The Basics of Fertility Charting

Learn to Track Your Body's Fertile
Signs to Help You Conceive

Part 2

By Jessica Williams

For conception to occur, there must be three factors working together: sperm, an egg and cervical mucous. Sperm is abundant; a man produces millions of sperm each day. A man is designed to always be fertile. A woman, on the other hand, is only fertile a few days out of each cycle. A woman is infertile more often than she is fertile. Therefore, timing the joining of sperm and egg is critical.

During sex, the sperm are ejected into the vagina which is a very hostile place for sperm to be. As they travel toward the uterus, they must first pass through the neck-like opening called the cervix. A few days after ovulation and for most of the cycle, the cervix is closed and sealed by a protective, thick mucous. This mucous protects the uterus from infection and prevents sperm from entering.

Right before ovulation, however, the mucous changes into a thinner, slicker consistency and becomes beneficial to sperm. Not only does it act as the perfect lubricant for the vagina, but it also provides an environment where sperm can easily travel through the cervix and into the uterus. Before entering the uterus, the mucous "feeds" the sperm, nourishing the cells so that they are stronger, while filtering out the abnormal cells.

The number of sperm dwindles before reaching the fallopian tubes; only the strongest will make it. They continue to travel up through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, where the egg is traveling down. Once the egg is fertilized, cells immediately begin to divide, and the fertilized egg then continues down the fallopian tube. It embeds itself into the endometrium where it is nourished and protected.

These mucous changes are generally noticeable to a woman during normal visits to the bathroom. A few days before ovulation, you may notice the mucous when using toilet paper. The first phase of the mucous is generally white and sticky. It can be stretched from thumb to middle finger easily. After a few days, the mucous becomes wetter and more abundant. Most women report that the mucous is very slippery. It is right around these slippery mucous days that ovulation should occur. For couples who have had continued trouble conceiving, it is especially important to track mucous changes, as some women are only fertile for a few hours of one day in the cycle. Mucous changes are recorded on a special chart, and previous cycles are used as guides.

This method of tracking mucous changes was introduced in the 1960s and is commonly referred to as the Billings Ovulation Method. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that in five different countries, 91 percent of women who were taught how to track their mucous changes for only one cycle were rated as having a good or excellent understanding of the method.

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