Q: What factors can affect cervical fluid?
A: In most cases the effects of the following factors are not great enough to seriously hamper your charting efforts or skew the analysis enough to dramatically alter your results. Nonetheless, the following factors may impact cervical fluid patterns and should be noted when possible:
- Medications such as antihistamines and diuretics
- Fertility medications, such as clomid (ask your healthcare provider)
- Tranquilizers
- Antibiotics
- Expectorants (ask your healthcare provider before using an expectorant to increase cervical fluid)
- Herbs (ask your healthcare provider before taking herbs while trying to conceive)
- Vitamins
- Vaginal infection or sexually transmitted disease (ask your doctor if you think this is a possibility)
- Illness
- Delayed ovulation (can cause multiple cervical fluid patches)
- Douching (not recommended unless advised by your doctor or healthcare provider)
- Being overweight (can cause increased cervical fluid)
- Arousal fluid (can be mistaken for eggwhite cervical fluid)
- Semen residue (can be mistaken for eggwhite cervical fluid)
- Lubricants (not recommended when trying to conceive as they can be hostile to sperm)
- Breastfeeding
- Decreased ovarian function
- Just stopping birth control pills
If you notice anything that concerns you about your cervical fluid (like if it has an unpleasant odor or is causing you discomfort or itchiness or if you are bleeding or spotting when you do not expect to) call your doctor.