A woman's ovaries contain many egg precursors called oocytes. About once a month, maturation and release from the follicle of one of them is observed. Then ovulation occurs - the exit of the female germ cell from the ovary. After it, within 2-3 days, conception becomes possible. In most women with a stable menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs on days 12-16.

late ovulation- this is a pathology in which the exit of the female germ cell from the ovary is observed on the 17th or later day of the menstrual cycle. This condition does not affect daily life in any way, but it is one of the reasons for unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child.

Causes of late ovulation

Late ovulation is a rather rare occurrence in the female body. The process of egg release is controlled by the endocrine system, the greatest influence on it is estrogens - a group of female sex hormones. With their deficiency, there is a delay in the onset of ovulation, or its complete absence. Hormonal imbalance can be caused by the following reasons:

#one. emotional stress.

The female endocrine system is very sensitive to nervous tension, which can cause the menstrual cycle to “jump”. With strong experiences, too little estrogen is produced in the body, due to which the egg matures for a long time.

#2. Inflammatory diseases of the ovaries.

With the focus of infection in the appendages, the ovaries cannot fully perform their hormonal function. The inflammatory process inhibits the synthesis of estrogens, which leads to the development of late ovulation.

#3. Increased physical activity and the use of doping drugs.

As a result of intensive sports and the use of steroid drugs in the female body, an increased amount of the male hormone testosterone is formed. It reduces the activity of estrogens, which slows down the onset of ovulation or completely blocks its development.

#4. Low body weight.

Adipose tissue is one of the regulators of estrogen synthesis. With its deficiency, a decrease in the amount of female sex hormones in the blood is observed.

#five. Childbirth or spontaneous abortion.

After pregnancy, the female body and endocrine system begin to work in new conditions. Late ovulation after childbirth or miscarriage is a natural response to hormonal changes. The irregularity of the menstrual cycle can last up to six months, which fits into the physiological norm.

Sometimes doctors cannot determine the exact cause of the abnormal release of an egg. Then late ovulation is called primary or essential. Experts believe that this type of pathology is inherited and is a feature of the woman's body.

Galina Strelko. Causes of ovulation disorders.

Diagnosis of late ovulation

The easiest way to determine the date of ovulation is. A future mother planning a pregnancy should daily, immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed, insert a thermometer into the anus for 5 minutes. The results obtained should be recorded in a notebook in the form of a graph.

From the third day of the cycle, the basal temperature is 36.5-36.7 degrees, approximately at this level it remains until ovulation. On the day of the release of the egg, the indicators fall by a few tenths of a degree. Immediately after this, the basal temperature rises, amounting to 37.1-37.4 degrees. This method has high accuracy only if all measurement rules are observed.

For more accurate calculations, a woman can be kept by writing down the date of release of the egg every month. Quite often, it occurs on the same day of the menstrual cycle. By keeping a calendar, a woman can, with a high degree of probability, know favorable days for conception.

Another way to diagnose the release of an egg at home is to use a special ovulation test. It is a strip that needs to be lowered into a container with urine. Modern modifications are now on the market: inkjet and tablet tests.

Ovulation tests are quite expensive, so before using them, it is worth determining the approximate date of ovulation using a calendar. Also, you should not completely trust them, because with some gynecological diseases or against the background of taking medications, they can give a false result.

A test that analyzes saliva is one of the modern methods for determining ovulation. It is a small microscope that anyone can work with. The principle of its action is based on the fact that due to the rise of estrogen in the saliva of a woman, crystallization processes are observed, which are visible in the lens of the device as “fern leaves”.

One of the simplest, but unreliable methods for determining the output of a female reproductive cell is to monitor well-being. Ovulation is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, increased viscosity of vaginal discharge, increased sexual desire. Some women have swelling of the mammary glands and flatulence.

Also, ovulation can be determined by more accurate methods in medical institutions. A woman can donate blood to analyze the amount of pituitary hormones. A sharp increase in follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormone indicates the onset of ovulation. However, this method of determining the release of an egg is a rather expensive analysis, it is used only in extreme cases, when a doctor needs to evaluate the work of the endocrine system.

