Anovulatory Cycle – What You Need To Know

As its name suggests, an anovulatory cycle occurs when a woman skips ovulation. During ovulation, the ovary releases an egg or oocyte.

It’s not uncommon for a woman in her prime conception years to experience an anovulatory cycle occasionally. In fact, you may have experienced one and not even noticed. That’s because when a woman experiences anovulation, she may still seem to menstruate normally.

In a normal cycle, the production of progesterone is stimulated by the release of an egg. It’s this hormone that helps a woman’s body maintain regular periods. But during an anovulatory cycle, an insufficient level of progesterone can lead to heavy bleeding. A woman may mistake this bleeding for a real period.

This kind of bleeding may also be caused by a buildup in the lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium, which can no longer sustain itself. It can be caused by a drop in estrogen as well.

A menstrual cycle without ovulation is most common in two distinct age groups:

• Girls who’ve recently begun menstruating: In the year following a girl’s first period, known as menarche, she’s more likely to experience anovulatory cycles.
• Women who are close to menopause: A woman between the ages of 40 and 50 is at a greater risk of changes to her hormones. This may lead to anovulatory cycles.

For women in both age groups, many changes are happening to their bodies. Sudden changes to hormone levels can trigger anovulatory cycles. Other causes include:

• bodyweight that’s too high or too low
• extreme exercise habits
• eating habits
• high levels of stress

Diagnosing an anovulatory cycle can be simple when a woman has no period or periods that come very erratically. But that’s not the case for every woman.

To diagnose an anovulatory cycle, your doctor may check:

• your progesterone levels
• the lining of your uterus
• your blood for the presence of certain antibodies

Your doctor may also perform an ultrasound to take a closer look at your uterus and ovaries.

The findings from these tests will help your doctor recommend the best treatment for you.

If these cycles are related to an outside influence like nutrition or lifestyle, effective treatments will include regulating eating habits and moderating physical activities. Making changes to your weight (gaining or losing weight as directed by your doctor) may also be enough to restart stalled ovulation.

Sometimes internal imbalances are the reason a woman is experiencing anovulatory cycles. In that case, your doctor may prescribe medications for fertility.

These medications are designed to combat the cause of a woman’s infertility. There are drugs designed to ripen the follicles, increase estrogen, and help the ovaries release an egg.

Women who do not ovulate and who want to get pregnant need a medical workup to d out why they do not ovulate. Drugs are often given to induce ovulation, including oral medication such as clomiphene or injectable medications. In patients who do not want to get pregnant anovulation can be managed with the use of cyclic progesterone or progestin supplementation or use of hormonal contraception.

Surgery is an option in the event that a serious complication, such as a tumor, is discovered.

If you’re experiencing consistent anovulation — identified by very irregular and erratic cycles that vary wildly in length from one to the next — your doctor may recommend making small lifestyle changes.

Better nutrition, exercise, and stress relief can be very powerful. Try sticking to these changes for at least a few months, and then start paying close attention to whether your monthly cycle is becoming more consistent.

If these changes don’t seem to make a difference, or you just aren’t sure, speak to your doctor. Confirming the diagnosis of anovulation means you can find a solution.