Why Is My Cervical Mucus Not Right?
Causes of Vaginal Dryness That Can Impact Your Ability to Get Pregnant
Cervical mucus is key to getting pregnant. Fertile cervical mucus - sometimes referred to as egg white mucus that you produce during your peak fertile time - is needed to help sperm survive and swim from the cervix into the uterus and eventually the fallopian tubes.
Problems with cervical mucus are a sure sign that something is not quite right and you should get assessed straight away. It is a sure sign that one or more of the 120 hidden modifiable fertility factors are interfering with you getting pregnant. If you can relate to this, you should get assessed by BUMP NOW!
Mild cases may increase the time it takes to get pregnant, but won’t necessarily cause infertility and it's good to get onto these straight away. More serious cervical mucus problems like dryness or blood stained secretions require hormonal support and advanced testing.This is why we offer this as part of our premium support package.
When cervical mucus problems stand in the way of getting pregnant, it’s medically referred to as hostile cervical mucus. Hostile cervical mucus can refer to severe vaginal dryness, problems with vaginal secretions that are too acidic, or refer to immunological problems.
Age, vaginal infections, medication side effects, and hormonal imbalances are some causes of cervical mucus problems. Even some fertility drugs can cause issues with vaginal dryness and this needs to be restored once the IVF cycle is complete.
Cervical mucus is essential to achieving pregnancy as it creates the ideal environment by which semen can thrive and move freely.
Why is cervical mucus health so important to your fertility?
Just prior to ovulation, the volume of cervical fluid released will increase and become more like raw egg white in consistency. In this form, the cervical mucus has the role of nourishing sperm cells, increasing their ability to move through the cervical canal.
Problems with the mucus can impede this process and make getting pregnant all the more difficult.
Causes of Cervical Mucus Hostility
Cervical mucus hostility is a term that refers to possible problems with cervical fluids. Among some of the more common causes:
- Acidic mucus creates an environment hostile to sperm. While hormonal irregularities can interfere with pH balance, the acidity may also be the result of a bacterial, yeast, parasitic or mold infection. This can be either local or systemic. This is why we assess for this at BUMP.
- Inflammatory cells are produced in response to an infection or high levels of Reactive Oxygenated Species (ROS). This can be caused by environmental pollutants, heavy metals or poor microbiome health. When this happens it can cause the vagina or cervix to produce cells that actively target and kill sperm.
- Anti-sperm antibodies are defensive proteins produced by the immune system in response to a past infection where sperm was either present or involved. While less common, these antibodies can also attack and kill sperm.
Medication Side Effects
Some medications can dry up or decrease the quality of your cervical mucus. Those drugs may include:
- Anti-histamines or allergy medications
- Cough suppressants
- Cold and sinus medications, especially if they include a cough suppressant or anti-histamines
- Some sleep aids
- Atropine
- Propantheline
- Clomid
- Some anti-depressants and epilepsy drugs
While cold and allergy medications can decrease cervical secretions (just like they dry up the mucus in your nose), whether or not they can cause infertility is questionable. Usually, drugs like these are taken for a limited period of time and are nothing to worry about. If you are concerned about a cold medication’s effect on your fertility, you could try using a neti pot (with distilled, sterile water) to clear out your sinuses. Another option is to try a cream or aromatherapy treatment that contains menthol or eucalyptus.
Be sure you tell us every medication you’re taking, even if you think it’s irrelevant to your fertility so we can find the best solution for you.
Hormonal Imbalance or Anovulation
A hormonal imbalance can also lead to a lack of cervical mucus. If you're not ovulating, you may not get fertile cervical mucus. It's also possible to have an excessive amount of fertile cervical mucus and still not be ovulating.
There are many possible hidden modifiable fertility factors that cause anovulation. Just a few examples include a thyroid problems, hyperprolactinemai, polycystic ovarian syndrome and primary ovarian insufficiency. These are all triggered by over 120 different modifiable fertility factors, which is why getting assessed by BUMP is the first place to start.
Are You Ready To Deal With The Key Factors You Need To Fix, To Turn Your Dream Of Getting Pregnant Into A Reality?
BUMP® is a proven system that works particularly well for those when IVF has failed.
READY TO GET ASSESSED & BE MORE FERTILE?
Tired of trying and ready to be more fertile? Perhaps you've just finished a cycle, or suffered early pregnancy loss? It's ok. The timing is right to come on board and work with me now.