To date, the "gold standard" for determining ovulation is an ultrasound examination of the ovaries. An experienced doctor can easily observe the stages of maturation of the follicle, its rupture and the formation of the corpus luteum. Using ultrasound, you can determine the phase of the menstrual cycle and predict the day of ovulation. Another advantage of this method is safety - ultrasound does not have an irradiating effect on internal organs.

Adjustment

First of all, the attending physician must determine the appropriateness of treating this pathology. Sometimes late ovulation can be an isolated event caused by emotional stress. Then no adjustment is required, already in the next menstrual cycle a woman has a high chance of pregnancy.

Also, the doctor must determine the duration of the menstrual cycle. With its regular duration of 30 days and the release of the egg on the 18th day, there is no pathology. The increased duration of the first phase of the cycle does not affect the ability to conceive and bear. With a length of the second phase of more than 12-14, the woman is absolutely healthy.

Late requires treatment if it occurs on the 16-17th day or even later. A shortened second phase does not provide the proper amount of progesterone, which can lead to infertility. Similarly, it can be calculated that with a menstrual cycle of 25 days, ovulation is late if it occurs on the 14th day or later; with a cycle of 35 days - on the 23rd day and later, etc.

Attention! The need to correct late ovulation depends on the length of the second phase of the menstrual cycle, if it is more than 12 days, no treatment is required.

If the doctor believes that the patient needs to postpone ovulation at an earlier date, he prescribes hormonal treatment. One of the most common drugs is Klostilbegit, which causes an increase in the synthesis of its own estrogens. The drug is prescribed from 5 to 9 days of the menstrual cycle. The entire period of taking the drug is controlled by ultrasound examination of the ovaries.

When the follicles reach a size of 2-2.5 centimeters, the ultrasound control stops, and the woman is given an hCG injection. This procedure additionally stimulates the process of ovulation. Normally, a day after the injection, a mature egg leaves the ovary, which falls on the 12-14th day of the menstrual cycle.

Another method of correcting late ovulation is taking progestogens- analogues of progesterone, which is synthesized in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. The drugs in this group include Utrozhestan and Duphaston. Medicines help to lengthen the second phase, which increases the chances of a successful pregnancy. Quite often, doctors prescribe Clostibegit, an hCG injection and gestagens at the same time.

In addition to taking the listed drugs for successful conception, a woman should lead a healthy lifestyle, get all the necessary vitamins and minerals with food, and avoid stress. With a good quality of sperm in a husband after an injection of hCG, it is recommended to have sexual intercourse daily.

Pregnancy

Sometimes a woman does not know about late ovulation, but this does not prevent her from getting pregnant. However, the process of bearing a child with such a feature differs from gestation with a physiological menstrual cycle.

Quite often, against the background of late ovulation after a delay in menstruation, a pregnancy test shows a negative result. This is due to the fact that hCG begins to be synthesized from the moment of implantation, which occurs a week after conception. The test can show a positive result only 7-10 days after the embryo is fixed in the uterine wall.

For the same reason, women who ovulate late after conception may experience menstrual bleeding. If they appear, the discharge is not abundant, lasts no more than 3-4 days, their color is often brownish.

Due to late ovulation, doctors can make a misdiagnosis. Obstetric gestational age is calculated on the first day of the last menstruation. With a correct cycle of 28 days, the actual age of the child is 12-14 days behind the week of gestation. With late ovulation, conception occurs later, so the age of the fetus is even further behind the obstetric weeks.

If the doctor does not take this factor into account, during an ultrasound examination, he may decide that the fetal egg is lagging behind in development. In fact, the unborn child may be completely healthy, but the expectant mother will experience unnecessary stress. Also, the doctor can make a false diagnosis of "anembryony", which means that there is no embryo in the fetal egg.

