During this time of the month, your vagina is naturally lubricated by increased blood flow. This makes it perfect for sex that involves penetration. (1)
Your cervix may also become more stretchy, almost slippery like raw egg whites, in preparation for ovulation. This could make it easier to get in and out of the sex position.
1. Increased libido
Most women have a heightened sexual desire during the days leading up to ovulation. This happens because of the surge in estrogen and luteinizing hormone (LH), which is secreted to prepare the ovaries to release an egg. It also coincides with when a woman is most fertile and can easily become pregnant.
This is a good time to try new things in the bedroom, including arousal techniques and exploring sexual fantasies, fetishes, or even new positions. But you need to be cautious and use safe sex practices to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Studies show that sexual interest increases around ovulation, and this may have to do with the peaks of oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These hormones make the clitoris and labia engorged and more sensitive to stimulation, which contributes to increased pleasure and orgasm during intercourse. It’s also been suggested that women are attracted to men with certain masculine features during this fertile window. It’s possible that this is an evolutionary adaptation to mate with those who might best provide for the offspring.
2. Cervical arousal
A woman’s cervical mucus changes during her menstrual cycle, becoming thin and stretchy, a bit like egg white. This typically occurs in the days before ovulation, and it’s a good sign that you’re receptive to getting pregnant (you can also tell by measuring your basal body temperature).
Bartholin’s gland produces arousal fluid that makes the vagina more slippery to help sperm make their way toward the egg. This lubrication is usually white and disappears within an hour after sexual intercourse.
If you’re looking to get pregnant, experts recommend having sex at least twice a week (every other day if possible) in the six days leading up to and including ovulation. This is known as the “fertile window,” and it’s when the most chances of conception occur.
3. Cervical pain
Ovulation pain, or mittelschmerz, is usually felt on one side of the lower abdomen and lasts a few minutes to a few hours. It occurs when ovulation triggers a release of LH from the follicle that contains the egg.
LH peaks right around the same time that progesterone levels begin to rise, making the egg fertile. It’s during this fertile window that you’re most likely to conceive.
Many women experience cervical pain during ovulation, which can interfere with sexual pleasure and prevent them from having sex during their most fertile time. Fortunately, over-the-counter pain relievers can alleviate ovulation pain.
Try to experiment with different sexual positions, including doggy-style, and if you have deep dyspareunia (pain when your partner inserts their penis into the vagina), try using a sexual aid like the Ohnut that limits penetration depth and helps reduce pain. Adding warm baths and a heating pad to your bedtime routine may also help to alleviate pain. Talk to your doctor if these tips don’t improve your symptoms. They may suggest other ways to manage your pain, such as birth control pills or a pelvic muscle relaxer.
4. Changes in cervix position
The position and texture of your cervix change during your menstrual cycle, depending on where you are in your cycle and whether or not you’re pregnant. In a regular cycle, right before ovulation (your most fertile time) the cervix feels soft and spongy, like your lips. After ovulation, it will feel harder, more like the tip of your nose.
You can check the cervix at home by inserting your finger into your vagina in a way that is similar to how you would put a tampon in. Some women find it easier to do this with the middle finger, but use whatever is comfortable for you. To locate your cervix, first get into a comfortable position (sitting or squatting on the toilet, or standing with one leg on the edge of a tub are good choices). Once you’ve located your cervix, it will look like a round appendage that is slightly hard and has a small opening in the center (the os). It can sometimes be difficult to find, but if you practice it regularly it should become easier over time.
5. Changes in cervix position during sex
Your cervix does a lot of work for you. It secretes mucus that helps sperm travel from the vagina to the uterus, opens and closes to let menstrual blood in and out, and grows its own plug (called a’müncis’) if you become pregnant (5). It also contains nerve pathways involved in the sexual response (6). When you are at your most fertile, your cervix becomes higher, softer and more open. You can check your cervix by placing a clean finger in the opening of the vagina, preferably with lubrication (or a sanitary wipe). Sitting or squatting on the toilet or standing with one foot on the edge of the bathtub are good places to start (be sure to use the same position each time for consistency) (7).
Right before you ovulate, your cervix will feel soft and high, like touching your lips. After ovulation, it becomes harder and lower and the cervical opening closes (8). Your cervix will also shift shape during arousal and orgasm. This can change how sex or penetration feels, and some people find that having their cervix touched is more pleasant when it is high, around ovulation (4).
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