What causes late ovulation and how to recognize it?

• What is late ovulation?
• What causes late ovulation?
• Symptoms of late ovulation.
• Is it possible to get pregnant with late ovulation?
• Possible consequences of late ovulation.
• When to see a doctor.
• Late ovulation treatment.

Definition. Causes. Symptoms. Conception. Effects. When to see a doctor. Treatment.

If you are trying to get pregnant or just want to know more about your menstrual cycle, it may be helpful to read about the factors that can cause delayed ovulation.

What is late ovulation?

During ovulation, one of the ovaries releases an egg. It enters the fallopian tube, where it can be fertilized by a sperm. If impregnation has occurred, the resulting zygote attaches to the lining of the uterus.

If impregnation has not occurred, the egg is excreted from the body along with the lining of the uterus during menstruation.

In women whose menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, ovulation occurs around the 14th day. Therefore, with a regular cycle, ovulation occurs about 14 days before your next period.

This makes it much easier for women with regular cycles to keep track of their periods and ovulation.

If you want to get pregnant, the likelihood of conception will be high if you have sex on the day of ovulation or within 5 days before it.

Is late ovulation common? Many women have irregular cycles. According to the study, only 10% of women ovulated on the 14th day. Thus, 28 days is just an average. Your cycle can normally be between 21 and 35 days. This does not mean that you are less fertile, but it can make it difficult to predict ovulation. Also, with an irregular cycle, it is more difficult to determine when sex is most likely to lead to conception.

If ovulation occurs after the 21st day of the menstrual cycle, it can be considered late.

What causes late ovulation?

There are many reasons for late ovulation. Here are the most common ones.

Medicines

Certain medicines can affect ovulation and fertility. These include:
• antidepressants;
• drugs for chemotherapy for oncology;
• thyroid medications;
• steroids.

Please consult patient information or consult your doctor if you think a medication you are taking may be affecting your ovulation or fertility.

Lactation

One of the natural results of breastfeeding is changing the menstrual cycle. During the entire period of breastfeeding, menstruation may be absent or irregular. Accordingly, ovulation may not occur.

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common medical condition that affects ovarian function.

The main signs of PCOS are:
• irregular menstruation;
• high levels of male sex hormones;
• enlarged ovaries with many follicles.

In women with PCOS, follicle maturation and egg release often do not occur, meaning ovulation does not occur.

Symptoms of PCOS may include:
• your period is irregular or absent;
• there are difficulties with conception;
• there is increased hair growth on the face and body;
• there is hair loss, an increase in the fat content of the skin;
• an increase in body weight.

Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have PCOS.

Thyroid dysfunction

The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck. It produces hormones that control heart rate, body temperature, and other important body indicators. An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can cause problems with ovulation.

Symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland include:
• irritability;
• mood swings;
• tiredness or weakness;
• irregular or unusually fast heart rate.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism:
• fatigue;
• weight gain;
• depression;
• muscle pain.

See your doctor for advice on diagnosing and treating thyroid disorders.

Stress

It's natural to be stressed during the day or week. Personal or work problems and many other factors can cause anxiety.

But when there is too much stress in one's life or it lasts too long, it can seriously affect your body. If your periods become irregular or you are having trouble getting pregnant (despite having regular sex), stress may be the cause.

If you think stress is negatively affecting your life and overall well-being, talk to your doctor. He/she will recommend the appropriate treatment.

Symptoms of late ovulation.

Although many women do not ovulate on day 14, ovulation is usually considered late if it occurs after day 21 of the cycle. The best way to track this is to watch for signs of ovulation using any of the following methods.

1. Measuring your basal body temperature (BBT). Basal temperature is the lowest body temperature in 24 hours. Using a thermometer, you can keep track of changes in your basal temperature. Before ovulation, BBT, as a rule, falls, and immediately after ovulation, it rises sharply.

2. Observation of cervical mucus. Cervical mucus is a discharge that can be found on your underwear during each month. This discharge is thick and sticky for most of the cycle, but during ovulation it can become thinner and more stringy. Its amount increases, as a rule, at this time as well.

3. Tracking changes in the cervix. When ovulating, it becomes softer, moist and open. You can notice this by inserting your fingers into the vagina and feeling the cervix. This symptom is more difficult to observe: it usually takes some practice.

Ovulation often causes other symptoms that you may notice:
• breast tenderness;
• abdominal discomfort;
• increased sex drive.

To determine ovulation, doctors are increasingly using ultrasound. Check with your doctor if you can use this method.

You may find it helpful to add your symptoms and sensations to any menstrual cycle application. This way you can see patterns in your cycle.

Is it possible to get pregnant with late ovulation?

Women who ovulate at the end of their cycle note that attempts to conceive may not be successful. Even if you know about late ovulation, it is difficult to predict when sex is most likely to lead to conception. Many women become discouraged, especially if they know that their friends or relatives conceived without too much trouble.

First of all, don't be discouraged! Millions of women around the world ovulate late, but they still manage to conceive. Focus on what to do to increase your chances of getting pregnant. The simplest, but at the same time, important thing you can do is watch the cycle. The better you understand it, the easier it will be for you to determine when you are (or are about to) ovulate.

Once the egg is released from the ovary, it begins its journey down the fallopian tube to the uterus. From that moment on, it has 12-24 hours to fertilize with sperm. Not much time at first glance. However, remember: sperm can live in your fallopian tubes for up to 5 days. Therefore, if you had sex a few days before ovulation, the chances of fertilizing an egg are still high.

When you and your partner are planning pregnancy, keep in mind the methods that will help increase your chances of conceiving.
• Tracking changes in cervical mucus. Get in the habit of keeping an eye on the nature of your secretions. Before ovulation, you may notice that the amount of discharge has increased. In addition, they can become stringy: you can probably stretch them to a few centimeters between two fingers. All this indicates the approach of ovulation - it's time for intimacy with a partner! Immediately after ovulation, cervical mucus becomes thicker and cloudy, and its amount decreases.
• Monitoring changes in the cervix. Practice getting to know it by inserting your finger into your vagina while sitting on the toilet or squatting. But remember: your hands must be clean and nails short! For most of the cycle, the cervix is ​​hard, dry, and closed. As you approach ovulation, you will feel that it becomes softer, more moist and open.
• Ovulation tests. Using home tests to determine your fertile days is quite effective.

Possible consequences of late ovulation.

Late ovulation can affect your ability to get pregnant. When your cycle is irregular, it can be more difficult to track and predict ovulation. This makes it harder to predict when sex is more likely to lead to conception.

When to see a doctor.

If you are concerned about any of the conditions or symptoms described above, consult your doctor. The doctor will talk about possible treatment options, and probably also about how to make lifestyle changes to improve your fertility and health.

Late ovulation treatment.

Treatment for late ovulation depends on the underlying cause. In most cases, treatment is possible with conservative and surgical methods.

To solve this problem, it is worth seeking the advice of a doctor. The sooner you do this, the sooner you can consider options and choose the one that suits you best.