Correlation of plasma gonadotrophins and ovarian steroids pattern with symptomatic changes in cervical mucus during the menstrual cycle in normal cycling women

27 healthy young Italian women were studied to evaluate their ability to identify symptomatically the potentially fertile phase of the menstrual cycle by self observation of their cervical mucus pattern as described in the Ovulation Method Billings. The women's observations were correlated with daily plasma levels of FSH, LH, estradiol-17 beta and progesterone. Ovulation was considered to occur on the day following the LH peak. The hormonal assays revealed that 2 of the 34 cycles studied were anovulatory. 24 of the 27 subjects in the study group demonstrated their ability to recognize the onset of the mucus discharge and the peak symptom from the first cycle after teaching, another two from the second cycle. The only other subject contributed an anovulatory cycle in which the hormonal assay confirmed the accuracy of her mucus observations. In the study, the mean interval between the time of ovulation as assessed and the peak symptom recorded by the subjects was 0.0 days, with a range from -2 to +1 days. The mean time interval from the first recorded symptom to the estimated day of ovulation was 6.0 days, with a range from 3 to 10 days. The study shows that young Italian women can be taught to recognize their cervical mucus pattern as described in the Ovulation Method Billings. The accuracy of their observations is demonstrated by the hormonal assays. The study also confirms the conclusion reached in earlier similar studies that there is a direct correlation between the cervical mucus symptom and the potentially fertile phase of the cycle. Research is currently being conducted on a larger number of couples employing the Ovulation Method Billings to actually regulate their fertility.