Photo by: Vladislav Muslakov
Many assume that if they have regular cycles, then they must be ovulating, but this isn’t true!
A regular period does NOT mean that you are ovulating.
In fact, 10-15% of those with regular periods are NOT ovulating.
When you don’t ovulate this means that the body isn’t producing enough progesterone in the luteal phase. This can lead to estrogen being relatively too high in comparison which is commonly termed as estrogen dominance.
If you’re not ovulating, there are so many natural tricks out there to help your body ovulate without medication. This is definitely one of my areas of expertise AND a place where natural medicine solutions shine!
The first step is to determine WHY someone isn’t ovulating.
This could be due to one or several of the following reasons:
- Insulin resistance
- Diminished Ovarian Reserve due to congenital, medical, surgical, or age
- Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (FHA)
- Hypothalamic and pituitary disorders or injury
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Thyroid disorders
- Ovarian cysts
If you are trying to conceive — it’s important to know IF and WHEN you are ovulating.
The highest probability of conception occurs when sperm enters the uterus + tubes 1-2 days prior to ovulation. That is because there is a great chance that the sperm + egg will meet each other and also sperm can survive for 5-6 days.
Ways to determine ovulation:
Menstrual Cycle Tracking
I use the Flo app, but there are many and you can browse the period tracking apps to see what you like. (Just using an app to predict when you’re ovulating is the least effective method). Other apps I love, include monitoring of BBT listed below.
Cervical Mucus
Your cervical mucus changes throughout your cycle. During ovulation, cervical mucus tends to be a stretchy, vicious-like, egg-white like substance. After ovulation the cervical mucus becomes sticky and thick.
Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
To take your BBT, you need a special thermometer for this. In order to use this method in the most precise way, you must take your temperature every morning before getting out of bed. Right after ovulation, you will notice 0.5-1 degree rise in temperature. BBTs: Iproven, Daysy Fertility Tracker, TempDrop, Natural Cycles, and Kindara Fertility
Ovulation Predictor Kit (OPK)
Ovulation occurs approximately 14-26 hours after a positive test. A word of caution: home kits have a 5-10% false reading (either negative or positive). Therefore, serum confirmation can be useful in patients who are unable to detect a urinary LH surge.
Progesterone
This is generally a standard blood test taken on Day 18-24 of the cycle or 7 days before expected menses. Urine metabolites may also be used as is done with Dutch Test and Proov Test
Transvaginal Ultrasound
Usually not necessary unless you are doing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).
Ways to support ovulation naturally
If you find that you are not ovulating, there are many different interventions depending on the root cause. In the case of diminished ovarian reserve, there is only so much we can do (taking progesterone here can be quite helpful,) but in other cases potential natural interventions could include:
Diet
Diets favoring omega-3 fatty acids, lean organic proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are related to better fertility in women. Choose organic & GMO-free when possible.
Exercise
Work with a practitioner to determine what is the best type of exercise for you! For example, in PCOS: An exercise plan that includes 30 min 3x weekly with a target of 60–70% of VO2max has been shown to improve fertility. In FHA: The more restorative exercise, the better.
Supplementation
Inositol – used to support anovulatory cycles as impacted by insulin resistance.
Melatonin – can act as an antioxidant in ovaries to remove free radicals and decrease DNA damage.
Black Cohosh – can increase luteal progesterone concentration in cases such as PCOS.
Omega 3’s – can lower the frequency of anovulation especially in FHA.
Vitamin C – can increase luteal progesterone production in cases of luteal phase defect.
If you’re looking for a more natural way to support ovulation and want to get to YOUR root cause, schedule a free 15-min discovery call with me.
