Spinnbarkeit
Spinnbarkeit is the stretch of cervical mucus, measured as the length of the thread it forms before it breaks. Estrogen rises before ovulation. The mucus turns clear, slippery and long.
In a 1952 report, mucus stretched 10 to 20 cm at its peak. That peak came on or before the day of the temperature rise in 13 of 16 women.1 Stretch is one of the mucus quality descriptors a woman records at home. A lab measure and a daily note track the same thing.
The stretch does real work. Stringy estrogen-type mucus helps carry sperm up out of the vagina. After ovulation the thicker type takes over.2
Cited in this entry
- Cohen MR, Stein IF Sr, Kaye BM. Spinnbarkeit: a characteristic of cervical mucus; significance at ovulation time. Fertility and Sterility. 1952. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14945532/
- Odeblad E. Cervical factors. Contributions to Gynecology and Obstetrics. 1978. https://doi.org/10.1159/000401247
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.
