For many women, irregular (or non-existent) ovulation is a contributing factor to their female infertility. But it’s interesting to note that not all ladies understand how the ovulation process works.
To help better understand this potential cause of female infertility, we’ve put together a quick timeline to help you become better informed on ovulation and its relationship to fertility issues.
What Is Ovulation? During ovulation, an egg (ovum) is released from one of a woman’s two ovaries. The egg is typically referred to as “mature”, meaning it’s ideally ready for fertilization.
The egg travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus, the lining of which has thickened enough to allow a fertilized egg to implant. If the egg becomes fertilized and implants, pregnancy results. If the egg is not fertilized, a menstrual period begins.
When Does Ovulation Occur? Ovulation generally occurs 12-16 days after the start of a woman’s last period. Thus, if a woman’s period began October 5, she would likely ovulate sometime between October 17 and 21.
During this window (and for a few days after), a woman is considered most fertile. This means if she has unprotected intercourse, she has the best chance of becoming pregnant for that menstrual cycle.
How Do You Know if Your Ovulation Is “Off”? Ironically, many women do not ovulate or ovulate infrequently and never realize it. Though they may skip periods or have a longer-than-average cycle between the times they menstruate, they may not associate their difficulties with ovulation.
Tests to determine if you’re ovulating can be performed by a fertility specialist, which will enable you to decide how to best proceed with fertility treatments.
What Are My Fertility Treatment Options? If it’s discovered that you are not ovulating at all or are ovulating at irregular rates, medication can be given to either start ovulation or regulate it. Other fertility treatments like IVF and IUI can be used if your body is unresponsive to the medications or you have serious side effects.
Where Can I Get More Information? If you’d like further info on female infertility and you are within traveling distance to Philadelphia or Reading, Pennsylvania , please consider contacting the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) for an appointment to discuss your options.