Morning After Mix-Up

After you have unprotected intercourse, at some point, seminal fluid will come back out. Maybe later that day, or the next day, or even two days later. Maybe in your underwear or maybe while you're using the restroom.

If you're used to checking for cervical fluid, you've likely noticed that it's usually slippery, stretchy, and somewhat translucent. In other words, it looks like Peak-Type cervical mucus!

So, that can be confusing. Truthfully, it doesn't look, smell, or stretch exactly like cervical fluid, but close enough that you could get confused, especially pre-ovulation.

And that's why we have the SEMEN ELIMINATION TECHNIQUE. (Doesn't that sound like it should be in all caps?)

We abbreviate it S.E.T., and here's how it works:

1. Within an hour after intercourse, go pee. (Important good hygiene anyway, as it helps prevent UTIs. If your goal is to get pregnant, you can wait 30 minutes before urinating and doing S.E.T., to allow sperm plenty of time to get into the cervix. S.E.T. will just get rid of the remaining fluid, so there's no confusion later.)

2. While you're peeing, stop the flow (by squeezing, or "doing a kegel") and wipe.

3. Then, pee a little more, stop the flow again, and wipe.

4. Repeat: pee, stop, wipe; pee, stop, wipe... until you wipe and get a Dry sensation. (If you don't have to pee anymore, but your last wipe still got some seminal fluid, keep squeezing and wiping until the sensation while wiping is dry.)

Then, seminal fluid should be out, and from then on you can chart any discharge you see, just as you see it.