After talking it over with your friends, you are convinced that you are the only person who has pain during ovulation. Is there something wrong with your body? Are you just extra sensitive to pain? Or is it completely normal? You will be happy to learn that the latter is true. It is completely normal. It is just not something every woman experiences.
About 20% of women experience cramping pain during ovulation. This phenomenon is called Mittleshmerz.
What is Mittleshmerz?
Mittleshmerz is the word used to describe ovulation pain in the middle of your cycle. It comes from the German words for “middle” and “pain”.
What are the Symptoms of Mittleshmerz?
The symptom of this condition is cramping pain from one side of your lower abdomen, about two weeks before your next period is due. The pain can vary in severity from woman to woman. Some women experience intense pain while others may only feel a dull cramping.
How Can I Be Sure It’s Ovulation?
If you are experiencing cramping pain during the middle of your cycle but are unsure whether you are ovulating, you can also look for the following signs.
Cervical mucus Cervical mucus changes throughout the cycle, just before ovulation cervical mucus resembles the texture and consistency of raw egg white.
Cervix position changes The cervix also changes during the cycle. Before your fertile window and ovulation, your cervix will be in its infertile state. It will feel firm (like the tip of your nose), low, closed and dry. As you approach ovulation, it will become soft, high, open and wet (SHOW).
Basal body temperature (BBT) increase Your BBT is your lowest body temperature, usually during sleep. If you take your temperature as soon as you wake (before ever sitting up in bed), every day of your cycle, you will notice a slight yet noticeable increase after ovulation. Download a blank BBT chart and instuctions to learn more.
What Causes Ovulation Pain?
There are a few things that could cause ovulation pain. Here are a few theories:
- Irritation When the ovary releases a mature egg, the egg’s follicle ruptures and releases blood and other fluid. This causes some irritation to tissues in the abdominal lining which can cause pain.
- Bruising When the ovarian wall ruptures to release the egg, it may cause bruising that results in pain.
- Contraction Ovarian and fallopian tubes contract during ovulation, and this may cause cramping or pain.
See images of ovulation cramping pain.
How Long Does the Pain Last?
The pain or cramping can last from a few minutes/hours to a few days. If your cramping lasts longer, it is time to see your doctor. Cramping at other times in your cycle could be from endometriosis. And if you are trying to conceive, this is something you should explore with your doctor.
Phil Druce is the Founder of Ovulation Calculator, a website which provides the necessary tools and education to help women (and couples) get pregnant naturally.
Hello there,
I can’t remember if I got it 1 day before Ovulation or on Ovulation day but I got it every single month off the pill, I would need to check my FF to know the exact day. For me it felt like a milder version of my AF cramps, and usually only lasted an hour to a few hours max and that would be it. So for me, they felt more like… spasms? Or stabbing kind of. And they alternated sides every month, I kept track. I’m however elated to see you share this coz I know there are myriad of readers here who undergo these pains and curse it blindly.
Best Regards,
Julia