Clear Watery Discharge After Ovulation (Feeling Wet) Am I Pregnant?

Question: Clear watery discharge after ovulation – Am I pregnant?

When you are within the age of childbearing, it’s important you know the signs of ovulation and when it happens during your menstrual cycle.

This is necessary because women that engage in sexual intercourse should be aware of their more and less fertile days in the cycle. If you are expecting, it also helps you know your most fertile days.

During your “less fertile” days, the chances of becoming pregnant are lower, though not completely zero. So if you have intercourse, it is less likely (but still possible) that you will get pregnant.

Also, during your fertile period, getting pregnant can occur unexpectedly because at this time it is very easy for a man’s sperm to meet your egg released during ovulation.

Therefore, if you want to conceive very fast or avoid getting pregnant, you should learn about your ovulation signs and symptoms. If you are using “fertility awareness” as contraception, it is safer to combine it with condoms or other methods, because timing alone is less reliable. 

So, is clear discharge helpful?

Clear watery discharge before, during and after ovulation can be a way to tell if you are in your fertile period. At the same time, it could also happen in early pregnancy or simply be normal discharge at that point in your cycle, so it cannot confirm pregnancy on its own.

During your menstrual cycle, your vaginal epithelial cells and bacteria are washed out through cervical mucus produced from the cervix. This discharge can vary from thick to watery during your menstrual cycle. This is normal and does not indicate anything serious as long as there is no bad smell, itching, pain, or unusual colour. 

Your body regularly produces hormones from the first day of your menstrual cycle that will rise and fall as your next period approaches. This hormonal change will affect how your vaginal discharge looks.

During the first part of your menstrual cycle (when your period begins to when ovulation occurs) there is a rise in estrogen hormone.

Estrogen is a hormone that is produced primarily by your body’s ovarian follicles and causes different changes to your body.

Within a few days before ovulation occurs you may start feeling a stretchy and clear discharge (often called egg-white cervical mucus).

This is your fertile vaginal mucus and means any sexual activity at this time has a higher risk of getting you pregnant.

There is no reason to panic if you notice a watery discharge before ovulation. It’s not abnormal as your body estrogen works to make you feel wet while preparing for ovulation.

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Here’s an email I received from Chinaza

Hi Doc

I’m 28 years old and I have been having infertility issues for 3 years now. Today, I noticed a clear discharge about 8 days after my period ended. Is this my fertile discharge or am I pregnant?

Clear watery discharge after your period has ended is often because of hormonal changes as you move towards ovulation, and it is normal too if it has no strong smell, itching, burning or pain. There is no reason to panic. If you are expecting and trying to conceive, you should have more intercourse during this time.

On the other hand, if you are not ready for a baby yet, you should abstain completely or use contraceptives if you don’t want to get pregnant during this period.

This article explains what clear watery discharge after ovulation means, signs of ovulation and early signs of pregnancy.

Clear watery discharge after ovulation – Is it normal?

Remember that within days to your ovulation, your discharge becomes watery. It will be stretchy and look like raw egg white (egg white cervical mucus). So, a watery discharge before ovulation is normal.

If ovulation takes place, women may experience increased watery discharge that usually does not last for too long. This is not abnormal as you are still in your fertile period.

A fertile woman’s period is calculated with the lifespan of the man’s sperm and the female egg. Usually, sperm can live for up to 5 days after ejaculation while the female egg only lasts about 12–24 hours after ovulation. This implies that about 5 days before you ovulate and up to 1 day after ovulation is your main fertile window.

After your fertile window, the second half of the menstrual cycle begins and lasts from ovulation to the start of your next menstruation.

During this time, there is the elevation of another hormone called progesterone that is produced by the ruptured follicle (the corpus luteum).

This hormone causes a woman’s body temperature to be slightly raised (compared to the first part of your menstrual cycle) and changes your watery discharge to a more creamy and thick vaginal discharge.

This kind of discharge is non-fertile and continues for days before your period. Within a few days to next menstruation (2–3 days), your body progesterone hormone falls (if you are not pregnant) resulting in a drier vagina that is common before menstrual period, though some women still notice a small amount of discharge.

Feeling wet after ovulation (before the next menstrual period) – am I pregnant?

Truth be told, if you continue to notice an excessive white or clear watery discharge just before your period should start, it may be one early sign of pregnancy, but it is not specific – many non-pregnant women also have discharge at this time.

This occurs during early pregnancy due to hormones produced by the corpus luteum. During the early days of pregnancy, your body’s corpus luteum continues to produce progesterone and estrogen.

Before missing your period, these hormones work in your vagina and cervical area to increase vaginal discharge. During pregnancy, many women notice more thin, milky or clear discharge (called leukorrhea). If you have heavy clear discharge after missing your period for days, pregnancy is possible, but the only way to know for sure is to do a pregnancy test. (See Cleveland Clinic on vaginal discharge: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/4719-vaginal-discharge)

Nevertheless, some women’s ovulation will not occur when due; and ovulation is delayed by a few days or weeks. Stress, acute illnesses, severe loss of body weight and use of emergency contraception like plan B pills or Postinor can affect hormones that regulate ovulation.

This means if you have a delayed ovulation and feel wet before your expected period, a pregnancy test done too early may still be negative even if you conceived. In that case, repeat the test after a few days or 1 week, especially if your period has not come.

How can I tell I’m ovulating?

If you are not sure when ovulation occurs, this guide explains the symptoms and signs you should expect.

Ovulation happens when the most-mature ovarian follicle breaks open and releases an egg into your fallopian tube.

Your ovary is an egg-shaped white structure that is located on either side of the uterus. One of the ovaries will release an egg spontaneously during ovulation.

In many women with regular cycles, this release of egg occurs about 14 days before the next menstrual period in a 28-day cycle, but it can be earlier or later if your cycles are shorter or longer.

Signs of ovulation are:

1. A slight rise in basal body temperature (BBT) after ovulation in some women

2. Heightened feeling and sense of smell

3. An increased urge for sexual intercourse

4. Spotting about 2 weeks before period in some women

5. Mild abdominal pain (ovulation pain or “mittelschmerz”)

6. Nausea and vomiting (less common and not specific)

7. Clear, stretchy or watery discharge

When clear watery discharge is NOT normal

Clear or white discharge is usually normal. However, you should see a doctor or go to a clinic if:

• The discharge has a strong or bad odor

• It is green, yellow, gray, or looks like “cottage cheese”

• You have itching, burning, pain, swelling or sores around the vulva

• You have pelvic pain, pain with sex, or bleeding between periods

• You recently had unprotected sex with a new partner and your discharge suddenly changes

These may be signs of infection (like yeast, bacterial vaginosis or sexually transmitted infections), and you need proper tests and treatment. (Mayo Clinic – when to see a doctor:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050825)

What if I’m pregnant?

If you become pregnant, here are signs you may experience:

• Missed period

• Implantation spotting and belly pain

• Nausea and vomiting

• Feeling easily fatigued

• Raised basal body temperature

• Swollen and sometimes painful breasts

• Mood swings and headaches

• Increased thin, milky or clear vaginal discharge

If you think you might be pregnant, the simplest way to confirm is a home urine pregnancy test, followed by a visit to your doctor or clinic for confirmation and antenatal care.

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Still worried why you are feeling wet after ovulation? Let us know in the comments or talk to your doctor for a proper check-up if anything feels unusual for you.