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Cramping after Ovulation


Are you having cramping after ovulation? Well, for a lot of women, that is a normal occurrence. But cramping could mean a lot of things to you if you are trying to get pregnant or you are not even prepared for pregnancy soon.

It is important to watch your signs, know if they are signs of conception or just what happens with other menstrual cycles. Could you really be pregnant? What if the cramping occurs 1, 2, 3, 4 or even 7 days after ovulation? Should it be a source of worry too or should that be seen as a sign of early pregnancy?

Never worry! We shall be addressing those concerns in this post. We shall present a vivid picture of what cramping after ovulation is, and also what it is not. So, be a little patient as you read on; be free to ask questions at the end of the post on areas where you still have doubts and we will try our best to answer your questions.

What is Ovulation?

Ovulation is the release of an egg (ovum) from the female ovary about 15 days before the next menstrual cycle (mid cycle). The release of this egg is programmed by nature to enable a woman in her fertile stage to be able to bring forth an egg that the male spermatozoon should fertilize in order for pregnancy to take pace. In a normal menstrual cycle of 28 days, you should expect ovulation to take place about day 12 to day 16 from the day the menstrual flow commenced. Since it is not possible to predict it with a high level of accuracy, it is better to give at least 2 days before or after mid-cycle as your expected ovulation day. For example, if your menstrual cycle is 28 days, mid cycle is between day 14 and 15. So, you have to count from day 12 to day 16 and expect your ovulation to occur within this period.

We have added extra 2 days to both sides because it is understood that ovulation can take place sometimes earlier than expected or be delayed by some factors in some cases. Whichever be the case, you are able to guess when your ovulation is taking place especially if there is any pain occurring during this period.

Is Cramping after Ovulation Normal?

cramping-after-ovulation
Cramping after ovulation is a normal phenomenon, though the level of pain varies from one woman to another. In some women, the pain is dull while in others it can best be described as a sharp pain. Ovulation pain lasts from a few minutes to a few days. A lot of women have this pain only for a short time, with the pain lasting for a few minutes to a few hours. But in others, the pain could last as much as a few days (2 to 3 days). For some women, the pain can be quite disturbing and can even be mistaken for appendicitis. The pain eventually stops on its own at menopause.

However, you must understand that it is not all women that experience ovulation pain even as the pain is quite normal for others. Scientific researchers have not been able to explain these discrepancies. Nevertheless, genetic differences are believed to be the major reason why it happens that way.

Cramping after ovulation can be a sign of implantation taking place. This happens in about 20% of women. It is usually a sign that you are likely to be pregnant. However, not all women experience pain during implantation and yet they get pregnant.

Why am I having severe or mild cramping after ovulation?

Like I said earlier, the pain that comes with ovulation differs from one woman to another. Just as individual body chemistries are different, so also their ovulation cramps differ. So, in some women the pain is severe and that is normal for them. It is not a disease condition. Others are luckier that they have a milder pain to deal with.

Cramping after ovulation is a way of letting you know that ovulation has taken place. In some other cases, it is a probable sign of pregnancy. The fact that your cramps are more painful than other women’s shouldn’t make you look inferior, reduce your self-esteem, or cause you to feel that something has gone wrong with you. It is quite normal for you if your cramps are severe or mild.

What are the Causes of Cramping after Ovulation?

Cramping after ovulation occurs for varying reasons. Here, we shall discuss a few of the possible reasons why they occur. Please, take note of the reasons as they are going to help lay some of your doubts to rest.

Implantation

It is a sign of implantation taking place. This is quite normal in about 20% of women. However, it is not all women that experience cramping when implantation takes place.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the major reason while there is cramping after ovulation. It comes as the embedded embryo tries to adjust itself to the wall of the uterus. Of course, you know that with pregnancy, a foreign body (the embryo) is introduced into the uterus. This introduction can cause some upset for a few days before the body eventually adapts to the reality of pregnancy.

Post ovulation constipation

About 2% of women have constipation or a slow-down in their bowel movement 7 to 10 days after ovulating. The progesterone hormone has been suggested to be the cause of this development. In this case, ovulation may not be the direct cause of the pain but constipation. Constipation produces a slight lower abdominal ache and pain. These aches and pains can sometimes be common symptoms of early pregnancy. But in this case, the symptoms are as a result of constipation. Some of the ways of preventing constipation include drinking enough water, eating foods rich in fiber, and doing regular moderate exercises.

Endometriosis

This is an uncommon medical challenge, yet a possible reason why cramping after ovulation occurs. Endometriosis could be the reason for the cramping when you are not pregnant or having your monthly menstrual period. This condition can prevent you from being able to get pregnant. It also causes a lot of pain. It is, therefore, advisable for you to see a doctor if you think that your ovulation pain is not caused by pregnancy or menstrual period.

Sign of ovulation

Cramping after ovulation can sometimes be one of the 12 signs that ovulation has taken place. But why should there be pain? You ask me. Well, when an egg is released, blood and fluid are also released alongside. The blood and fluid can lead to the irritation of the tissues in the lining of the abdomen.

The second reason is that bruising takes place during ovulation following the rupturing of the ovarian wall. This can also produce some level of pain, depending on how sensitive the individual’s body is. The third reason is that the fallopian tube muscles contract gently in order to move the released egg into the uterus. Thus, the contraction can produce pain depending on how gentle or vigorous they are.