Due to the lag of the real age of the baby from the obstetric gestational age, even when he is born at 37-38 weeks, which is the norm for most children, his lungs may not be ready to breathe atmospheric air. For the same reason, women with late ovulation may develop post-term pregnancy (more than 41-42 weeks), although the actual gestation period is physiological.

A woman's fertility - the ability to conceive and give birth to a child - depends on the function of the ovaries. The maturation and release of the egg (oocyte) from the follicle is a key factor in the ability to bear children.

In some cases, difficulties with conception or even the diagnosis of "infertility" in a married couple are associated with a violation in the work of the ovaries, when the egg is not released on time. There is even such a concept in gynecology as "late ovulation", when the oocyte matures later than the expected date. But can delayed oocyte release really interfere with conception?

What is late ovulation

In healthy women, the so-called. ovulatory peak occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle (MC). During the first phase of the cycle, a follicle containing an egg matures in the ovary, which then exits and travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus to meet the sperm there. This process, with an average 28-day MC, occurs 13-14 days after the first day of the last menstruation.

Late ovulation is one that occurs later than the estimated ovulatory peak, correlated with cycle length. For example, if its duration is 28 days, then ovulation will be late if the oocyte is released on day 16 or later.

But in itself, late ovulation is not a hindrance to conception. If there are no other factors preventing fertilization and implantation of the embryo into the endometrium of the uterus, then the delayed release of the oocyte will not prevent the woman from becoming a mother.

It is necessary to correlate the duration of the menstrual cycle and the moment of the ovulatory peak. For example, if in a woman it is not 28, but 33-34 days, then the moment of the ovulatory peak will be normal on day 19, and not on day 15-16, as with a 28-day MC.

But if menstruation occurs every 33 days, and the release of the oocyte occurs after 21 days, then this will already be considered late.

From this video you can learn everything about the process of ovulation - from the maturation of the follicle to the formation of the corpus luteum:

How to recognize a deviation - the main signs

Symptomatically, the onset of the ovulatory peak in healthy women does not manifest itself in any way. In rare cases, when a woman closely monitors her body for many cycles, she may find some signs in herself. Late ovulation in itself is not considered a pathology, and it is somehow impossible to feel it in a special way.

In other words, if a woman knows how to determine the signs of ovulation that has come on time, then the symptoms of a delayed release of the oocyte will be the same.

For example, it can be brownish vaginal discharge, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, increased sexual desire, mood swings, and other changes. Late ovulation will manifest itself in this case in the same way as timely.

What leads to this condition - an overview of the main causes

The shift in the timing of the release of the egg to the second phase of the MC is due to various factors.

As a rule, hormonal changes are in the penultimate place, and the following come to the fore:

• stress, anxiety, anxiety - the nervous system affects the hormonal background and, consequently, the function of the ovaries;
• abrupt climate change - for example, a flight to a vacation in a country with a hot or cold climate;
• various diseases - even SARS, colds or flu sometimes contribute to the delay;
• the abolition of hormonal contraceptives is one of the common reasons in which the ovaries are re-adjusted to active work and can work “out of place” within 2-3 cycles.

The reaction of the body to the above factors is a protective evolutionary mechanism designed to prevent poor-quality conception and the birth of offspring with various defects.

In rare cases, the delayed release of the egg is associated with the peculiarities of hormonal function. Luteinizing (LH) and follicle-stimulating (FSH) hormones, which are produced in the anterior pituitary gland, are responsible for the maturation of the oocyte.

The lack of one of them in the first phase of MC often leads to delayed maturation of the follicle. An increased level of androgens in the blood can also cause a shift in the timing of oocyte release.

Important! A chronic shift in the timing of ovulation later than usual is an extremely rare occurrence. If this happened during only one cycle, this is not a reason for research and diagnosis.

Nature takes care of the balance in everything, and after one "special" cycle, she usually normalizes the natural processes in the reproductive system. In the next MC, the release of the oocyte occurs on time if the hormonal system is working normally.

