Irregular periods can cause a lot of trouble for women, especially if they are planning to get pregnant. Periods are an important part of a woman’s fertility, indicating she is ovulating and has eggs for fertilisation. Many women suffer from irregular periods but still get pregnant. Does that mean they are ovulating regularly? Is that possible? Come, let’s find out.
Every woman in her fertile years will experience menstrual periods. A girl will typically experience menarche (her first menstrual period) between the ages of 11 and 14. This denotes the beginning of her fertile years. She can now get pregnant as the ovaries start releasing mature eggs.
Menstruation is the process by which the ovaries in a woman’s body develop and release eggs for fertilisation. Every month, she has a period that indicates the egg was released and the uterine lining developed enough to support implantation of a fertilised egg. When no egg is received, the uterus sheds this lining, which is essentially the menstrual period.
After shedding, the uterus starts preparing again for the next egg. This process is ongoing as long as the woman has an egg reserve. When she runs out of eggs, she will attain menopause – 12 months without a single menstrual period.
Ovulation is the process of releasing the mature egg from the follicles. All females are born with a fixed number of follicles, which house the eggs. So a female’s egg reserve depletes as she ages and can never be “replenished”.
The first day of a woman’s menstrual period is counted as day 1 of her menstrual cycle. Ovulation occurs around day 14 of the cycle. This is the time it takes the follicles to grow and develop one mature egg for fertilisation. During ovulation, the dominant follicle will rupture and release the egg, which then descends the fallopian tube to reach the uterus. If a sperm manages to meet and successfully fertilise the egg during this descent, it can lead to a pregnancy. Once the egg descends and moves out of the fallopian tube, pregnancy is very unlikely.
Ovulation is the most important time in a woman’s menstrual cycle if she is trying to get pregnant. Some women can have irregular ovulation, or anovulation (no ovulation at all). The result is that no mature egg is released every menstrual cycle, which leads to infertility. Irregular ovulation, on the other hand, can cause delay in pregnancy or fertility challenges, but does not always result in infertility.
When a woman’s period is irregular, it makes it very difficult to calculate when she is ovulating. As seen earlier, ovulation is the process by which the egg is released, and without this release, pregnancy is not possible. When one cannot determine their ovulation dates, it becomes very challenging to conceive without assistance.
It is still possible to ovulate regularly despite irregular periods. A period occurs only if an ovulation occurs. Therefore, women who experience regular or irregular menstrual cycles are still ovulating and can become pregnant.
There can be various causes for irregular periods, but not all of them disturb or stop ovulation. Therefore, she will ovulate and her egg reserve will deplete with age, despite having irregular periods. The irregularity can make it very challenging to track the ovulation date. Tracking ovulation dates helps identify the right time to have unprotected sex or proceed with fertility treatment, and increases the chances of conception.
Irregular menstrual cycles need not necessarily cause infertility. If you are trying to conceive but have irregular periods, here are a few tips to help you narrow down your ovulation window and increase your chances:
● Track your body temperature. The basal body temperature – the body’s temperature first thing in the morning when you are resting, tends to increase during ovulation. So, a change in your basal body temperature is your clue that it’s time for ovulation, and you can start trying around this time.
● Use ovulation kits. Yes, you have ovulation kits that work just like pregnancy kits. These kits test your urine for a certain hormone that increases during ovulation. You can use them at home to determine if you are ovulating.
● Monitor your cervical mucus. The cervical mucus tends to become more slippery and clear like egg whites. This texture helps the sperm travel better. So, if you notice the cervical mucus is increasing in quantity, becoming clearer or slippery, you know you are about to ovulate, and it is the right time to try for pregnancy.
● Take a blood test to check your progesterone levels. During ovulation, the uterus undergoes small changes and produces more progesterone than usual. So, an increase in progesterone levels indicates the egg’s release. Your fertility doctor can even extract the egg for IVF or IUI during this time.
Though one can ovulate despite irregular periods, it can be challenging to manage. Regularising the period can help the woman in multiple ways. If you are suffering from irregular periods, try the following:
● Change your diet to include more whole grains, lean proteins, and high fibre. Reduce your intake of processed sugar and excess caffeine, as it can disrupt your endocrine system.
● Ensure you are well-hydrated. If drinking plain water is difficult, you can opt for teas and flavoured water.
● Increase your physical activity by moving more. You can opt for mild exercises, such as relaxing yoga and regular walks.
● Stress can disrupt your menstrual cycle. Consciously reduce stress by engaging in activities such as yoga, listening to music, reading a book, or painting to help cope with stress.
● Ensure you are getting enough sleep every night. Lack of good quality sleep can cause hormonal imbalances that can not only lead to health issues but can also impact your period as well.
● Maintain a healthy weight. Too much or too little weight can impact your menstrual cycle. Yes, losing a lot of weight can also interfere with ovulation.
● Don’t follow any random diet to lose weight drastically. A steady weight reduction is always healthier and allows your body to adjust more effectively. Drastic weight loss can lead to the loss of essential nutrition, which can affect menstruation.
● Some women may have shorter or longer menstrual cycles. Track your dates to see if your body has a consistent cycle, which may be longer or shorter than average.
If your irregular periods are not causing trouble, you may not need any treatments. However, if you and your partner are having difficulty conceiving or have been trying for a few months now, it is time to consult a fertility specialist. Similarly, if your irregular periods are affecting your regular life, causing other health issues, weight gain or loss that you are unable to control, you need to see a doctor.
A woman can continue to ovulate regularly despite irregular periods. Every time she ovulates, her body releases an egg that can result in pregnancy if it is mature and a sperm fertilises it successfully. Tracking ovulation using different methods, apart from just calculating dates based on the monthly period, can help narrow down the ovulation time and increase the chances of conception.