This pain that comes with ovulation occurs about 15 days before the next menstrual period. It is otherwise known as ‘Mittelschmerz’ pain (from the German words for ‘middle’ and ‘pain’). Mittelschmerz does not suggest that pregnancy has taken place; instead, it indicates that ovulation is taking place. The phenomenon affects 1 in every 5 women and it is common in women between ages 14 and 40.

Cramping days after ovulation

Cramping after ovulation can last for as little as two days and then goes off on its own even if you don’t do anything special about it. Nevertheless, should the pain last for more than two days, you should see a doctor as it portends another more serious condition such as an ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst, or appendicitis.

Having seen the signs of cramping after ovulation and the number of days the symptoms are supposed to last, let us quickly examine the post-ovulation cramping on a day-to-day basis, providing you with explanations to the root causes.

Cramping one day after ovulation

Cramping that occurs a day following ovulation is quite normal for a lot of women. The cramp can last for a few minutes to a few hours, but it doesn’t last into days. Up to 6% of women in their child-bearing age experience cramping during ovulation.

Cramping 2 days after ovulation

Like we rightly mentioned earlier, cramping after ovulation usually lasts up to 2 days. So, if you have pain just 2 days after ovulating, it is normal for you. According to a research, 7% of women in their child-bearing age have cramps 2 days after ovulation. Therefore, you don’t need to worry over this.

Cramping 3 days after ovulation

There can still be cramping 3 days after ovulation. But it is hardly a sign of pregnancy because implantation cramping takes place a little later. We see cramping 3 days after ovulation as a normal occurrence as about 9% of women have cramps on the third day after ovulation has taken place. Follicular fluid responsible for the irritation can stay up to 3 days before clearing up. The ruptured ovarian membrane may still be healing by the third day.

Cramping 4 days after ovulation

Cramping or any form of abdominal pain that exceeds day 3 after ovulation could stand for something else, especially if it is accompanied by vomiting, vomiting with blood, fever, bloody stool, fainting attacks, swollen abdomen, difficulty in urination, difficulty breathing, increase in the cramp and pains, then you must see the doctor right away.

Cramping 5 days after ovulation

This could be a sign of early implantation, other underlying disease conditions, or a side effect of Clomid (if you used Clomid for infertility treatment earlier). About 12% of women have cramps 5 days after ovulation, with about 7.5% of them eventually being pregnant.

Cramping 6 days after ovulation

It is the beginning of implantation if fertilization has taken place. So, if you experience cramps or pain 6 days after ovulation, it is a sign that implantation has probably taken place. About 15% of women have cramps or pains at this point, with 11% conceiving.

Cramping a week after ovulation

Though quite unusual, this is still possible. About 16.5% of women notice cramps a week after they have ovulated and 11% of them ending up being pregnant. However, if you have a shorter menstrual cycle, having cramps on this day could be a sign of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) rather than post ovulation cramps. Nevertheless, it is possible for implantation to be taking place at this time, meaning that you could be pregnant.

Is Cramping after Ovulation a Sign of Pregnancy?

Good question! But let me quickly explain. Cramping after ovulation can be a sign of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome or a sign of early pregnancy. This occurs a few days after conception or fertilization has taken place. This should be between 6 and 12 days after fertilization of the ovum.

Cramping that happens after conception comes when the embryo embeds into the uterine lining. It could happen earlier than the commencement of the Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) and could be worse than the normal Pre-Menstrual cramps. But when these cramps are accompanied by breast tenderness, white or milky vaginal discharge, spotting as a result of implantation bleeding, backache, bloating, etc, then you are almost certain to be pregnant.

How long does cramping after ovulation last?

Earlier on, we did say that cramping after ovulation lasts for a few minutes to a few hours, or usually for few days (about 2 to 3 days at most). However, cramping has been known to last for as much as a week especially if conception has taken place.

Does Clomid cause cramping after ovulation?

Yes. Clomid can cause cramping after ovulation especially if you have been on it lately before you became pregnant. The pain comes from over stimulation of the follicles by Clomid. These cramps can last from a few days to several days in different women. It is one of the side effects of taking the medication.

How to deal with cramping after ovulation

Mild cramps after ovulation do not usually need any special intervention as they go away within a few minutes or hours. In this case, you can easily ignore the pains and forge ahead with your daily routines.

Take a painkiller

If cramps or pains last for several hours or days, or if they increase in intensity, you should get a few over-the-counter painkillers like Diclofenac, Naproxen, Ibuprofen or Aspirin to help reduce the pain.

Birth control pills

Some serious pains would need the use of birth control medication like the Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs) which help to stop you from ovulating. When ovulation is successfully stopped, the pain is eventually controlled.

Apply a warm pack

Another way to relieve the pain is to apply a heated pad to the pelvic area. This works by improving blood circulation to the area and relax the muscles thereby reducing the pain. You can as well take a warm bath as this works the same way as the application of a warm pad.

Use cold compress

Some women have testified that cold compress works for them. So, if the warm pack does not work for you, try the cold compress.

Conclusion

Cramping after ovulation is a normal occurrence in a number of women. Now that you are aware of what it is and what it is not about, you can now live your normal life without stress. When these cramps occur, you can do a few things to help yourself out. Some of the things you can do include taking an over-the-counter painkiller (which is quite easy to get), or go on oral contraceptive pills (only if you don’t want to have babies anymore). You can also apply a heated pad to the pelvic area if the afore-mentioned drugs do not help much.

Have you ever had cramping after ovulation? How long did the cramping last? And what remedy did you apply? Please, share your experience with us as it can go a long way in helping someone here.

Cramping after Ovulation
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