In this article:
What Occurs During Ovulation?
During a regular menstrual cycle, GnRH hormone released from the Hypothalamus (a part of brain) stimulates the pituitary gland secrete FSH and LH Hormones. Between day 6 and day 14 of your menstrual cycle, FSH causes a follicle to mature (containing an egg), around day 12 to day 14 of the cycle developing follicle forms a mature egg. Around day 14 in the menstrual cycle, sudden rise in LH hormone causes the ovary to release egg. This is Ovulation. After Ovulation the egg travels down the fallopian tube where it waits to be fertilised by sperm. If there is no sperm, menstruation happens.If your body does not produce the proper hormones in the appropriate proportions, ovulation may occur infrequently or not at all. Fortunately, there are two techniques to trigger ovulation and begin the maturation process of a healthy egg, allowing it to be released and fertilised.
What Are The Symptoms of Anovulation?
The typical anovulatory woman has irregular periods, lengthy cycles, or perhaps no cycle at all. Indeed, 20% of anovulatory women are amenorrhoeic, which means they don't have their periods; this is often seen while nursing. A woman with anovulatory cycles may also exhibit symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).If you fear you are not ovulating, using a fertility awareness technique (FAM) might help you (along with your healthcare professional) find answers. Ovulation is essential for optimum fertility, anovulation may indicate hormonal imbalance and need to visit fertility specialist for the same
But How Can You know if You've Ovulated?
While anticipating ovulation is critical when attempting to conceive or charting your cycle, proving that you did really ovulate is as important—especially after we explored the possibilities of anovulatory periods!Progesterone is the hormone released by corpus luteum (formed in ovary) after ovulation. Progesterone is the hormone that stabilises the uterine lining and prepares it to accept an embryo. Progesterone levels are high during the implantation window (days 7-10 following presumed ovulation) which means that the ovulatory event provided the greatest possibility of pregnancy. It might be more difficult to conceive when progesterone levels are low.
There are various methods for confirming ovulation, including calendar method, body basal temperature (BBT) monitoring, cervical mucus method and ovulation kits
A change in BBT will tell you whether you've ovulated, but it won't tell you anything about your post-ovulatory progesterone levels. take your temperature every morning using a digital thermometer meant specifically for measuring basal body temperature. This method only works if you take your temperature before you get out of bed and before you eat/drink.
Cervical mucus is a vaginal fluid released by vagina. Your cervical mucus goes through stages during your menstrual cycle. Your cervical mucus is thick, white and dry before ovulation. Just before ovulation, your cervical mucus turns clear and slippery (like egg whites). This consistency makes it easy for sperm to swim up to meet your egg.
However, ovulation kits monitoring provides non-invasive ovulation confirmation via urine tests. They work by detecting LH (luteinizing hormone) in your pee. LH is the hormone that surges before ovulation. A positive result means you’re about to ovulate (usually within 36 hours).
Factors to Address to Naturally Induce Ovulation
If you feel your cycles are anovulatory, try addressing some of the variables listed below. According to Dr Hitesha Ramnani Rohira, Consultant, IVF at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai, some of the most prevalent yet ignored variables causing ovulatory disruption include:- Low body weight or obesity
- A poor diet is one that lacks critical vitamins, minerals, carbs, and fats
- Excessive sports training and alcohol / recreational drugs consumption
- Stress
- Hormone imbalances
- Smoking
Ways to Naturally Induce Ovulation
- Maintain your body weight: First, calculate your BMI. If it's low, gradually increase your calorie intake and if its high then start exercising.
- Low carb diet: Following a Low Carbohydrate diet where less than 45% of calories are from Carbohydrates is good in PCOS. Also Minimize the intake of refined Carbs like sugary foods, fizzy beverages, processed food, bread, pasta etc as refined carbs has High Glycemic Index.
- Antioxidants and Omega 3 Fatty acids: Antioxidants may help deactivate free radicals in your body, which can damage both sperm and egg cells. Increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the diet. Also Omega 3 fatty acids boost fertility and overall health. These can be found in food like Fish, flaxseed, chia seed and walnuts.
- Improve your sleep quality as well as its duration: Making your bedroom darker (or wearing a sleep mask), establishing regular bedtime and waking hours, and altering the room temperature are all simple ways to do this. Also, avoid or limit your caffeine consumption and smoking at least six hours before bedtime. Create a nightly regimen that involves meditation or prayer, a good book, and no digital screen time for at least an hour before bed.
- Balance hormones naturally: There are various natural approaches to regulate hormones and increase ovulation quality. Seed cycling is the practice of consuming certain kinds of seeds at different stages of your cycle in order to maintain hormonal balance. The evidence is sparse, however some studies have revealed a link between lignan-rich diets (such as flax seeds) and sex steroid activity.
If you have already made these modifications and your periods are still not commencing regularly, you should see a doctor (Fertility Specialist) who can understand your unique cycle pattern and hormone levels and determine the main cause of the issue.
FAQs on Ways to Naturally Induce Ovulation and Regulate Your Cycle
- How can I induce ovulation naturally?
Lifestyle changes such as a good diet and exercise may help induce ovulation in anovulatory infertility. Lifestyle changes lead to weight reduction, improved insulin resistance, and the restoration of reproductive function. - How can I conceive if my periods are irregular?
If you're ovulating, you may become pregnant; but, if you have irregular periods, your chances of becoming pregnant may be reduced compared to a woman who has regular periods. The most crucial thing is to have frequent, unprotected intercourse.
