Cervical Position Made Easy For Everyone

Cervical position or cervix position is one of the three major fertility signs you can monitor to identify your ovulation period.

Yes, some women have told me it is “nasty”! However, the good news is that you must not do this if you don’t want to. You can confidently use BBT and cervical mucus to chart your fertility signs.

The cervical position could be helpful if interpreting the other signs is difficult or to cross-check the other signs and be double sure.

But first, if you want to do this, read through the necessary precautions below. It is your body! You need not be afraid or feel its too “dirty”!

I would consider the relevant basics for comfortably monitoring your cervix position.

The Cervix

The cervix is the lowest part of the uterus that protrudes into the vagina. To be sure what to touch and where to find it, review the diagram below.

Menstrual Changes of the Cervix

The cervical position, as other parts of the genital organs such as the ovaries and endometrium, undergo changes throughout the menstrual cycle. You may want to become familiar with the phases of the ovulation cycle if you are not yet sure about them.

• Before OvulationThe cervix will feel firm(like touching the tip of your nose), dry and the center( the tiny entrance into it) will be closed. Cervical position is a measure of how high or low the cervix is in your vagina. Before ovulation, the cervix is low in the vagina and so you will easily feel it close.
• Ovulation As ovulation approaches, the cervix becomes soft(like touching your lip), moisten and rises high in the vagina. It will be far up and you will a bit hard to touch. The tiny entrance at its center will feel open.
• After ovulationAfter the egg is released and the fertile period is past, the cervix returns to its preovulation state and becomes firm and low.

Technique

How do I check the position, texture and even the opening of the cervix? This might be intimidating at the very beginning. In fact even young doctors have a hard time figuring it out too! Some little experience with your body will let you be comfortable. There are some things you will not get by reading or listening to a lecture. Only experience and time will help you through. It may require at least one month for you to gradually gain some mastery in it. So be patient if the initial check leaves you more confused than before!

Precautions

There is a risk of infection by introducing bacteria into the cervix and then uterus. Hygiene is capital. Always wash your hands thoroughly before checking the cervix at all times.

Introducing the fingers into vagina can also cause trauma and bleeding especially from long nails. It is therefore advisable to keep the nails trimmed.

Positions

There are three body positions you could adopt to comfortably check your cervix. The purpose is to keep you comfortable and also grant you good access to assess the cervix position. You may either sit on the toilet, squatting or stand with one leg on the edge of the bathtub or a stool. It is advisable for you to use the same position each time especially while start to help you learn rapidly and easily compare your findings. Most women prefer the sitting or standing options to squatting.

Procedure

The procedure basically involves two steps: identification and assessments

Identify the cervix. After taking the appropriate body position as stated above, insert one or two fingers into the vagina. As you gently push your fingers further, you will feel a something that interrupts the smooth movement of the fingers. Check the diagram above if to picture what your fingers will feel inside without your eyes. You may want to feel it more to ascertain it is the cervix.

Assessments. Once the cervix is identified, you can then determine its characteristics with the following questionsIs the cervix high or low? If you easily touch it, then it is low and therefore not in the ovulation period.Does the cervix feel soft or firm?Does the cervix feel open or closed? Women with more than one vaginal deliveries often have their cervix slightly open and never really closed at any one time.Does the cervix feel wet or dry?

How Often and When?

Most women often check their cervix position after a bath or shower. You do not have to check it more than once a day.

Charting And Interpretation

Once you have noted it, you may then use the ovulation chart to record your findings. This is highly recommended if you are just starting this for it helps you learn the trends in your own body. No textbook or article can teach you about your body than what you discover by checking it yourself. Over time, you will then learn how to correlate the findings with the ovulation period.

You can download(pdf) and print our free ovulation chart in pdf format for use with cervical mucus and BBT.

Return From Cervical Position To Signs Of Ovulation