Brown cervical mucus before period while TTC, any similar experiences? TTC 18 months.

[carmsevs]

Hello,

Me and my husband have been TTC for nearly 19 months and haven't had one BFP yet.

We are both 36.
Sperm results are all good, no issues detected.
I am lead to believe through OPK'S, ovulation pain and blood tests that I ovulate however results were 29 which I think is borderline.
I have regular periods, around a 25-26 day cycle with a Lutheal phase of 14 days

My periods are like clock work.
I have had a private scan of my uterus and an NHS and no issues detected.

We have been referred to a fertility specialist and have been advised we will get an app by August as we will need to wait till the two year mark.

The only thing that concerns me is from 9 DPO, I have stomach cramps, ranging from mild to moderate, not every month but most. I have no actual spotting but if I check my cervical mucus it can be tinged with brown. This happens every since month and we usually start 10 DPO and continue to my period. I am worried is it progestrone related although tests to not confirm this.

I take vits/supplements to aid ttc.

Any advice on these symptoms please? It's so frustrating that if it is an issue with my progestrone levels, I have to wait until potentially August as my normal gp won't treat low progestrone levels although they are ok at the moment.

I am convinced that I ovulated successfully however, I then do not have enough progestrone for implantation, hence the brown cervical mucus 😔

Any advice would be great, thank you xx

I get brown cervical mucus before my period also, and I get this even when I have been pregnant. Your 14 day luteal phase and good progesterone results suggests this isn't a progesterone issue. I am not a doctor though, but those tend to be good signs.

How often are you dtd? A 25-26 day cycle with 14 day luteal phase means you must ovulate very early, are you covering this adequately? Sometimes you can get a positive LH test but actually ovulate 2 days later or even before the test.

Personally, once I found out roughly when I ovulate, I have paid for private ultrasound scans just to see if my positive ovulation tests are corresponding with an actual dominant egg. If you go to the scan before your suspected ovulation date you should see it mature. If you go after, it will confirm that it has been released as you see the corpus luteum. These scans are really helpful to see if you are actually releasing eggs or just getting the LH rise?

Another reason it's useful is you can see your endometrial lining. If it is too thin, this could make implantation less likely. It's worth having more data on this (in terms of scans). You can pay for these at places like ultrasound direct or window to the womb in the UK. They're just called fertility or women wellness scans. A bit pricey but important information especially if TTC for 19 months.

Thanks for your reply!

I ovulate around day 10 to 11 which is normal for a cycle of around 25-26 days. We did 2-3 days before ovulation, the day of and the day after.
We have also tried when the sperm meets the egg method, doing it on the 2 days before etc, all sorts really.

I have already had a private scan with WTTW where they did the wellness scan I think? They checked my uterus lining, where they had no concerns, checked my ovaries, checked for any fibriods etc and everything was all ok!

I wonder if its worth paying privately to have my bloods done again on my progestrone levels later in my cycle, around the time I would implant. When I have had them done before, its always to confirm ovulation, not to see the levels in the later part of my cycle but not sure if thats the same thing as the dates would be similar?

Its helpful to hear that you have had the brown mucus too although I wish I knew what it meant.
The next stage is waiting for my first appointment with the fertility specialist which I have been told will be before August. Already have 1 over the phone appointment but not much was discussed there.

Thank you!

your cycle is a little short and you’re ovulating early - indicating perhaps PCOS or a thyroid issue. The spotting is almost certainly progesterone related.

NHS docs won’t hear any of this. If you’re really keen on getting things moving I would suggest seeing a private specialist.

It is worth trying to take progesterone during luteal phase but NHS don’t give these out easily. You will need to go private