulation usually happens within about a day of it. For a fuller color guide, see our discharge color chart and the page on egg white discharge.
How to check your discharge
- Wash your hands.
- Before you pee, wipe with clean toilet paper, or gently collect a sample from just inside the vagina with a clean finger.
- Look at the color, then press it between your thumb and finger and slowly pull them apart.
- Note whether it's dry, sticky, creamy, or wet and stretchy.
- Check at the same time each day for a few cycles. Patterns matter more than any single day.
Arousal fluid, semen, lubricants, vaginal infections, antihistamines and hormonal birth control can all change what you see. Hormonal methods that stop ovulation usually stop the egg-white pattern too.
Ovulation discharge and your mood
The same estrogen peak that makes discharge stretchy is linked with feeling more energetic, social and confident for many people. Noticing egg-white mucus can be a cue that you're in the ovulation phase, often the brightest days of the cycle, with the luteal phase and its PMS days about a week or so behind.
See a doctor if discharge is green, gray or yellow, smells fishy or bad, looks like cottage cheese, or comes with itching, burning, pain or bleeding after sex. These point to an infection rather than ovulation.
Frequently asked questions
How many days does ovulation discharge last?
Usually about 2 to 4 days, building up to the peak day. Some people see it for longer, others for only a day.
Can you ovulate without egg white discharge?
Yes. Some people make less noticeable mucus, and medications or dehydration can reduce it. Other signs, like an LH test, can help.
Is clear watery discharge a sign of ovulation?
It can be. Very wet, watery discharge is common right before the stretchy egg-white type, as you approach ovulation.
Can ovulation discharge have blood in it?
A little pink or brown is common around ovulation and is usually ovulation spotting. See mid-cycle spotting.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic: Cervical Mucus
- ACOG: Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of Family Planning
- NHS: Vaginal discharge
This page is for information only and isn鈥檛 medical advice. If something worries you, please talk to a doctor.
Keep reading
Egg white discharge: what it says about ovulationEgg white discharge is your most fertile cervical mucus. What it looks like, when it shows up, how to check it, and what it can tell you about ovulation.
Discharge color chart: what each type means through your cycleA kind, clear discharge color chart: clear, white, creamy, egg white, yellow, green, gray, pink and brown discharge, what's normal and when to get checked.What are the signs of ovulation?Signs of ovulation: egg-white discharge, a positive LH test, a temperature rise, one-sided twinges and higher sex drive. What each means and how to read them.
How do you track ovulation?How to track ovulation: calendar estimates, LH tests, cervical mucus, temperature and wearables. What each tells you and how to combine them.
Ovulation calculator: when do I ovulate?Free ovulation calculator: enter your last period and cycle length to see your likely ovulation day for the next 4 cycles. Private, instant, estimates only.