Do you know what anovulation is, what are its symptoms and its treatment?

There is a false belief that when a woman menstruates, she always has the possibility of being able to stay. And anything farter from the reality.

There are times when despite having the period every month, we are facing a disorder called anovulation. A disorder that is diagnosed between 3% and 4% of women who have problems getting pregnant.

Having your period is not the same as ovulating

Menstruation and ovulation are two different processes. Although they are synchronized and related at different times of the ovarian and uterine cycle and coexist, they do not depend on each other to occur.

anovulation occurs when the woman’s ovaries are unable to release any eggs at any time during the menstrual cycle. This means, therefore, that since there are no oocytes, fertilization cannot take place and consequently, generate an embryo.

How do you explain the Dr. Begona Martinezmedical director of Pamplona.

“Up to 35% of women present fertility problems, and anovulation may be one of the causes of this problem. The origin may be due to a chronic disease or due to something circumstantial such as stress situations or low weight, so depending on the cause, the specialist will act in a personalized way”.

Infertility problems caused by anovulation can be solved depending on the cause behind the disorder.

Causes of anovulation

There are times in a woman’s life when ovulation does not occur, such as pregnancy and lactation. But outside of them, chronic anovulation is a common disorder in gynecology offices.

Among the causes that cause it, the most common are:

• hypothalamic amenorrhea: These are rule failures due to the fact that the hypothalamus stops producing the hormone in charge of starting the menstrual cycle. High levels of stress, excessive physical exercise or excessive weight loss can cause the segregation of this hormone to stop.

• Functional chronic anovulation.

• suffering from syndrome polycystic ovary.

• hyperprolactinemia: high levels of prolactin (responsible for activating breast milk).

• problems of thyroid.

• Premature ovarian failure.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The main symptoms associated with this cause are:

• Very irregular periods or the lack of them (amenorrhea).

• Menstrual cycles of more than 35 days.

• The absence of changes in cervical mucus, excessive uterine bleeding.

• .

It is precisely the moment in which the woman seeks the pregnancy and fails to do so, when most cases of anovulation are diagnosed.

In order to identify a patient with anovulation, a physical examination, an exhaustive medical history are required, as well as tests and ultrasounds in different phases of the cycle to check if the changes that are typical of the menstrual cycle occur.

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Can infertility caused by anovulation be treated?

Well, according to gynecology experts, the resolution of the infertility problem caused by anovulation will depend on the cause that is causing it.

When the cause is weight, stress or excessive exercise, the first measures to solve it are to normalize weight, reduce sports practice if it is done excessively and correct dysfunction of other organs such as kidneys, liver or thyroid.

Although the cause is not always discovered and, therefore, the problem cannot be corrected, in this case assisted reproduction treatments can be used to achieve pregnancy.

“Depending on the results of the tests, the complexity of the situation and the clinical history of the patient and her partner, the most appropriate assisted reproduction option will be recommended.

These are treatments that luckily are available and allow more and more women to fulfill their dreams of being mothers,” adds Dr. Martínez.

Normally these treatments are usually:

• The induction to ovulation, recommended, above all, for women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

• Insemination artificial.
• Fertilization in vitro.

And in cases of ovarian failure, there is always the option of becoming a mother by donation of oocytes.