This 25 year old woman has never given birth and has no history of STIs. Each photo was taken at approximately 10:00 pm every day starting the first day of her menstrual cycle. For the duration of this project, she used condoms as her birth control method so as not to introduce semenal fluid into the photoshoot. She did not use tampons or mooncups during her menstruation either.
This cycle is of normal/average length for her, about 33 days. Her cycle’s follicular phase (variable number of days preovulation) lasts until about day 20 or 21. Her fertile phase lasts from days 13 to 21 with ovulation on day 20. Her luteal (postovulation) phase is 13 days long (12-16 days is the norm and is not variable in a normal cycle).
Above is a graph of her basal body temperature for this cycle. As you can see, after ovulation on about day 20, her temperature began to rise due to the heat-inducing hormone progesterone produced by the corpus luteum. This temperature shift signifies that ovulation has already occurred. Check out more information about the Fertility Awareness Method of birth control to learn more about cyclical temperature changes.
You may notice on the right side of some photos, some jagged looking skin, which is the remnants of her hymenal ring. Her os (opening in the cervix) is round because she has never given birth; the os becomes more of a slit after childbirth. On the sides of the photos, you can see her vaginal rugae, which are the ridges that make the elastic muscular canal of the vagina able to open/expand dramatically during arousal and childbirth.
She also tracked the depth/movement of her cervix in her vagina. These gradual shifts are not really distinguishable in the photos, but was a tangible change as the depth she needed to reach a finger inside to touch her own cervix varied slightly each day. She also noted the firmness of the cervix and openness of the os – again a change she was feeling with her finger.
Her uterus is tipped backward (retroflexed), so you may notice that the cervix is pointing upwards in some photos. This is an anatomical variation that is present in about 20-30% of the population, and is most often a genetic trait. It means that the body of the uterus lies more towards her back than over her bladder.
Day One
Blood – red , clotty and heavy flow
Cramps – mild
Breasts – de-swelling
Feeling – very sexual and tender
Day Two
Blood – Dark red, medium/light flow
Breasts – normal
Basal body temperature – 97.2 F (and remains between 97 F and 97.4 F until day 20)
Day Three
Blood – Brown and watery dark red, low flow
Day Four
Brown Spotting with some dark red flecks (note fresh blood at os)
Day Five
Light brown discharge; very low flow
Tender, heart-achey
Tired
Day Six
Very light brown discharge
Sticky cervical fluid when touched between fingers
Day Seven
Cervix in low closed position
Cervical fluid sticky
Day Eight
Cervix, low and closed/firm
Cervical fluid white and sticky
Day Nine
Cervix low and closed
Dry sensation
Day Ten
Cervix low and closed
Notice blood spot near os and brown clot near cervix (right). Possibly from vigorous intercourse earlier that day (not mittelschmerz as I am not ovulating yet)** Since posting this last idea that the blood may have been from intercourse, I have since been diagnosed with an endometrial polyp that occasionally causes bleeding mid-cycle, usually unrelated to intercourse. I am treating it with holistic measures and hope it clears up soon.
Day Eleven
Cervical fluid is creamy
Day Twelve
Cervical fluid white and wet, milky
Feeling particularly sexual
Day Thirteen
Copious watery cervical fluid
Cervix softening and moving upwards
Day Fourteen
White/clear watery cervical fluid, dripping
Day Fifteen
Cervical fluid changed to more eggwhite texture
Cervix is soft, open and high
Day Sixteen
Cervical fluid alternately wet and eggwhite consistency
Cervix soft and high
Day Seventeen
Cervical fluid is very gelatainous (here seen covering os) and streaked with whitish yellow
Sensitive, sensual breasts (not painfully tender)
Stringy Fluid when stretched between fingers (above)
Day Eighteen
Eggwhite fluid
Day Nineteen
More white-tinged eggwhite fluid
Very stretchy and strong Fluid (above)
Day Twenty
Mild back pain and cramp on left side (mittelschmerz)
Ovulation suspected!
Feeling very sexual
Cervical Fluid gelatinous and egg-white (right)
Day Twenty One
Drier/chunkier (like drying rubber cement) cervical fluid
Nipples very tender and painful
Day Twenty-Two
Tender nipples
Cervical position is mid and slightly open
Basal Body temperature beginning to rise, today 97.6 F
Day Twenty-Three
Very tender nipples
Dry feeling
Basal Body temperature 97.5 F
Day Twenty-Four
Very tender nipples
Dry feeling
Cervix feels hard and high again
Day Twenty-Five
Headache and tired
Dry/tacky
Day Twenty-Six
Breasts swelling
Tacky cervical fluid
Basal Body temperature now noticeably higher than preovulation by about 1 degree Farenheit. It is now 98.1 F and ranges from 98.1 F to 98.6 F for the rest of this of cycle
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Day Twenty-Seven
Tender nipples, swollen breasts
Tacky cervical fluid
Day Twenty-Eight
Dry feeling
Day Twenty-Nine
Dry feeling
Day Thirty
Dry feeling
Breasts feel heavy
Day Thirty-One
Feeling bloated
Dry fluid (note fresh blood at os, sign of impending menses)
Feeling emotionally tender
Day Thirty-Two
Very light brown spotting
Cervix low and open
Feeling tired
Day Thirty-Three
Pink spotting
Lower back ache
Menses begins tomorrow upon waking, 13 days after ovulation (luteal phase)
Thank you!