Late ovulation and conception

By itself, late ovulation is not a pathology, but a feature of the menstrual cycle. If the egg has matured and left the follicle, then the period of “preparation” for this process does not affect its ability to conceive in any way.

If a woman is healthy, has no other pathologies of the internal genital organs (adhesions, obstruction of the fallopian tubes, endometrial dysplasia), then a delayed ovulatory peak will not prevent her from conceiving and bearing a healthy child.

It is important that the concentration of the necessary hormones during the ovulatory peak and at the time of the formation of the corpus luteum remains high enough. This is necessary so that the egg can not only connect with the sperm, but also attach to the uterus.

If the ovulatory peak occurs no later than two weeks before the expected period, this is not considered a problem. But sometimes the oocyte comes out almost before the onset of menstruation. This theoretically does not interfere with her fertilization, but makes it impossible for the embryo to implant in the uterus.

The fact is that before menstruation in women, the level of progesterone, the hormone responsible for preparing the endometrium for the attachment of a fertilized egg, decreases.

If she met with the sperm and attached to the uterine mucosa, then the concentration of progesterone remains at the same level to help the fetal egg develop. But if the egg is released by the time when progesterone is no longer enough, the likelihood of unsuccessful conception or miscarriage increases.

How to correct the cycle

With delayed ovulation, it is not the cycle that needs to be adjusted, but the level of hormones during the first and second phases. It depends on them whether the couple will be able to conceive a child this time. First of all, you need to consult a doctor or independently determine the fact of a delay. Again, a deviation cannot be judged if the delayed release of the oocyte was only during one MC.

To establish a stable shift in the ovulatory peak in the second phase of the cycle, you need:

1. Do home tests regularly with test strips for at least three cycles.
2. Measure basal temperature (BT) in the rectum for three months daily to chart and observe BBT peaks that are not typical of a normal cycle.
3. Regularly conduct folliculometry using ultrasound from a specialist who will evaluate the time of maturation of the follicles and determine the reasons for the delay.

If it is established that ovulation has indeed acquired a tendency to be late, the doctor, based on the results of the studies, has the right to prescribe hormone therapy.

For this, two drugs are used today - Duphaston and Utrozhestan, which artificially regulate the level of progesterone and estrogen in the blood and contribute to the normal maturation of the follicles. Take them according to an individual scheme prescribed by your doctor.

Preventive measures

The menstrual cycle for each woman is unique and depends on many factors - the amount of hormones, age and characteristics of the body as a whole. Not all healthy women meet the standards and norms adopted by gynecologists.

Therefore, in order to normalize the MC and regulate the natural processes in the hormonal system, it is important to monitor its health in general, providing the necessary amount of vitamins and microelements. Vitamin E (tocopherol), as well as folic acid, are considered important for reproductive function - they should be enough in a woman's diet.

Bad habits - alcohol abuse, smoking, unhealthy diet - should be excluded. It is advisable to avoid stress and anxiety, physical and emotional overload. A positive attitude is very important, which helps to calm down and normalize hormonal function.

Conclusion

Late ovulation is a relative concept in gynecology. With normal hormonal function, the release of the oocyte from the follicle later than the expected date is considered a feature, not a pathology.

Theoretically, the egg, whenever it leaves the ovary, is able to fertilize the sperm. But successful conception will be only when the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus.

It happens that a late ovulatory peak indicates a violation of hormonal function, when the moment of the ovulatory peak and the readiness of the endometrium for implantation do not coincide. In this case, a woman needs to see a doctor and adjust the cycle with hormonal drugs.

The monthly cycle of the female body can be called a miracle of physiology, so wisely conceived of its nature. The menstrual cycle of a healthy woman of childbearing age consists of two halves or phases. The folliculin phase begins its countdown from the first day of menstruation and ends with the release of a mature egg from the ovary - ovulation. The main task of this half of the cycle is the growth and maturation of the egg in the ovary and the endometrium in the uterine cavity.

