Ovulation is a natural part of the menstrual cycle. You ovulate every month. This is when the egg fertilises and makes for a pregnancy. You stop ovulating during the pregnancy period once the fetal development stage begins.
But for you to birth a baby, you must first ovulate. And while most women do so without any complications, there can be cases where women do not ovulate. This refers to anovulation or the lack of ovulation in a menstrual cycle.
If you’re trying to conceive, it’s important that you understand about anovulation, what are its causes and most importantly, how can you treat it.
What Is Anovulation?
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This occurs when an egg does not release from a woman’s ovaries. One of the simpler ways to identify anovulation is irregular or lack of menstruation.
The National Institutes of Health suggests that about 30 per cent of female infertility is due to chronic anovulation.
However, with anovulatory cycles, there may be bleeding, even though it may rarely occur on a monthly basis. So most women make the mistake of considering normal menstruation, which is why it’s often left untreated.
Ovulation begins to happen when the hypothalamus (a gland in the brain) secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This causes the pituitary gland to release a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
FSH stimulates the follicles that produce the progesterone and estrogen hormones, which build the uterine lining. The LH surge releases next that serve to release the egg from the ovary and into the fallopian tube.
This is usually the high fertility window and the sperm needs to attach to the egg within 12-24 hours. The fertilisation process sees the sperm transform into an embryo, which will reach the uterus and attach to its wall in a period of five days, thus completing the ovulation cycle and establishing a pregnancy.
If fertilisation does not take place, the body’s progesterone levels decrease and the uterine lining sheds with a menstrual period.
What Causes Anovulation?
- Obesity
- Stress
- Low body weight and/or excessive exercise
- Abnormalities of TSH and/or prolactin
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- The first and last periods
Anovulation: Diagnosis
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The most defining feature in diagnosing anovulation is simply the absence of regular menstruation. Other tests that may be performed during the evaluation include:
- Testing blood progesterone levels
- Testing blood thyroid and prolactin levels
- Ultrasound exam of the pelvic organs
- Other tests may be recommended, such as testing the lining of the uterus or other blood tests, depending on the woman’s evaluation and history
How Do You Identify Ovulation?
In most cases when a woman menstruates regularly on a monthly basis, the period is accompanied by symptoms of bloating, mood change or breast tenderness. This hints that the woman is ovulating.
In order to check medically, there are ovulation predictor kits available as well that can identify the LH spike that occurs with ovulation. A physician can also check for ovulation by testing the serum progesterone levels.
Anovulation: Course Of Treatment
A change in lifestyle, dietary and physical activity can make a big difference in treating anovulation.
Speak to your gynaecologist about your anovulation issues and they will be best to guide you in case you need to make only lifestyle changes or need medications as well.
Most doctors begin with recommending:
- Regular eating habits
- Moderating physical activities
- Changes to your weight – gain or lose
In some cases, imbalances can also trigger anovulatory cycles. These can be solved with the right medication and your doctor will be able to prescribe them for you.
Most of the drugs given to combat infertility help jump-start the cycle by ripening the follicles, increasing estrogen, and helping the ovaries release an egg.
In more chronic and complicated cases, surgery could be an option.
Nevertheless, better nutrition, exercise, and stress relief are powerful tools in rectifying bodily issues. Make sure you stick to the changes for at least a few months and then monitor your monthly cycle to see the difference.
Source: Women & Infants
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