Nausea during ovulation: Causes, treatment & why it happens

Nausea during ovulation

What is ovulation?

Before we dive into why you might have nausea during ovulation, let’s look at what happens in your body around the time of ovulation. Ovulation is the release of a mature female egg cell from an ovary. It usually occurs once per menstrual cycle, around the mid-cycle point, and the egg cell survives for up to 24 hours [1]. If it is fertilized at this time, it leads to pregnancy. If it is not fertilized, the egg cell dies, and the menstrual cycle proceeds to its next phase.

Every stage of the menstrual cycle, including ovulation, is driven by hormonal changes. Toward the end of the follicular phase (the first phase of your cycle) and as ovulation approaches, your level of luteinizing hormone (LH) increases, helping to induce the release of an egg cell. LH also supports the corpus luteum after ovulation, allowing progesterone production, which prepares the uterus for implantation [1]. Another critical hormone during ovulation is estrogen, with levels reaching their peak just before ovulation [1]. After ovulation and throughout the luteal phase, LH levels drop, progesterone levels increase, and estrogen levels initially decrease, then rise again [2].

What causes nausea during ovulation?

Unfortunately, research on menstrual cycles and the female body is limited. But anecdotal evidence shows that some women experience nausea during ovulation, and there are several potential causes. 

Hormonal fluctuations

Though there is no direct evidence that hormonal changes during ovulation cause nausea, studies in other contexts (such as motion sickness) have reported associations between nausea severity and increases in stress hormones, which appear to be a response to nausea rather than its cause [3]. There is also a recognised link between high estrogen levels, nausea, and vomiting [4, 5]. Given that estrogen is at its peak just before ovulation, there may be a link between nausea during ovulation and high estrogen levels. However, this link is not fully understood.

Migraines

If you suffer from migraines, you may already be aware of the influence hormones can have on them, and that nausea can be a symptom of migraines [6]. We often hear about migraines during menstruation, but a 2013 study of 213 female university students found that around half experienced a menstrual headache pattern, 16% of whom experienced headaches during mid-cycle [7]

Migraines around menstruation and ovulation are thought to be caused by the drop in estrogen levels after ovulation and during the luteal phase [8]. But a 2021 study found that some people who get hormone-related migraines have a more sensitive brain–blood-vessel system, even between migraine attacks. This suggests that these individuals may be more susceptible to feeling nauseous, whether experiencing a migraine or not [9].

Digestive disruption

Have you ever experienced period poops? Well, digestive issues aren’t always related to our periods! It is hypothesized that hormonal shifts are the cause of several biological changes during our cycle, such as skin and hair changes, and PMS, so it is possible these hormone shifts may impact our digestion, too. More research is needed in this area, but a scientific review of existing studies reports a notable link between dropping levels of estrogen and progesterone during menstruation and perimenopause, with digestive symptoms [10]. Therefore, there may be a link between the drop in estrogen levels just after ovulation and digestive issues.

Non-ovulatory causes

Ovulation may not always be the cause of your nausea. Nausea is a common symptom of other ailments, such as:

• Food poisoning [11]
• Gastroenteritis (stomach flu) [12]
• Stress [13]
• Flu / Influenza [14]

Even if nausea is a result of a non-ovulatory cause, it is possible that nausea may be exacerbated by the hormone fluctuations during ovulation. 

How long does ovulation nausea last?

There’s no fixed timeframe for how long ovulation-related nausea can last. While ovulation itself lasts about 24 hours [1], symptoms may persist longer if they’re linked to hormonal changes rather than ovulation alone. Hormone levels fluctuate throughout the entire menstrual cycle, so nausea may continue into the luteal phase, occur during menstruation, or even appear in the follicular phase. For some people, symptoms improve once their period begins, while for others they may persist or return later in the cycle.

How can I check if ovulation is causing nausea?

To check if your nausea is caused by ovulation, you will need to know what phase of your cycle you are in when you experience it. There are several ways you can learn if you are likely ovulating: 

Ovulation tests

Remember the luteinizing hormone we mentioned previously? Testing for LH levels can help predict when ovulation is likely to occur, as a surge in LH typically happens shortly before ovulation. For those wanting to learn more about their body or who are just starting to plan for pregnancy, at-home ovulation tests are an accessible way to check LH levels. 

These tests don’t measure exact LH levels, but they do indicate when LH in urine is high enough to suggest an approaching ovulation. As LH levels peak one to two days before ovulation, a positive LH test does not confirm ovulation; instead, it can be used as an indicator that ovulation is likely to occur soon [1]. 

It is important to note that a positive LH test does not confirm that ovulation will occur. LH levels can spike but fail to trigger ovulation, or can be high for other reasons, such as perimenopause [15]. Ovulation tests can also sometimes show a positive result during early pregnancy, since pregnancy hormone hCG can be detected by LH tests. Blood tests for accurate LH levels are also available through your doctor, but are more often used to test for fertility issues if you are struggling to get pregnant.

Basal body temperature

Your basal body temperature (BBT) is your body’s lowest resting temperature and can be measured by a special thermometer right after you’ve woken up from several hours of sleep [16]. As BBT follows a clear curve through the menstrual cycle phases, you can use BBT to know when you have ovulated. 

