What are the signs of ovulation?

Note on the name: in May 2026, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was formally renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following a global consensus process. The old name was inaccurate — the condition affects multiple hormone and metabolic systems, not just the ovaries, and "polycystic" wrongly implies ovarian cysts. Nothing about the condition, its diagnosis or its treatment has changed. Both names will be used side by side for the next few years, and we use PCOS below since that is the term most people know.

The most useful signs are the ones that appear before ovulation, since that is when you need to act. Cervical mucus is the most practical. In the days approaching ovulation it becomes clear, slippery and stretchy, like raw egg white. That change signals the fertile window is open. Ovulation predictor kits detect the LH surge, which precedes ovulation by roughly 24 to 36 hours. Useful if your cycles are irregular, though they can be misleading in PCOS where LH may be persistently raised. Other signs: one-sided mid-cycle cramping, breast tenderness, a small rise in libido. Basal body temperature is worth understanding properly. The rise happens after ovulation, so it confirms that you ovulated but cannot tell you in advance. It is useful for establishing your pattern over a few cycles, not for timing this one. Not everyone notices any of this, and that is normal. If your cycles are irregular and tracking is not working, follicular tracking scans give a definitive answer.