An ovulation is defined as anything that interferes with the process of ovulation and it is responsible for around 30% of fertility problems for people born with ovaries.
About 1 out of 7 couples have difficulty getting pregnant and unfortunately, the likelihood of conceiving after trying unsuccessfully for 3 years is 1 in 4. This is with regular unprotected sex (every 2 or 3 days).
There are so many reasons that a couple may struggle to conceive and one of those reasons could be that ovulation is not occurring. How will you know though, if you are or are not ovulating?
Signs of ovulation
When ovulating, some women experience no signs whilst others experience a lot. These are some of the main signs of ovulation:
- Changes in body temperature.
- Changes in cervical positioning.
- A libido boost.
- Vulva changes.
- Ovulation pain.
- Changes in cervical mucus.
- Light spotting.
- Breast tenderness.
Body changes
Throughout your cycle, your hormone levels change. In the first half of your menstrual cycle, your ovaries release oestrogen and once the level of oestrogen is high enough then your ovaries will release an egg.
Next, your body will produce progesterone which is another hormone that will increase your body temperature.
The hormones also affect your cervical mucus. As your body prepares for you to begin ovulating it will create more cervical mucus and it becomes more slippery which is to help sperm get to the egg. It is described as being like raw egg whites and when the mucus has this consistency you should be in your window of fertility.
How to track ovulation.
There are a few different ways that you could use to track your ovulation if you wish. These could help you to plan a pregnancy if that is your goal.
- Use an ovulation calculator.
- Keep a calendar or diary with the dates of your cycle.
- Get an app that tracks your period.
- Monitoring your temperature and changes in your vaginal mucus.
- Use an ovulation prediction kit.
- Use an ovulation test - ovulation tests work by detecting the level of luteinizing hormone in urine and can work with up to 99% accuracy.
Ovulation pain
20% of women can actually feel twinges or cramps when they are ovulating. Usually, this is on one side, the side you are ovulating from. This is known as mittelschmerz, which is German for ‘middle pain’. It is thought that this happens at the maturation of the egg or maybe when the egg is released from the ovary.
This will usually take place around 14 days before your period if you are someone who experiences ovulation pain.
If you usually do experience ovulation pain then you might be able to tell that you are not ovulating if you take note of when you should be ovulating and do not feel anything.
What is Basal Body Temperature (BBT)?
Another great way to find out if you are ovulating is to chart your BBT. You should do this by getting a special BBT thermometer and taking your temperature at the same time every single day and plotting it onto a chart.
The best time to do this is in the morning before you get up or do anything else and you should try and make sure this is at the same time every day where possible.
A temperature increase of about 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit can be an indication of ovulation and it should be the highest temperature that you have taken in the previous six days.
Once you have been taking your BBT and charting it for a few months you should hopefully be able to see a pattern emerge and this can help you to track your ovulation.
How do you know if you are never ovulating?
Firstly, if you have found that for whatever reason you did not ovulate on your most recent cycle this does not necessarily mean that you are never ovulating.
An anovulatory cycle is one where your ovaries do not release an egg. This is pretty common, particularly in younger people and it happens in around a third of normal menstrual cycles, they are nothing to worry about.
If you are concerned that you are experiencing this frequently though make sure you test again the next month. If you find that you have not ovulated for a few cycles in a row and you are trying to conceive you may want to speak to your doctor about what you can do next.
Spotting ovulation problems
Have you been tracking your cycles but are still not sure if you are ovulating or not?
There are some signs that could point to problems, these include:
No rise in BBT - if your BBT did not rise in your BBT during your cycle then you may not be ovulating.
Irregular cycles - Mentrusla cycles on average last for about 21 to 35 days ad this should only change by a couple of days from month to month. An irregular cycle is one that is shorter than 21 days, longer than 35 days, varies by more than a couple of days a month or is completely absent. Irregular cycles could be caused by issues like stress, thyroid issues, being overweight and many more.
Confusing ovulation test results - If the test strips come up positive multiple times in a cycle even when you are not ovulating this could be a sign of hormone imbalance and/or PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).
What causes ovulation to not take place?
Ovulation occurs when two hormones - luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone - increase. So, if ovulation is not happening it is usually a result of a hormone imbalance.
Some of the issues that can cause this are:
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - The most common cause of anovulation is PCOS which causes ovulation to occur irregularly or not at all. PCOS can also cause other things such as excessive hair growth and acne.
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) - This is what it is called when a person's ovaries stop working before the age of 40. Although some medical conditions are known to be able to cause POI many people do not know the cause. Despite this around 5% to 10% of women with POI are able to get pregnant naturally.
Hypothalamus or pituitary gland dysfunction - The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland produce the hormones needed for ovulation. Anything that interferes with them will interfere with ovulation.
Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) - People born with ovaries are born with all of the eggs that they will ever produce which means the supply decreases over time. DOR means that you have fewer eggs left than is normal. Now, this can have many different causes and sometimes even goes unexplained but people with DOR are sometimes able to get pregnant naturally.
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) - FHA is a condition that can be caused by things like excessive exercise and stress and is sometimes linked to anorexia.
Menopause - Menopause happens naturally to every person who is born with ovaries usually between the ages of 45 and 55. This is when periods stop completely. There are, of course, other symptoms such as hot flushes, mood changes and problems with sleep.
How can we help?
At Official Rapid Tests we offer an Instant Ovulation Test so that you can determine when you are ovulating.
It's just £14.99 and is an easy and quick way to track your ovulation.
The Instant Ovulation self-test is used for the detection of the peak level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine to aid in the detection of ovulation. The test can aid in the detection of ovulation with up to 99% accuracy.
Our tests use Medical Laboratory Management Software.
We offer many different types of tests read our reviews and about us page to find out more.
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