Pregnancy occurs when a mature egg of a woman is fertilized with a sperm from a man. This fertilized egg results from the process of ovulation, where every month the ovaries release a single matured egg to help achieve a successful pregnancy for the ones who are trying to conceive. But what happens if the process of ovulation does not take place in a woman? Can she still get pregnant? Let’s find out!
What is Anovulation?
Anovulation is the failure of an egg release by your ovaries throughout a menstrual cycle. About two weeks before your period, ovulation is supposed to take place, failure to which can lead to infertility.
Can you get pregnant with Anovulation?
Infertility is frequently brought on by anovulation. The main symptom of it is having irregular periods, which is brought on by hormonal abnormalities. You cannot become pregnant during a cycle if you do not ovulate. Fortunately, a variety of treatments can induce the release of a mature egg from your body, enabling conception. Often, anovulation can be tackled with a change in lifestyle and/or medicine.
Causes of Anovulation
There are numerous probable causes of anovulation because it is a complicated process involving numerous organs, glands, and hormones. Here are a few of them:
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): This is the primary trigger for anovulation. Women with PCOS experience irregular or no ovulation. High levels of testosterone, which can also result in excessive hair growth and acne, are occasionally linked to PCOS.
- Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI): This happens when a woman’s ovaries stop functioning before age 40. Premature menopause is another name for it. Although there are several medical issues and environmental factors that can contribute to POI, for many women the cause is unknown. A normal pregnancy and natural conception occur in about 5%–10% of women with POI.
- Malfunction of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus: These glands create the hormones necessary for ovulation. A benign pituitary gland tumor, for example, can prevent these glands from functioning normally and result in anovulation.
- Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR): Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have. The amount of eggs a woman produces often declines with time. DOR-affected women have even less eggs present compared to a healthy woman. Causes for this can be congenital (existing at birth), medical, surgical, or unexplained. With fertility treatments, women with DOR will produce fewer eggs, but they may still be able to get pregnant naturally.
- Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA): Stress, intense exercise, or a low body weight can all contribute to this illness. It occasionally has links to the eating disorder anorexia.
- Menopause: This is a natural ovarian function decline that starts to occur around the age of 50. Menopause is characterized by a year without menstruation. Other signs and symptoms that some women have include mood swings, sleep issues, and hot flashes.
What Signs and Symptoms Indicate Anovulation?
Sometimes anovulation has no symptoms. Normal menstrual cycles don’t necessarily indicate that ovulation is taking place. However, certain anovulation symptoms can include:
- Not getting periods
- Absence of cervical mucus
- Excessive menstrual bleeding
- Mild menstrual bleeding
- Basal body temperature (BBT) irregularity
Diagnosis Procedure for Anovulation
Your doctor will examine you physically after hearing about your medical history and symptoms. They might also do the following testing and imaging procedures:
- Test for pregnancy
- Evaluations of certain hormone levels
- Thyroid exams
- Test for glucose tolerance
- Ultrasonography of the cervix
- Other tests, such examining the lining of the uterus, might be required based on the results of your examination.
Treatments for Anovulation
1st line of treatment- Changes in lifestyle
- Managing your stress: If your healthcare professional believes that stress may be the root of your anovulation, they’ll likely advise attempting to reduce the causes of stress and employing stress-reduction methods like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing.
- Keeping your weight under control: If you are obese, your doctor may advise that you try to reduce weight in order to treat your anovulation. If you have a low body mass index (BMI), your doctor may advise gaining weight in order to treat your anovulation. Talk to your doctor or a trained dietitian if one of these situations applies to you so that you can safely and effectively manage your weight.
- Reducing excessive workouts: If your healthcare professional believes that your exercise schedule and intensity are to blame for your anovulation, they might advise lowering your exercise frequency and intensity.
2nd line of treatment- Medication
Your doctor will probably give you medicine if the issue that’s causing your anovulation is one that can be treated. The medicine may also be used to treat your anovulation. Your doctor may change your existing meds if you’re attempting to get pregnant in an effort to address your anovulation.
3rd line of treatment- Fertility treatments
If your anovulation is incurable or inspite of trying the above mentioned treatments, if you are failing to conceive, then you should take assistance of the following reproductive treatments:
- Donor eggs: Donor eggs, also known as oocyte donation, allow women who might not otherwise be able to conceive, using their own eggs, to become pregnant. In the process, a woman with healthy eggs donates her eggs to be used by a woman suffering from anovulation.
- Donor embryo: A fertilized egg, also known as the embryo, that has been prepared in a lab by using a donor egg can be used to achieve pregnancy for women who cannot successfully ovulate.
- IVF: IVF, also referred to as in vitro fertilization, is a method used to aid in pregnancy. In IVF, a woman’s eggs are fertilized in a lab using sperm and then transplanted into the uterus of the mother. Pregnancy will happen if the fertilized egg (embryo) successfully implants itself in the uterus. Since donor eggs can be used in IVF, it eliminates the need for the mother to ovulate.
It is important to remember that no matter the situation, ovulation problems are not the end of your dreams of becoming a parent. The problems caused due to anovulation can be dealt with and eventually you will experience the joy of parenthood. Keep your hopes high and start your fertility journey today.
FAQs
How many days after ovulation can you feel pregnancy symptoms?
While some women may experience signs as early as 5 DPO, it won’t be until much later that they are convinced they are pregnant. A few days after the sperm fertilizes the egg, there may be implantation bleeding or cramping, which are early indications and symptoms. The sensitivity of the breasts and mood swings are other early signs.
What does discharge look like after ovulation if pregnant?
Your mucus may turn sticky and thick right after conception. The amount of mucus may grow and turn white or yellow as your pregnancy develops. Pink streaks may appear in the mucus in the late stages of pregnancy.
What happens on day 7 after ovulation?
After day 7 of ovulation, the egg has now been fertilized by sperm after being released by your ovaries (ovulation). A blastocyst, which is a collection of cells, is what remains of the fertilized egg, also known as a zygote.