In your menstrual cycle, the cervical mucus will change in amount, color, texture and other aspects. Each type of cervical mucus has its own meaning.
As it regards the creamy cervical mucus, it has its own meaning to your reproductive health.
Why is my cervical mucus creamy?
The creamy discharge you will notice during your menstrual cycle can mean many different things especially as far as pregnancy is concerned.
While it is widely held that it is a sign that you are not fertile at the time it appears, that is particularly subjective since it all depends on when it appears in the menstrual cycle.
The creamy white mucus derives its meaning from when it occurs in relation to the major events of the menstrual cycle such as ovulation and the period.
The confusing aspect about the creamy cervical fluid is that it can occur either as a light mucus or heavy one with each occurrence signifying something different.
After ovulation
Ovulation occurs midway through the menstrual cycle. For a cycle of 28 days, it occurs anything from the 12th to the 16th days.
During ovulation, one ovary (or both) will release a mature egg which starts traveling towards the uterus through the fallopian.
What happens after ovulation will determine whether you get pregnant or not. The type of vaginal mucus you will have dictates the conditions in the vagina and the cervix for the survival and movement of the sperms.
From the 4th to the 10th day past ovulation (DPO), the presence of the creamy cervical mucus will mean different things as below:
4 DPO
The 4th day after the ovulation process may be accompanied by mucus or not. In most cases, having creamy CM after ovulation is a sign of conception.
It, however, depends on the type of mucus you will have. If it is heavy and stretches very little, it will not be conducive for the movement and survival of sperms. If on the other hand, it is egg white in nature, it would be conducive for the sperms.
5 DPO
On the 5th day after ovulation, having creamy mucus further increases your chances of conceiving especially when it is watery in nature. Still, it is too early to make a conclusion as far as being pregnant goes.
For one, implantation would not have occurred and taking a pregnancy test at this point will not give you a reliable result. The hCG hormone which is used to test for pregnancy would still be too little to show that you are pregnant.
6 DPO
When you are 6 days past ovulation and observe a creamy cervical fluid, it can mean you are pregnant, or not. It is only when you have the other early symptoms of pregnancy that you can think along these lines.
Still, it is too early to conclude that you are pregnant since even a test would not confirm or dispel the aspect of being pregnant. Even at this stage, the amount of the hCG hormone would be too little to show a positive test.
7 DPO
On the 7th day past ovulation, you should be expecting the implantation process to occur if you are pregnant. It can, however, occur either earlier or later than this date.
The appearance of the creamy vaginal discharge at this date can mean that you are pregnant. This can be made further stronger by the other early pregnancy symptoms.
If the cervical mucus is particularly watery and in large amounts, it can be an early sign of pregnancy.
You have to refrain from making conclusions at this stage given that it is still way too early to have a positive result from a pregnancy test as the levels of the hormone hCG would still be too low.
Of note at this stage is the fact that you may have some tinges of blood during the 7th DPO as a result of the implantation process. This is one of the signs of pregnancy as it means conception took place.
If the mucus is clumpy and mostly dry without any of the other signs of early pregnancy, then you should not worry about being pregnant.
8 DPO
Having the thick white discharge on the 8th day after ovulation can also mean you are pregnant with the possibility of not being pregnant also eminent.
It will depend on the presence or absence of the other first signs of the pregnancy since it is still too early to rely on a pregnancy test.
If at all you are pregnant on this date, you will have lots of the creamy mucus. It would also be watery and tending towards an egg white consistency rather than dry and clumpy. The egg white consistency provides the best environment for the fertilization of the egg.
Even the presence of this kind of mucus on its own isn’t enough to state that you are pregnant. Rather, other signs of a pregnancy should be present to make this conclusion.
Taking a test would also not be reliable as it is too early in the pregnancy for a reliable result.
9 DPO
The changes in the cervical discharge will tell you whether you have conceived or not. The 9th DPO will be about two days from the day of implantation which would have occurred on the 7th DPO. That is if you are indeed pregnant.
Normally, after the implantation process, the level of mucus would go down with the available amount being mostly being thick and clumpy.
The creamy mucus you will have at this time of the menstrual cycle can thus mean anything from being pregnant to not being pregnant to having an STI.
A test will not help in the decision-making and the only thing you can do is remain patient and see what else unfolds going forward.
10 DPO
Having a creamy vaginal mucus on the 10th day after ovulation is a strong sign of being pregnant. The likelihood of being pregnant increases if the mucus is more like a lotion and in high amounts.
At this time, a few of the signs of pregnancy would be accompanying this kind of discharge to confirm that you are pregnant.
Even without the other signs of early pregnancy, you may still be pregnant given that these signs widely differ in people.
While it is the 10th day from ovulation, a test to confirm or dispel the pregnancy cannot be relied upon.
In all the days from ovulation mentioned above, you need to draw a clear line between normal mucus and that caused by a sexually transmitted illness.
If the mucus is accompanied by any of the following signs, you need to have a test done:
- Itching
- Fever
- Rashes, warts, ulcers, blisters, and sores in the genital area
- Pain in the vaginal area or abdomen
- Vaginal odor
- Persistent diarrhea and many others.
Creamy white CM before period
Lotion-like mucus a few days before your expected period is a strong sign of pregnancy. In fact, it is one of the aspects used to test out whether one is pregnant or not before a test can be carried out.
The reason you will have this kind of discharge is due to the increasing amount of the progesterone and estrogen hormones.
Is it a sign of pregnancy?
The creamy cervical mucus is one of the main signs of a pregnancy especially when it occurs a few days to the expected period. Although it is not a guarantee that you will be pregnant, it will be confirmed with the following signs of early pregnancy:
- Missed period
- Slight spotting and cramping
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Frequent urination
- Slight pain in the breasts
- Bloating
- Mood swings
- Motion sickness
- Increased blood pressure and body temperature
- Heartburn
- Fatigue
- Constipation and diarrhea
Wait for a week till your expected period has passed then take a pregnancy test as it would be reliable then.
Can you get pregnant with thick white CM?
Getting pregnant depends more on the timing as far as fertilization is concerned more than the type of mucus. If you have sex at the time when a mature egg is available for fertilization, the chances of conception go up greatly.
However, the type of mucus in the vagina and cervix will determine the rate of survival and movement of the sperms when they enter the body.
The best type of mucus is the egg white kind which makes it easy for sperms to survive for up to 5 days and easily move in the reproductive tract.
On the flip side, the thick white cervical mucus makes it difficult for the sperms to survive and move in the female reproductive tract.
That does not in any way mean that you cannot get pregnant with this kind of vaginal mucus. It only means that the chances are lowered but they are still there.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if the cervical mucus comes with the symptoms of a sexually infected illness such as the following:
- Itching
- Fever
- Rashes, warts, ulcers, blisters, and sores in the genital area
- Pain in the vaginal area or abdomen
- Vaginal odor
- Persistent diarrhea and many others.
References
- Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) – Better Health
- Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy – American Pregnancy