Common Ovulation Problems and Their Signs
Are you planning to grow your family and learn more about conception? If yes, then it’s time to get familiar with ovulation. Women might suffer from infertility if the ovaries do not release an egg monthly during a menstrual cycle.
As most cases of infertility are caused due to the problems of ovulation, identifying what signs to be aware of is necessary for women who wish to start a family.
What is ovulation?
The ovulation procedure has numerous factors that are important for the overall health of a pregnancy. Once a female starts her menstrual cycle, the hormonal changes activate the release of a matured egg right from the ovaries.
Further, the egg travels through the fallopian tube and connects itself to the uterine lining where it anticipates fertilization from sperm cells. Generally, the ovulation period lasts between the time period of 24 and 36 hours once an egg is released. If the sperm count is low then it can be very difficult to conceive pregnancy.
However, if fertilization does not occur within this time frame, the lining of the woman is shed, heading to the next menstrual cycle. When dealing with the problem of ovulation, the path of the egg and its condition is what’s at risk.
How long does ovulation last?
Are you are still wondering how many days women ovulate? After the mature egg is released from the surface of your ovary, it can be possibly fertilized for almost 24 hours.
In order to get pregnant, you don’t need to indulge in sexual activity on the same day of ovulation. In reality, there is only a six-day fertile window in your cycle, the five days leading up to ovulation and the day you ovulate.
Among all the six days, you are most fertile during the two to three days prior to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. Beyond 24 hours after ovulation, the egg is not viable, making it difficult for you to get pregnant till the next menstrual cycle.
What are the common signs of ovulation problems?
One of the major reasons why ovulation becomes a problem for women is due to a hormonal imbalance throughout the body. This hormonal imbalance is called a polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The release of some hormones activates the female reproductive to respond. When hormones are released at odd times or not at all, the ovulation cycle weakens.
However, PCOS is considered the most common cause of female infertility. But its presence is really difficult to detect without the help of a medical professional.
If you or your loved one feels that she is experiencing PCOS, then here are some signs that you must look for:
- Experiencing irregular periods or no periods
- Extreme weight gain
- Hair loss or thinning hair from your scalp
- Difficulty attaining pregnancy even after several attempts for months
- Acne or oily skin
Unluckily, PCOS is not only the problem that women face when trying to get pregnant. In order to provide you with a better idea of what challenges you might encounter, here are some other ovulation problems you need to consider:
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
Primary ovarian insufficiency also called premature ovarian failure that stops the functioning of a woman’s ovaries before the age of 40 years. Usually, women above the age of 40 begin to show signs of decreased fertility via irregular periods.
Sometimes this change even occurs at a much younger age, affecting women at early teen age. The other symptoms of primary ovarian insufficiency also include night sweats, pain during sexual activity, irritability, and decreased sexual drive.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disorder that makes the uterine lining form right outside the uterus. The endometrium might even grow on the ovaries, bowels, and upon tissues that line the pelvis, leading to discomfort as well as pain.
The most common symptom of endometriosis includes pelvic pain. You might also experience some other symptoms like lower back pain, painful periods, painful bowel movements, serious cramps, and pain during sexual activity.
It is necessary for you to know that all these can be the reasons for your infertility but some women might not even experience any of the above symptoms.
Symptoms that you experience might range in level of severity due to which paying attention to your ability to get pregnant is one of the major indicators of fertility problems.
Risk factors of infertility
There are certain risk factors that increase your chances of experiencing ovulation problems or infertility:
Age
As you age, the quality and quantity of your age begin to decline. In the mid-30s, the rate of follicle loss increases, leading to few or poor quality eggs. In this way, the chance of pregnancy is decreased and the risk of miscarriage is increased.
Weight
Being overweight or much underweight can affect your ovulation. Having a healthy body mass index is necessary as it increases the frequency of ovulation and the chances of pregnancy.
Smoking
Apart from damaging your cervix and fallopian tubes, smoking also increases your possibility of miscarriage as well as ectopic pregnancy. Not only this, but the ovary also ages your ovaries and drains your eggs early. So, before you start your fertility treatment, make sure to quit smoking.
Alcohol
Intake of excess alcohol is responsible for reducing fertility.
Sexual history
Sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia might damage your fallopian tubes. When you indulge in unprotected sexual activities with several partners, the risk of sexually transmitted infection is increased. As a result, you suffer from fertility problems.
So, to plan your pregnancy soon, you must maintain a healthy weight, decrease stress and avoid the intake of alcohol. Remember for women the feeling of being a mother is just unparalleled.
Thus, if your pregnancy is unsuccessful even after trying multiple times with respect to your menstrual cycle then immediately meet the doctor so that your real problem can be identified.
