Common Ovulation Problems The following problems are common among women who are trying to conceive. I will seek to describe these issues in detail and offer solutions to help you if you're struggling in any of these areas. Delayed Ovulation Many women have long cycles, which often hinders them from knowing when they ovulate and when they should have intercourse. Typically what this means is that ovulation has been delayed for some reason. Usually the luteal phase (the part of the cycle after ovulation leading up to the next menstrual bleeding) is not the problem. The first part of the cycle that leads up to ovulation is usually the problem, and delayed ovulation is the result. This delay in ovulation can be caused by many things. Here I will talk about two of the most likely (which can be related to one another, by the way). Stress and insomnia are common causes of delayed ovulation, and these two can wreak havoc for a woman who is trying to conceive. These two problems can be intertwined and caused by each other or they can occur separately. Either way, they can delay a woman's ovulation and cause confusion and frustration. Getting rid of stress in your life and making sure that insomnia is not an issue are both very important in order to conceive more quickly. When stress is present in large amounts, hormones get out of balance, which directly affects fertility. When you lose sleep in a regular basis, it is very difficult to catch up. Sleep is a very important mechanism that your body uses to recuperate. And if stress and insomnia are both a problem for you, it is doubly harmful for your fertility. What can you do? Exercise is a terrific way to combat stress. Just don't exercise within three hours of going to bed in order to be able to wind down properly for sleep. Turn off the computer and TV at least an hour before bedtime in order to be able to relax better before sleeping. Read a book and drink a soothing cup of decaffeinated tea or warm milk before bed in order to relax. If you have a high-stress job, take regular breaks if possible and walk around outdoors. Take a relaxing bath, get a massage once in awhile, and/or take a nature walk just to enjoy your surroundings. Begin to recognize what helps you to wind down for sleep or relax from stress, and start practicing these things. You will be happier and healthier for it!
Luteal Phase Defect Quite simply, luteal phase defect is failure of the uterine lining to respond to normal levels of progesterone. Thus, fertilization can occur, but the uterine lining will not support implantation of the fertilized egg. The best way to learn your own cycle (and know if a luteal phase defect may be a problem for you) is to begin charting your basal body temperature (BBT) and using ovulation predictor kits (OPK). The luteal phase is the time starting on the day after ovulation until the beginning of the next menstrual bleeding. The luteal phase needs to be at least 10 days in order for implantation of a fertilized egg to occur. Any shorter, and a miscarriage will likely occur. An optimal luteal phase lasts between 12 and 14 days. You will get to know what's normal for you once you start charting your basal temperatures. Certain supplements can help lengthen the luteal phase if it is too short. Vitamin B6 and progesterone are two such supplements. Vitamin B6 Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is required for the balancing of hormones in women as well as assisting the immune system and the growth of new cells. Vitamin B6 may be helpful in treating PMS and some cases of gestational diabetes as well. Vitamin B6 can be safely taken throughout your cycle. Taking 50 to 200 mg every day of the month can help lengthen your luteal phase. Good food sources of vitamin B6 are dried beans (legumes), nuts, eggs, meat, fish, and whole grains. (You can purchase vitamin B6 at this link at IHerb If you are a first-time customer, use this code at checkout for $5 off any order or $10 off any order of $40 or more) Progesterone Low progesterone levels are the number one reason for a luteal phase defect, according to statistics. If you do indeed have a luteal phase defect (or suspect that you do), your doctor can do a progesterone test on you seven days after ovulation to determine exactly how deficient you are. Alternately, you can use saliva testing, which some believe is more accurate than blood testing. If you find out that you're deficient, then you can take steps to correct your deficiency. Progesterone cream is useful in lengthening the luteal phase. A cream with natural progesterone works best. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of progesterone cream on the inner arms, inner thighs, neck, and chest area twice daily from the day after ovulation to menstruation (alternating areas of application for
