Bloating After Ovulation with Gas: Causes, Treatment

Bloating After Ovulation with Gas Causes, Treatment

Last updated on July 26th, 2018 at 05:27 pm

Question: What are the causes of gas after ovulation? Is severe bloating after ovulation a sign of pregnancy?

Women during their childbearing years are very concerned about their ovulation period. This is because, at this time, your body is not protected and sexual activity can result in an unplanned pregnancy.

More so, for women that are expecting, the ovulation period is crucial to determine when to have intercourse, and if you miss the right time, and instead, have intercourse at your non-fertile time, it’s difficult for you to conceive.

Ovulation occurs because hormones force your ovaries (right or left) to produce an egg which is pushed into your fallopian tube.

In a 28-day menstrual cycle, it’s quite easy to tell when ovulation occurs, On day 14, 15 or day 16, ovulation will happen, and you will also get other signs that will tell you are ovulating.

Common sign you will experience during ovulation are watery vaginal discharge, fatigue, watery cervical mucus and raised basal body temperature.

After ovulation period is over, your body naturally starts preparing for the next period or pregnancy (should you have sexual intercourse).

At this point, you will experience different symptoms that signify you’re now in your non-fertile period

But there is one problem, bloating after ovulation steps in and makes you feel you are adding a lot of weight before your period. Then again, you feel gassy after ovulation that gets you worried what’s wrong.

If you do, you are not alone, and feeling bloated after ovulation is not uncommon and occurs because of changes in your body hormones and their effect on your gastrointestinal tract (your intestines).

Here’s an email I received from MYRIA (one of my readers having similar issues)bloating after ovulation pregnancy sign

Hi, Doc, I need help. I had unprotected sexual intercourse with my boyfriend, and since then I feel severe discomfort around my lower abdomen. My lower area feels bloated and swollen and its like I added so much weight. I’m expecting my period to start in a weeks time and I’m wondering if I’m pregnant or not. My breast feels sore, and my back hurts too.

Sorry for being so personal but I feel am pregnant, and I’m wondering how I got pregnant after a protected intercourse. I’m yet to take a pregnancy test though.

Just like Myria, if you feel bloated when expecting your period, it can be worrying. But the truth is, it’s not abnormal and its normal to feel bloated while waiting for your period.

On the other hand, if you’ve had sexual intercourse or expecting to conceive, bloating before your next period can be a sign of pregnancy.

This article explains why you feel bloated after ovulation, when it’s abnormal, and signs that mean you are pregnant.

 

What causes gas and bloating after ovulation?gas after ovulation

If you are expecting your menstrual period, and after ovulation, you feel bloated, gassy with constipation, it’s not abnormal.

After ovulation occurs, your reproductive hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are produced by the corpus luteum. This hormone makes changes to your body and also your gut.

At your intestines, progesterone slows down movement, and this means, it takes a longer time for food to move through your intestine to your anus (where it is expelled).

After ovulation has occurred, and because of high levels of progesterone, it normal for you to feel constipated as your gut movement slows down, and then again, you will feel gassy and abdominal distension.

This is not abnormal, so don’t panic.

Another reason why you may experience severe bloating after ovulation is because of water retention, which means, your body cells now retain a lot of water and can get worse depending on what you’re eating.

While expecting menstruation, a lot of women have food craving and tend to eat more than usual. If you do and take processed food that contains salt, it can worsen how you feel and cause you to add a few pounds.

 

Is bloating after ovulation a sign of pregnancy?

If you are expecting or had an unprotected sexual intercourse, cramping and bloating after ovulation until period can be a sign of pregnancy.

There is no reason to panic if you’ve used protection during sex and it’s unlikely you will get pregnant after a protected intercourse.

Generally, progesterone slows down your GUT, causes constipation, and then, right before your period starts, your bowel movement gets back to normal (because progesterone hormone falls before the start of menstruation).

So, you will feel constipated, gassy, and bloated after ovulation, and then, during period, you experience frequent stooling.

On the other hand, if pregnant, progesterone stays elevated, which means, you continue to feel bloated with constipation before and after missing your period.

While abdominal cramping and bloating after ovulation can be a sign of pregnancy, it’s very unreliable, and it is important you take a pregnancy test if you are expecting. Here are other signs of pregnancy you can watch out for.

1.  Swollen breast with tenderness

Yes, if you are pregnant, your breast feel sore and tender. And also, your nipples feel more sensitive. This happens because of elevated progesterone and estrogen hormones in early pregnancy.

2.  Morning sickness

Feeling like throwing up or vomiting are common in early pregnancy.

3.  Implantation bleeding and cramping

Implantation bleeding is light vaginal spotting few days to your period, and if it occurs, you will also feel bloating with abdominal cramps.

This guide explains how implantation bleeding looks like so you can easily differentiate it from period.

4.  Other symptoms

Other symptoms of pregnancy are a delayed period, constipation, fatigue, excessive white discharge instead of period, mood swing, food aversion, food craving and body weakness.

 

Bloating and smelly gas after ovulation: When to worry?

While its normal to feel bloated after ovulation, it could be a sign of something serious. Here are danger signs that may indicate a serious problem.

  • Constipation or diarrhea for days or weeks
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Anal bleeding
  • Persistent abdominal pain after stooling or passing gas

 

How to stop bloating after ovulation

If you feel extreme and severe bloating after ovulation, there are ways to feel better

  • Stop eating junk and processed salty meals that cause water retention and make your symptoms worse
  • Have regular exercise
  • Take a lot of water
  • Eat fiber diet to decrease intestinal transit time
  • Stop bad habits of chewing gum, smoking, and also, drinking with a straw

See this guide on other ways to de-bloat and feel okay.

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