What’s the anovulatory cycle?

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An anovulatory cycle is a menstrual cycle in which ovulation does not occur, causing menstrual bleeding without laying a new egg. This condition can occur for a variety of reasons and can create some health problems. A doctor can evaluate a patient to determine possible causes and provide treatment. Often, the first doctor to diagnose the condition is a fertility specialist who explores the reasons why a couple cannot get pregnant.

Patients with an anovulatory cycle experience their menstrual cycle on an abnormal schedule. Your cycle may be longer or shorter than usual, and menstrual bleeding is sometimes heavy and prolonged, creating a risk of anemia. Lack of ovulation is usually undetectable by the patient, but people will notice irregularities in their cycles and may seek attention for it without being aware that they have an anovulatory cycle.

Hormonal imbalances are a common cause, as are thyroid conditions, eating disorders, polycystic ovarian disease, and perimenopause. A doctor may do some blood tests to check for hormone levels and other potential causes for concern, and will also perform a physical exam. The patient’s age, level of general health, and medical history are all considerations when narrowing down the cause of an anovulatory cycle. There is a small chance that a cancerous growth could be responsible for the irregularities. Your doctor will want to conduct a thorough examination to rule this out completely before moving on to treatment options, as some treatments may make the cancer grow faster.

A doctor will recommend treatment if there are health problems or if the patient is trying to get pregnant and wants fertility treatment. Providing the patient with hormones to regulate the cycle and trigger ovulation is the usual method of dealing with irregular cycles. The doctor must also address the underlying cause. In cases where patients are actually entering menopause, the goal of treatment is to provide supportive care to help the patient go through more comfortably, rather than trying to correct the problem.

People with a history of menstrual irregularities may be at increased risk of having an anovulatory cycle and should make sure their doctors have a complete medical history. This can be helpful in conducting a patient assessment and can potentially spare the patient some inconvenient and unnecessary testing to explore possible causes. Problems like recent stress can also contribute, and your doctor may recommend that you simply rest and wait to see if your period normalizes on its own.

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