Age 24 – Most of Cycle

This is the cervix of a 24 year old woman with no history of STIs or abnormal Pap smears.  She is sexually active and tracks her fertility using the Fertility Awareness Method; she and her husband use condoms during her fertile phase as birth control.  This cycle is 25 days long, with ovulation around day 12 or 13.  

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Day 1

First day of bleeding.  You can see red blood flowing from the os and collecting near the speculum.

 

 

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Day 2

 

 

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Day 3

You can see some endometrial tissue (lining of the womb that is shed during menstruation) or a small clot leaving the os.

 

 

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Day 4

There is some light reddish brown flow as a streak to the right of the os. 

 

 

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Day 5

You can see some light red spotting flow to the right of the os.

 

 

 

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Day 6

 

 

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 Day 7

 

 

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Day 8

 



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Day 9

Very fertile cervical fluid that stretches a few inches between the fingers.  This is sometimes called eggwhite cervical fluid because it resembles the stretchiness and slickness of raw eggwhite.  

 

 

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 Day 10

She has entered her fertile window because she is producing wet and lubricative cervical fluid.  You can also see her os is slightly more open and central (and continues to be through Day 13) than in the photos taken earlier in this cycle.

 

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 Day 11

 

 

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 Day 12

 

 

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Day 13

 

 

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Day 14

Based on a rise in basal body temperature and a general ‘drying up’ pattern of her cervical fluid, this woman identifies that she has already ovulated (likely on day 12) and is in her luteal phase.  This cervical fluid is sticky and white and typical for her in her luteal phase.

 

 

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Day 15

 

 

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Day 16

 

 


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Day 23

Her luteal mucous is white, sticky and does not stretch.  You can see that it dried in her panties in streaks, indicating that it does not contain much water and is therefore not fertile.