Learning to check your cervix is easier than you think. It may sound like something only doctors and nurses are taught, but there is no reason why a woman cannot know where the cervix is and how to notice changes in its position. Why even check the position of the cervix?
If you are trying to get pregnant, this can provide key information. You can detect ovulation by tracking cervical changes. The cervix goes through subtle changes throughout the menstrual cycle. You can determine when your body is most ready to conceive or ovulation has already passed, just by checking the position of the state of the cervix. It also changes during late pregnancy and childbirth. The cervix shortens, thins and widens during childbirth. It transforms from tightly closed and stiff at the beginning of pregnancy to 10 centimeters wide and completely wears off (or thins out) at birth. You can see these changes for yourself.
More about menstruation
Complicated things happen every monthinteraction between the pituitary gland in the brain, the ovaries and the uterus. Signals caused by hormones are sent throughout the body to prepare it for a possible pregnancy. An egg is produced, the lining of the uterus thickens, and hormones prepare the vagina and cervix to receive and support sperm. If pregnancy does not occur, the thick lining of the uterus is shed along with the egg, which is menstruation. Then the cycle starts anew. The first day of the cycle is the first day of the period.
After menstruation, the inner lining begins to grow again to become a thick and loose "nest" in preparation for a possible pregnancy. On day 14-15 (for most women), one of your ovaries will release an egg that will eventually enter your fallopian tube (called ovulation). On the 28th day (for most women), if you don't get pregnant, the uterine lining starts to shed. Blood, together with exfoliated endothelial cells of the uterus, make up normal discharge during menstruation. Color may vary from dark scarlet to brownish brown.
The structure of the female reproductive system
Internal reproductive organs in women include:
- The vagina is the canal that connects the cervix (lower part of the uterus) to the outside of the body. It is also known as the birth canal.
- The uterus is a hollow pear-shaped organ that is the "home" for the developing fetus. The uterus is divided into two parts: the cervix, which is the lower part,opening into the vagina, and the main organ of the uterus, called the corpus or body of the uterus. The body can easily expand to accommodate a developing baby. A channel through the cervix allows semen to enter and menstrual blood to exit.
- The ovaries are small oval glands located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and hormones.
- Fallopian tubes: These are narrow tubes that attach to the top of the uterus and serve as tunnels for the egg from the ovary to the uterus. Conception, the fertilization of an egg by sperm, usually occurs in the fallopian tubes. The fertilized egg then travels to the uterus, where it is implanted in the mucous wall.
How does the cervix feel before menstruation?
Before the egg matures, the cervix rises a little, becomes softer and opens slightly. A woman can feel these signs of ovulation herself, not excluding transparent mucous discharge. Immediately at the time of ovulation, the female organ becomes even looser, and the channel, accordingly, opens wider. This creates favorable conditions for the passage of spermatozoa. In the case when conception did not occur, after a few days the body prepares for menstruation. The cervix at this point becomes more firm and elastic, and the cervical canal, in turn, closes. About a day before your period, the position of the uterus changes from slightly raised to lowered, and the firm cervix softens.
Below in the photo - the cervix before menstruation. It becomes firm to the touch in a few days.
Self Diagnosis
Now that a woman knows which uterus to touch before menstruation, she is able to independently determine whether conception has occurred or whether it is worth preparing for critical days.
Self examination technique
Before the start of the event, first of all, you need to take care of hygiene. Since the whole procedure will be done by hand, they must be thoroughly washed. It is desirable that there is no manicure on the hands with excessively long nails, in order to avoid damage to the mucous membranes, as well as a manicure without decorative elements (rhinestones, beads, etc.), since at any moment they can come off the nail plate and remain in any parts of internal organs, which can lead to not the most favorable consequences. So, having decided on the hygienic condition, you should proceed to the choice of a comfortable posture for examination. For each woman, this is completely individual.
Most lucky positions:
- sitting on the toilet;
- squatting;
- lifting one leg on a platform, such as a chair.
With one or two fingers, the cervix is examined by touch.
Step by step instructions for checking the cervix
How to understand where the cervix is? This can be done by studying simple diagrams of the structure of the uterus. If you imagine that the vagina is a corridor, then the cervix is \u200b\u200bthe door at the end. While your vagina has a sort of spongy texture,yielding to pressure, the cervix is like a hard, round dimple.
Insert your index or middle finger into the vagina and slowly slide it up to the cervix. You will feel it, as it is very different from the vagina. If you are not close to ovulating, you should be able to find your cervix easily. If you are ovulating, your cervix may be higher in your body and more difficult to reach.
Vaginal infections
Vaginal infections occur when bacteria, fungi or viruses grow in and around the vaginal area. Anything that lowers the acidity of the vagina can cause a vaginal infection, while some other infections are sexually transmitted. No one is safe from them.
What are some causes of vaginal infections?
Some types of bacteria live naturally inside the vagina. They produce an acid that helps keep the environment at a certain pH level in order to help the body fight infections. However, hormonal changes and even the use of soap to cleanse the genital area can change the acid levels in the vagina. This can cause bacteria that live naturally inside the vagina, which normally don't cause problems, to multiply erratically and cause harm. A foreign body, such as a forgotten tampon, can also encourage bacterial growth and cause an infection. This can lead to life-threatening complications known as toxic shock syndrome, but this is usually rare. Vaginal infections can also be causedunprotected intercourse.
What should be the cervix before menstruation to the touch?
There are three changes you feel when you check your cervix. First, the position of the cervix is high, medium or low. As you approach ovulation, your cervix moves up and back. It may be so high that you cannot reach it.
The article presents a photo of the uterus. To the touch before menstruation, it has a dense structure.
Estrogen softens the tissues of the cervix, making it softer when the body is most prepared for conception. Some say it feels a bit like the tip of your nose when you are "not fertile" and like the firmness of your lips when you are "fertile".
Open or closed? The cervix will be slightly open shortly before ovulation. The hole is tiny - no more than a thin slit. It will open again just before and during your period. However, during this period, the cervix will be lower (instead of higher, as before ovulation).
Above is a model (photo) of the cervix. Before menstruation, the organ becomes hard to the touch.
If your cervix is always slightly open, don't worry. Especially if you have ever given birth (which may include a miscarriage). The hole simply cannot close completely. As ovulation approaches, you will still be able to notice a change in the height and softness of the cervix.
A cervix that is high, soft and open is fertile. Low, firm and closed, - suchcharacteristics are not a fertile trait and you are probably not ovulating yet, or you have already ovulated.
Cervix during pregnancy
In this case, the cervix is in the most elevated position in the vagina, and you can only feel it with your fingertip. The organ during this period is dense, hard, and the canal takes the form of a small flat slit.
Why are gynecologists against self-examination?
Due to the fact that many women know how the uterus should feel before menstruation, they try to feel the organ on their own. But still, this should not be done.
Firstly, if hygiene is not followed, there is a risk of infection, because microbes can enter the uterus itself through the opening and cause inflammation.
Secondly, on different days of the menstrual cycle, the position of the uterus and its cervix may change. The neck can both fall and rise slightly. Therefore, without knowing additional information, a woman can injure her neck. And of course, no matter how much experience a girl has, for accurate results, especially if pregnancy is suspected, you need to contact a gynecologist, an experienced specialist with all the necessary knowledge and modern equipment for examination.
