The ovulatory menstrual cycle is something that most women experience on a regular basis. It generally happens every 26-32 days. Commonly, physical discomfort in the middle of this cycle and cramping tend to accompany this natural process.
However, some women suffer from so-called ovulatory dysfunction. This means that their menstrual cycle tends to be rather irregular, ranging from 30-90 days, and sometimes even more. In the same vein, the way they experience accompanying discomfort and cramping varies considerably. Other symptoms may occur as well, such as milky breast discharge or excessive growth of hair on the body and face.
Still, it’s important to mention that ovulatory dysfunction is not an isolated issue. Irregular menstrual cycle may be just one of the disorder’s symptoms. This particular condition can also include the complete lack of ovulation, also known as anovulation. There’s no need to despair though, as ovulatory dysfunction is one of the easiest ovulation disorders to treat successfully in terms of fertility and getting pregnant.
Common Symptoms and Causes of Ovulatory Dysfunction
The following conditions could point to the ovulatory dysfunction as well. Make sure to do regular checkups at the gynecology clinic you trust.
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Premature Ovarian Failure
Essentially, premature ovarian failure means premature menopause. All women experience menopause at some point in their lives, but that moment should come after several decades of regular menstrual cycles. If this happens sooner than expected, your ovaries might be damaged due to a plethora of different reasons. For instance, the issue may be an exposure to toxic chemicals such as chemotherapy and radiation. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis could also be the main culprits for this form of ovulatory dysfunction. Certain drugs could also mess up your body’s natural function.
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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Unfortunately, more women in this day and age tend to suffer from PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). This particular condition happens due to the hormonal imbalance in the body that interferes with the normal process of ovulation. Essentially, the eggs in the ovaries don’t mature enough to get released regularly. Or, the overproduction of estrogen could lead to the uterine lining thickening, which also prevents regular discharge. On the other hand, some women could experience the overproduction of testosterone (male hormone), which in turn causes increased hair growth and acne.
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Hyperprolactinemia
Prolactin is produced in the brain and is a substance that has a role in regulating ovulation and milk production when pregnant. In the case of excess prolactin production, a range of different problems could occur, including the irregular ovulation or anovulation. It could also lead to breast milk production even when the woman isn’t pregnant.
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Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Another brain-produced gonadotropin-releasing hormone affects the process of ovulation considerably. Essentially, this hormone has the purpose of stimulating other hormones responsible for egg maturing in the ovaries and regular release of the eggs. In case the brain stops producing this gonadotropin-releasing hormone, other hormones in the body get affected, which often leads to the issues with ovulation and proper egg development.
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Thyroid Dysfunction
Ladies who suffer from some type of thyroid dysfunction could also experience irregular menstrual cycles due to the hormonal imbalance associated with this condition.
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Weight Gain/Loss
Excessive weight gain and loss in women can be linked to the disrupted levels of the female hormone estrogen. Again, this could affect the process of ovulation and menstrual cycles considerably.
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Increased Stress
Sadly, stress is one of the biggest health enemies in this respect as well. Prolonged exposure to high-stress levels can boost the production of the stress hormone cortisol which messes up with other hormones in the body that are responsible for regular ovulation and menstruation.
Ovulatory Dysfunction Treatment
Depending on whether the woman wants to get pregnant in the near future or not, different kinds of treatments can be used to treat ovulation disorders and establish regular menstrual cycles once again. If the lady in question experiences issues in this regard, it’s important to perform the best ovulation test for her particular case in order to come up with the ideal treatment for her case of ovulatory dysfunction.
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Medication
In case a woman is not looking to get pregnant, one of the most effective treatments for normalizing the process of ovulation and regulating the menstrual cycle is to use birth control pills. On the other hand, infertility patients are good candidates for induced ovulation meds. Furthermore, women suffering from hypothalamic amenorrhea and premature menopause could take hormone-stimulating meds in order to induce the process of ovulation and egg formation. In case the issue is sustaining the pregnancy, taking progesterone might be crucial for maintaining healthy uterine lining and keeping the fetus safe.
Of course, there are adequate meds for treating hyperprolactinemia in particular as well as medication fit for regulating hormonal levels due to hypothalamic amenorrhea when infertility is not the main issue.
Finally, women experiencing hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can take thyroid hormone or PTU to control hormonal levels in their bodies.
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Ovulation Induction (OI)
OI could be used on its own or combined with insemination in order to support the efficiency of fertility drugs in women who are trying to get pregnant. Late ovulation or complete lack of it can obviously affect fertility. Also, it might be necessary to top off the OI cycle with progesterone in order to strengthen the uterine lining and support the pregnancy. Luteal phase defects can also be dealt with in this manner together with administering of follicle-stimulating hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin.
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In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF is one of the most recommended and effective solutions when it comes to infertility caused by ovulation disorders. Obviously, this is the ideal treatment for women looking to get pregnant. The process consists of injecting the reproductive cycle regulating hormones. These hormones stimulate egg production and development, thus increasing the chance of fertilization.
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Donor In Vitro Fertilization
This particular treatment is essential in the case of premature ovarian failure due to the lack of available eggs. Basically, eggs are taken from another female donor and then get fertilized in the laboratory by the sperm of the male partner. The fertilized embryos are then placed into the uterus of the woman patient, who has already gone through the thorough body preparation to support the pregnancy.
Ovulatory dysfunction and other ovulation disorders are effectively treatable in this day and age. However, visiting your gynecologist regularly is a must if you want to maintain your good reproductive health or spot developing issues before they get out of hand. After all, regular checkups can make a huge difference in the woman’s quality of life.
It’s no secret that visiting a gynecologist is not something many women enjoy. This is why we at Women’s Care of Bradenton make sure to provide the most compassionate and comprehensive care to our female patients. Women of all ages are welcome as our sole focus is the entire female well-being. After all, our goal is to create the most exceptional experience for women who decide to trust our qualifications and medical expertise. At Women’s Care of Bradenton, you can count on experienced and caring staff, comfortable and warm atmosphere, as well as the top-notch obstetrics and gynecology service. Book your appointment today!