Self Examination of the Cervix
For most women, confident identification of the mucus pattern is easily accomplished with observation of mucus alone. In special circumstances, it may be recommended that a woman examine her cervix to help identify her fertile and infertile days.The Technique for Self Examination of the Cervix
The Technique for Self Examination of the Cervix
When: Do the test in the evening, after the last mucus observation of the day. Begin after menstruation and check daily until the next menstruation.
Precaution: Make sure your hands are clean.
Position: Use a sitting, standing, or squatting position – whichever is more comfortable for you – but always use the same position.
How: Insert one or two fingers in the vagina. Reach up and back until you touch the cervix. The cervix feels like a small ball or snout at the top of the vagina.
What To Feel For: Feel for a soft (like your lips) or a hard (like the tip of your nose) texture to the cervix. Feel whether the os (cervical opening) is open or closed.
Chart Notations to Use for Cervical Changes
- Soft = Sf
Hard = Hd
- Open = Op
- Closed = Cls
- e.g.: Sf/Op or Hd/Cls
Notation of Cervical Changes: Mark your notations in the space on your Justisse chart reserved for Miscellaneous Symptoms. The cervix is soft and open when you are fertile. It is hard and closed when you are infertile. These changes occur gradually over a number of days, and can help confirm mucus observations.
