Signs you’re ovulating, and whether you can feel it

Ovulation is when one of your ovaries releases an egg. In most people it happens 10 to 16 days before their next period. Some people notice clear signs every month, and others notice nothing at all. Here’s what to look for, and what each sign can and can’t tell you.

The signs of ovulation

1. Changes in your discharge

This is the most useful everyday sign. As ovulation gets closer, the discharge from your cervix becomes thinner, wetter, more slippery and stretchy, a bit like raw egg white. After ovulation it usually becomes thicker and stickier again, or dries up. If you notice the egg-white type, you’re probably in your most fertile days.

2. A twinge or ache on one side

Some people get ovulation pain: a dull ache or sharp, sudden twinges low down on one side of the tummy. It can last from a few minutes to a day or two, and sometimes comes with a little bleeding or discharge. It only affects one side at a time, and the side can change from one cycle to the next, depending on which ovary releases the egg.

3. A small rise in temperature

Your resting body temperature goes up slightly, by around 0.2°C, after you’ve ovulated. It’s too small to feel. You can only spot it by taking your temperature at the same time every morning before you get up, and it can only suggest that ovulation has already happened, not that it’s about to, and NICE says it isn’t reliable enough to confirm ovulation. See how to track ovulation for how to chart it.

4. Feeling more in the mood

Hormone changes around ovulation can make your sex drive go up.

5. Sore breasts, bloating or mild tummy pain

Some people notice these around ovulation. They’re also common before a period, so on their own they’re not a reliable sign.

6. Changes in your cervix

Some people check their cervix with clean fingers. Around ovulation it tends to feel higher and softer, rather than low and firm. This takes practice and isn’t for everyone.

Can you feel ovulation?

Some people can, through ovulation pain. Many people never feel anything, and that’s normal: not feeling ovulation doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Other signs, like egg-white discharge or a rise in temperature, are things you notice rather than feel.

You can’t feel the egg being fertilised, either. Read can you feel conception?

How reliable are the signs?

No single sign is perfect. Discharge changes tell you ovulation is close, but they take practice to read. Ovulation pain doesn’t happen to everyone, and other things can cause tummy pain. Temperature can only suggest ovulation after it has happened. Using two or three signs together, over a few cycles, gives you a much clearer picture than any one on its own.

Ovulation symptoms or early pregnancy?

Twinges, sore breasts and changes in discharge can happen around ovulation and in early pregnancy, which can be confusing during the two week wait. Our guide to pregnancy or ovulation symptoms explains how the timing differs.

Signs you might not be ovulating

Regular cycles anywhere from 21 to 35 days are normal, and if your periods come regularly every month, you’re likely to be ovulating. Not ovulating regularly is one of the main causes of fertility problems. Signs of it can include:

periods that are irregular or far apart
periods that have stopped

If you’re not having regular periods and you’re trying to get pregnant, speak to your GP. A blood test for the hormone progesterone can check whether you’re ovulating, and the timing of the test depends on how regular your periods are.

Questions people ask

How long after egg-white discharge do you ovulate?

Egg-white discharge tends to appear in the days leading up to ovulation and on the day itself, so it’s a sign your most fertile days are now. It doesn’t give an exact day.

Can you ovulate without any signs?

Yes. Many people ovulate without noticing anything. NICE guidance says that if your periods come regularly every month, you’re likely to be ovulating.

Can ovulation pain be on both sides?

Ovulation pain usually affects one side at a time. Get tummy pain checked by a GP if it doesn’t get better with painkillers or keeps coming back, as it can have other causes such as endometriosis or an infection.

Is spotting at ovulation normal?

A little bleeding or discharge during ovulation can happen. But bleeding between periods or after sex needs to be checked by a doctor, as it can have other causes such as an infection.

When to get ovulation pain checked

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if you have tummy pain that’s severe and painkillers haven’t helped, keeps coming back, or you think you might be pregnant. Similar pain can be caused by endometriosis, ovarian cysts, some sexually transmitted infections or an ectopic pregnancy.