Ovulation Disorders & Fertility

Ovulatory Disorder is a term that describes a group of disorders in which ovulation fails to occur, or occurs on an infrequent or irregular basis.

Ovulatory disorders are one of the leading causes of infertility. Anovulation (no ovulation) is a disorder in which eggs do not develop properly, or are not released from the follicles of the ovaries. Women who have this disorder may not menstruate for several months. Others may menstruate even though they are not ovulating. Although anovulation may result from hormonal imbalances, eating disorders, and other medical disorders, the cause is often unknown. Women athletes who exercise excessively may also stop ovulating.

Oligo-ovulation (ol-I-go-ov-u-LA-shun) is a disorder in which ovulation doesn't occur on a regular basis, and your menstrual cycle may be longer than the normal cycle of 21 to 35 days.

How Ovulatory Disorders is Diagnosed

Your medical history is useful in diagnosing ovulatory disorders. However, other tests may be required to confirm the diagnosis. You may need one or more of the following tests:

• FSH blood level - a blood test that measures the amount of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in your blood to see if you are approaching menopause
• Progesterone blood level - a blood test that measures the amount of progesterone in your blood to diagnose if ovulation has occurred
• Ultrasound - a scan that uses high frequency sound waves to see if follicles in your ovaries are developing; also used to evaluate ovarian function - for example, small ovaries with a few small follicles may be a sign of approaching menopause
• Endometrial biopsy - a procedure in which a sample of your endometrial tissue is examined to determine if it is developed enough to support a pregnancy

Common Questions

Q How can I tell if I am ovulating?
A Ovulation prediction kits are helpful for detecting when you are about to ovulate. They measure the luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine. An LH surge (high level of LH in your urine) means that you will probably ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours. The test is performed mid-cycle. (For example, it is performed on days 13 and 15 of your menstrual cycle if you usually get your period every 28 days. Day 1 is the first day of your period.) If you do the test every day during your mid-cycle and do not detect an LH surge, you may not be ovulating.

Q How can charting my basal body temperature (BBT) help to diagnose anovulation?
A Your BBT should rise about 1¡ just after you ovulate, about 2 weeks before your next period is due to begin. If there is no rise in your BBT at mid-cycle, you may not be ovulating. BBT charting cannot predict ovulation, but it may confirm that ovulation has occurred.

Q What treatments are available to me?
A If you are not ovulating, your doctor may prescribe a medication to stimulate your ovulation. If you decide to take medication to ovulate, your doctor will want to monitor you carefully to see if and when you are ovulating. Monitoring usually involves ultrasound and blood tests.

For more information on ovulatory disorders, please call 1-888-761-1967 or schedule an appointment for an initial consultation with one of our physicians.