At the start of each cycle, your BBT is low. After ovulation, when progesterone levels rise, BBT also increases. The basal body temperature method is a fertility awareness method you can use to track ovulation as part of family planning or non-hormonal birth control [16].

However, it should be noted that other factors, such as illness, lack of sleep, and alcohol consumption, can all affect our temperatures and must be accounted for if using this method [16]. If you are using Natural Cycles with a basal thermometer, you can easily exclude any temperature measurements that may be affected by these factors. If you’re using Natural Cycles with a wearable device that measures skin temperature (such as an Oura Ring or the NC° Band), some of your readings may be excluded automatically.

Other ovulation symptoms

Noticing other ovulation symptoms can help you estimate if you are experiencing ovulation nausea. Common ovulation symptoms include:

• Ovulation bleeding - While more research is needed, it is thought that hormonal changes can cause a little of the uterine lining to shed, producing spotting around the time of ovulation. Ovulation bleeding is very light and only lasts one to two days. One study found that 5% of women reported spotting around the middle of their cycle, roughly when ovulation occurs [17, 18].

• Ovulation pain - Pain during ovulation - also known as Mittelschmerz - is thought to affect up to 40% of women. It may feel like dull pain or sharp, sudden twinges, and is only felt on one side of the body at a time, reflecting which ovary the egg is released from [18, 19]

• Changes in cervical mucus - Cervical mucus is a bodily fluid secreted by the cervix, and its consistency, colour, and texture change through each phase of our cycle. During ovulation and in the few days before, expect your cervical mucus to be clear, slippery, and stretchy, resembling egg white [20]

• Higher cervix - Influenced by hormone levels, your cervix changes position throughout your cycle. During ovulation, increasing estrogen levels cause the cervix to soften, open, and rise higher. After ovulation, rising progesterone causes the cervix to close, lower, and become firmer [21]. You can check your cervix by inserting a clean finger into your vagina. The cervix will likely feel firmer than the surrounding tissue. While these changes can vary from person to person, noticing cervical patterns can help you learn more about how your body changes during different phases of the cycle.
• Increased libido - If you feel more aroused and reach for the intimacy of your partner around ovulation, you are not alone! Sex drive is closely linked to estrogen levels. When estrogen levels are high, such as around ovulation, sex drive can be higher, too [22]. Another study found stronger sexual desire around the time of the preovulatory LH surge [23]. Remember that there are lots of factors — biological, psychological, situational, and environmental - that affect our libido, and everyone’s experience will be unique to them. 
• Acne - Hormonal acne can worsen around ovulation or shortly after. Around this time, estrogen peaks and testosterone may also rise slightly. Both of these hormonal changes can stimulate sebum production and cause acne [24, 25].
• Bloating - In a study analyzing more than 765 menstrual cycles in 62 women, both estrogen and progesterone were found to influence fluid retention (often perceived as bloating) and salt regulation. While fluid retention was most commonly reported during the luteal phase, some participants also reported experiencing fluid retention around the time of estimated ovulation, when estrogen levels peak [26]. 

Natural Cycles combines body temperature, period data, and cycle length to calculate your ovulation date, expected period, and cycle length, all in one handy app. You can also log your symptoms to spot patterns across your cycles and learn whether ovulation is likely causing your nausea.

How to stop nausea during ovulation

There are a few ways you can treat nausea during ovulation. Let’s take a closer look:

• Keep hydrated: Dehydration can cause fluid retention [27] and worsen migraines [28]. Take small but regular sips of water or herbal tea to keep your fluids up without making your nausea worse. 
• Herbal remedies: Speaking of herbal teas, some herbal remedies can help reduce nausea. Peppermint and ginger tea are both popular choices for easing nausea. Foods containing ginger, such as ginger biscuits, may also offer relief [29].
• Avoid fatty and sugary foods: Try to avoid greasy, fatty, or spicy foods as these may make your nausea worse. Instead, opt for small meals and snacks throughout the day, eaten slowly and consisting of plain foods [29].
• Fresh air: Though you might not feel up to exercise, getting fresh air can help a nausea episode pass more quickly [29]. Opening a window or sitting outside may be enough, or you could have a gentle walk if you are feeling up to it. 
• Distraction: Sometimes, we just need a little distraction to keep us from fixating on feeling nauseous. Try watching your favourite film, phoning a friend, or listening to your favourite music to pass the time. Some people find that lying down and resting helps with nausea, especially if symptoms feel worse with movement. 

When to see a doctor

Most of the time, nausea during ovulation is unlikely to be a concern. But you should consider speaking to your doctor if you have nausea that:

• Disrupts your everyday life
• Is accompanied by symptoms of hormone imbalance
• Continues into your period or the rest of your cycle
• Is accompanied by a positive pregnancy test

Track your symptoms with Natural Cycles

Getting to know your cycle is the best way to understand your symptoms and feel empowered about your health. Natural Cycles can be used as hormone-free contraception, to plan pregnancy, and so much more. Users measure their basal body temperature with a specialized thermometer or a verified skin temperature device to predict ovulation and the fertile window. The NC° app can also help you track symptoms such as nausea and provide reports on the length of your overall cycle and its phases.