best results). If you find that you're pregnant, continue using the progesterone cream at the same dose until the 10th week of pregnancy. (Purchase progesterone cream from IHerb) Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) Polycystic ovarian syndrome (also called polycystic ovarian disease or PCOS) is a widespread cause of infertility. Approximately 8-10% of all women of reproductive age have the condition. You may have this condition and not know it. Let me go over the most common symptoms and what you can do about this condition. All the symptoms and problems of PCOS are simply due to imbalances of various hormone levels. However, there can be many hormones involved, thus making the syndrome potentially very complex. The most common symptom is irregular cycles. A woman with PCOS typically has nine or fewer menstrual cycles per year, so she is skipping at least three months out of 12. This menstrual irregularity means that women with PCOS tend to have a harder time getting pregnant. This condition can also cause heavier-than-normal bleeding during menstrual periods. These menstrual irregularities are caused by the failure of the ovaries to produce the right amounts of hormones throughout the cycle. Many women have a weight problem with PCOS, which tends to be primarily in their mid-section, giving them an "apple" shape (somewhat round) as opposed to a "pear" shape that reveals more weight around the hip area. Such weight gain is believed to be related to insulin resistance. Other symptoms of PCOS can include: Lack of ovulation (anovulation) or irregular ovulation Completely absent periods Ovarian cysts or polycystic ovaries Insulin resistance Excessive facial or body hair Hair loss Acne Skin tags Brown skin patches
High cholesterol levels Exhaustion or lack of mental alertness Decreased sex drive Excess male hormones (such as testosterone) Ovarian pain You may ask, "So what can I do about polycystic ovarian disease?" Most women are prescribed Clomid once it s discovered that they have PCOS. This drug is very commonly used for induction of ovulation. Clomid has worked for many women. However, the side effects can be very troublesome (see the Ovulation Drugs section for more about Clomid and its side effects). I personally believe it s better to get to the root of the problem, which is hormone imbalance, in order to fully heal. One way to know if you re ovulating is to begin to chart your basal body temperatures, or BBT. BBT charting is a method of tracking your morning waking temperature. This temperature varies based on the time of your cycle. During the first half of your cycle, your basal temperature will be lower. And during the last half your temperature will be higher, having risen just after ovulation. BBT charting will tell a woman if she has ovulated after the fact but will not warn her of impending ovulation. It is an excellent tool to utilize over time to give you a clear idea of what your cycles are like and if you are regular or irregular. If you suspect you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, it would be a good idea to have some tests done to know for sure what's going on. Saliva testing is a great method of testing (some believe it's more accurate than blood testing) to find out which hormone levels may be too high or too low. Since insulin resistance is frequently found in PCOS cases, it would be wise to take a glucose tolerance test in order to find out if insulin resistance is a problem for you. If you find that you have an insulin resistance issue, an insulin resistance diet is a crucial step to reversing the effects and improving your fertility. An insulin resistance diet would include little or no refined sugars and simple carbohydrates. Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables should replace these unhealthy foods. I recommend that you not simply "diet," as this tends to be something that is done for a while and then discontinued. Rather, change the way you eat, eating smaller portions and eating better foods. If you
need to start slowly by eliminating one unhealthy food at a time - do that. You will be glad you did! Herbs to Help with PCOS Vitex is called by some the herbal Clomid. While many women with PCOS are given Clomid by their doctors in order to ovulate normally, vitex can do the same thing by balancing hormones and promoting normal ovulation naturally. It may take a bit longer than Clomid, but you are not likely to have any side effects using vitex. Maca is a wonderful superfood that is considered an adoptogen, meaning that it helps the body adapt to stress and utilizes the herb in the way your body most needs it. Maca also helps to normalize progesterone and estrogen levels. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids also help to heal PCOS by healing and controlling inflammation. Progesterone cream is also beneficial for helping to control PCOS by opposing the estrogen dominance so common with PCOS. For more information on healing PCOS through diet and herbs, visit http://natural-fertilityinfo.com/pcos-fertility-diet