Clear Jelly-Like Blob Discharge: What It Means & Better Cycle Tracking

Usually, a clear jelly-like blob discharge is a healthy and normal sign of ovulation, but vaginal discharge may appear in different forms and from different parts of the female reproductive organs. It's quite a common experience to have a liquid or sticky discharge, given that the hormonal changes in those organs are ongoing, even beyond menopause. A discharge might be a sign of irritation of the vagina, a sexually transmitted disease (STD), early pregnancy, ovulation, or even postpartum.

If you are on a birth control pill, you may also experience some discharge. Find out more about how to identify the natural signs of your menstrual cycle, and when a discharge might be a problem needing medical attention.

When Is a Clear Jelly-Like Discharge Most Prevalent?

A jelly-like discharge is most prevalent during the ovulation phase of your menstrual cycle, for a day or two. It consists of stringy, transparent, jelly-like mucus and sometimes a deposit of a blob. This is mucus that helps sperm move easily up into the uterus to meet the egg and fertilize it.

A similar type of discharge is also sometimes seen at the end of pregnancy, as discussed below.

Struggling to track your fertile window? Take a look at the best cycle and ovulation tracking apps available.

Does Discharge Differ in Appearance During Ovulation?

Your vaginal discharge does change during your menstrual cycle. From being clear, thin, and watery, immediately after your period, it may become thicker and jelly-like—similar to egg whites—closer to ovulation. At the time of ovulation, it is clear and elastic if you stretch it between finger and thumb. There may be a lot of it, so a blob is not unusual.

If you are trying to fall pregnant, then use this time of jelly-like mucus to increase your chances of conception.

If you want to avoid pregnancy, then you must use contraception before the very clear mucus appears, because sperm live for 72 hours and may be alive and waiting by the time you ovulate! So ideally, use contraception between the end of your period and the end of ovulation, to be sure not to fall pregnant.

To learn more about ovulation and pregnancy, read Will an Ovulation Test Give a Positive Result if Taken When Pregnant?

Why Discharge Can Appear Jelly-Like During Your Pregnancy

If you are pregnant and near full term (after 37 weeks), then you may experience a jelly-like blob that is more like a plug. It may be the mucus plug that normally forms to keep the baby safe from infection, and keeps the cervix closed while you are pregnant.

When you are close to a full term in your pregnancy, the plug becomes loosened when the cervix retracts (thins and pulls away), opening up for labor. You may then experience some clear jelly-like mucus flowing after the release of the plug. It has nothing to do with labor itself, but may also only be released when labor starts, or may not be seen at all. This release of the mucus plug shows that labor may begin within two weeks or a few days. It is a healthy sign, but if you are worried, or if you notice blood streaks in the mucus, use a pad and show your doctor.

Why You Should Track Your Cycle

Your menstrual cycle hormones give you clues about what is happening in your body. The patterns of symptoms, like changes in mucus, breast tenderness, and possibly bloating, tell you more about which phase is happening. By learning to match your bodily signs with the phase of your cycle, you can understand and accommodate your body's processes. While you are breastfeeding, your period is suppressed by the hormones that produce breast milk.

Useful Tips to Help You Track Your Cycle

• Note how your vaginal mucus changes throughout a cycle.
• Note when you experience breast sensitivity—at ovulation and when your period begins.
• If you are keen to fall pregnant, note carefully when the clear, jelly-like mucus appears. Alternatively, use an ovulation test to identify when you are ovulating.
• Note how many days between the end of your period and the beginning of ovulation—these are the days when you might conceive if you are having sex about once every 24 hours.