Feel free to comment below. Please know that I ‘censor’ the comments, so you needn’t bother saying something mean, derogatory, pornographic, or sexist as posting such comments does not further the vision of my project or the health of the world.
I have a question. I’ve been using the Nuva Ring birth control for three months now and have noticed it feels like severe swelling of my uterus or cervix. I have pain during bowel movements and passing gas… extreme almost passing out pain. It is only during the first two days or so of my period. When I felt for my cervix it was just inside the vagina wall, sitting down. I can’t tell from your pictures but is that normal for you as well? Since I have never had this pain before I have never felt for my cervix during my period before and have nothing to compare it to. I’m just wondering if the severe swelling is causing the pain. Thanks!
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beautifulcervix Reply:
March 23rd, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Perhaps you’re having a reaction to the nuva ring or the hormones – Please contact your doctor.
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I went to the doctors last week as I have been worrying about my cervix as it is so low I can feel it with the tip of my finger…..what baffled me is she said things were fine….perfectly normal we’ll I personally don’t think ya cervix is suppose to be that low….it has been like this months now any ideas maybe a prolapse?
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Thank you so much! I feel enlightened!
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I found this helpful. I have different discharges, but they are exactly how you described. Having no sti’s or children, it allows me to rest easy knowing, yes, it is normal.
Great job.
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Wow, thanks for the most enlightening and informative insight yet, coming from a young woman such as yourself this really opens up the mysteries surrounding the inner workings of a vagina and all the cycles you as woman go through.
Thanks again.
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Thank you so much for doing this. It has helped my self esteem infinitely, I was so worried for so long. But not anymore
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Im completely fascinated! I feel more comfortable exploring this area
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Thanks that was very informative! I was curious though I have a white discharge, and I dnt know if it is normal or not. I see in the pics that there was discharge and I was wondering did it stay up or did it leak out of the vagina? I’m asking because I usually have to wear panty liners because I have discharge in my underwear if I don’t and I don’t know if that’s normal. I always feel wet down there.
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beautifulcervix Reply:
March 24th, 2013 at 12:02 pm
The vagina is a moist place, especially in women in their fertile years. Women make different amounts of cervical fluid, which does travel to the vaginal opening. Also the walls of the vagina shed cells (called vaginal cell slough) which can contribute to the amount of discharge actually coming out of the vagina. The amount/quality/consistency usually varies throughout the cycle, though some women have what is termed a ‘basic infertile pattern’ meaning that they always have some discharge even when they are not in the fertile phase of their cycle (does not mean she is infertile!)
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Hie I found this helpfull in regards to feeling my cervix when i insert my finger inside.i thought something was wrong because i thought i shouldnt feel it.However im going to do it (insert my finger)over the whole cycle so that i really see when its high and when its low etc.
thanx
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Hi, I was wondering if you had sex during this and whether you used a condom. If not, do you think the semen mixed with your fluids to change the consistency?
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beautifulcervix Reply:
March 24th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
She used condoms during this experiment.
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These pictures are very interesting and helpfull.
Sometimes my cervix feel very low, and when I sit down I can feel it. This is when my period is due. I have also felt a small lump on the side it is only very small is this normal??
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beautifulcervix Reply:
March 24th, 2013 at 12:17 pm
If you are concerned, please call your doctor. The lump on the cervix might be a polyp, scar tissue, or a nabothian cyst. You might want to buy a self-exam kit and check it out for yourself:
http://www.beautifulcervix.com/nabothian-cyst/
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I am ttc so this is very helpful! Thanks. Are you still selling the kits for me to see my cervix?
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beautifulcervix Reply:
March 24th, 2013 at 12:19 pm
http://www.beautifulcervix.com/see-your-own-beautiful-cervix/
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I am a student midwife and this is amazing. Not just because I need to learn to do vaginal examinations and know what is going on inside a vagina, but also because I realize how much there is to learn about my own body.
Thank you!
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These are incredible images thank you so much for sharing. I am certain that the actual physical imagery of the cervix are a mystery to most women including myself and I have had 2 children! How absolutely fascinating and now I feel enlightened. Best wishes to you.
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I’ve read countless books and articles to better understand the innerworkings of my body as well as what is ‘normal.’ Sharing your personal experience and visual of anatomy we rarely see helped bring a lot of knowledge together for me as well as be able to now visualize what I feel. Beautiful project indeed.
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