It is common for a woman to experience some vaginal dryness throughout her childbearing years, but if this continues it may be a sign of a hormone imbalance, an infection, and can make it difficult to get pregnant. Getting “wet” down there is not only important to the comfort and ease of enjoying intercourse, but for making a baby as well. The cervical mucus a woman produces actually helps in conception efforts. 

What is Cervical Mucus and Why is it Important?

The cervix produces mucus that varies in consistency and amount depending on where a woman is at in her menstrual cycle. Just after menstruation, when the estrogen levels are low, the cervix produces a fluid that is thick and acidic which is designed to prevent sperm from entering the vagina. This is known as infertile mucus.

Fertile cervical mucus (CM), also known as cervical fluid (CF) is produced by your cervix as ovulation approaches and depends on a good supply of estrogen from the ovary. Cervical mucus is necessary for allowing the sperm to swim freely through the cervix. You can see it come from the vagina, or as wetness on your underwear or feel it inside of the vagina. Changes in CM can be charted and may be used to detect your most fertile time. When a woman is about to ovulate there should be an increase in thin cervical mucus, as well as a change in the mucus texture, from “wet” to a more pliable, stretchy, egg white like mucus. This is possible through an increase in both water and electrolyte content, and a reduction in acidity. This higher electrolyte content can be seen with an ovulation microscope as a ferning pattern. Healthy fertile cervical mucus nourishes the sperm, protects them from the natural acidity of the vagina, and guides them toward the ovum.

Low to No Cervical Mucus

You may have noticed that you have vaginal dryness at times, but if this is becoming a regular occurrence, it may be a sign something is not functioning properly. If you have continual vaginal dryness and cannot detect cervical mucus at all, you may need to support your body in producing cervical mucus once again.

For women that have low, thick or no cervical fluid, it is harder for the sperm to reach the vagina and beyond for conception. In some cases there may not be a friendly environment for the sperm to sustain themselves. A woman may have developed antisperm antibodies, have some type of infection (yeast or bacterial infection, STD), or may eat a diet high in acidic foods which may cause Cervical Hostility.

Causes of Low Cervical Mucus

• Not enough water intake each day.
• Cervicitis or inflammation or infection of the cervix
• Poor circulation to the reproductive organs; sedentary lifestyle.
• Hormonal imbalance may cause changes to the entire menstrual cycle, which may inhibit production of fertile cervical mucus. Both high progesterone and low estrogen levels may cause poor cervical mucus quality. Conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the result of excess hormones from the ovary that can thicken or thin the mucus at odd times.
• Fertility medications containing hormones can alter fertile cervical mucus production.
• Cervical polyp or fibroid (very rare).
• Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cryosurgery to treat cervical dysplasia or HPV. These procedures can in some cases cause cervical scar tissue damage which may close off the ducts that secrete the cervical mucus. This is very rare.

Note: None of the natural options below will be helpful for those with cervical scar tissue damage. Scar tissue damage from LEEP or cryosurgery or polyp damage need to be discussed with your ob/gyn.

Natural Options for Increasing Cervical Mucus

1. Hydrate

Drink a lot of water throughout the day. This may be all you need, drink more water. Cervical mucus is made up of 90% water (Harvard University research in the journal Fertility and Sterility), so if you are not hydrating your body your cervical mucus production may lessen. Drink at least 8 full glasses of clean filtered water a day.

2. Nutritional Supplementation

Be sure you are getting enough essential fatty acids each day in your diet. If you cannot get these through the foods you are eating, you may want to consider taking a complete omega supplement which contains omega 3, 6 and 9.

Essential fatty acids help to:

• Regulate hormones
• Reduces inflammation
• Increase the blood flow to the uterus
• Reduce sensitivity to the hormone prolactin, which can suppress ovulation
• Increases egg white cervical mucus, which is needed to help the sperm reach the egg
• Helps your cycle to become normalized

All of these key areas are vital to healthy, adequate cervical mucus production.