The luteal or corpus luteum phase begins immediately after ovulation. In this phase of the cycle, the grown endometrium is preparing to receive a potential embryo. The mucous membrane of the uterus accumulates reserves of nutrients, germinates with vessels. If fertilization does not occur, the uterine mucosa is shed, menstruation begins and with it the next menstrual cycle.

Ovulation is a kind of boundary line between the two phases of the cycle.

What is called late ovulation?

It is generally accepted that the egg leaves the ovary around the 14-15th day of the cycle. This is true for a woman with a classic "obstetric" cycle length of 28 days. However, each woman has her own characteristics of the reproductive system and hormonal levels. Normally, the length of the menstrual cycle ranges from 21 to 45 days, respectively, and ovulation occurs at completely different times.

Late can be called ovulation, which occurs less than 10 days before the onset of menstruation. Why is the countdown based on menstruation? The specific date of ovulation does not matter for the conception of a child. The length of the subsequent luteal phase is important so that the embryo has time to fully implant in the uterus. It is believed that the length of the luteal phase of more than 10 days ensures the normal onset of pregnancy in any type of ovulatory peaks.

Causes of late ovulation

Very often, women have no idea when they ovulate. It can be late, and early, and normal. All these terms have absolutely no meaning in the case of a regular menstrual cycle and the independent onset of a healthy pregnancy. In this case, late ovulation is not a diagnosis, but an accidental finding!

Usually, women begin to delve into the peculiarities of their hormonal background and "catch" ovulation when pregnancy does not occur. In this case, late ovulation may be the main cause of an irregular cycle and.

• Stress, nervous experiences directly affect the centers of hormonal regulation in the brain.
• Changes in time zones, climate, improper sleep and rest patterns “confuse” the circadian rhythms of the body.
• Pronounced physical activity, intense sports rebuild the hormonal background of a woman to a male type.
• Improper nutrition, starvation diets or low social level. The lack of nutrients directly affects the hormonal background. For example, diets with the exclusion of fats are fraught with hypoestrogenic conditions and the absence of ovulation.
• Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs and, especially, the ovary. An unhealthy ovary is not able to fully produce eggs. Ovulation is often delayed or does not occur at all.
• Hormonal imbalance. There can be many options for it. The top three include: hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia and hyperandrogenic syndromes. It is on these hormonal panels that women with infertility or dysmenorrhea should first be checked.

Signs and symptoms of late ovulation

The ovulatory peak in the body does not go unnoticed. By carefully listening to your body, you can independently notice some of the symptoms of ovulation:

1. Copious discharge from the genital tract of a mucous nature, similar to the white of a raw egg. Sometimes in a clot of mucus you can see streaks of blood - this is a variant of the norm in some women.
2. Drawing pains in the lower abdomen on the right or left side. Sometimes these pains are extremely pronounced, accompanied by diarrhea or constipation, fever, masquerading as acute appendicitis. This situation is called "ovulatory syndrome".
3. Increased libido.

Today, you can confirm ovulation with additional tests:

1. Measurement of basal temperature is a rather old and time-consuming, but extremely accurate method for determining ovulation and the usefulness of the phases of the menstrual cycle. Basal temperature is measured daily with an ordinary thermometer in the anus or vagina. Measurements must be taken daily in the morning after sleep, without getting out of bed. The received data is presented in the form of a graph. Normally, an ovulatory jump is considered a difference in phase temperatures of more than 0.4 degrees Celsius. That is, the moment of release of the egg on the graph will be represented by a high temperature peak.
2. Special tests for ovulation. These test strips are sold in pharmacies and can be easily used at home. The test responds to changes in the ratio of certain hormones in the urine. The day after a positive test is considered the most favorable for conception.
3. Ultrasound or folliculometry. In this case, the dynamics of egg growth is assessed daily. This is a fairly accurate method for diagnosing folliculogenesis disorders. Ultrasonic folliculometry is widely used in IVF and ovarian stimulation programs.

Can late ovulation cause a missed period?

Very often, late ovulation is a one-time phenomenon, for example, against the background of stress or climate change. In this case, there may indeed be a delay in menstruation or a complete loss of one menstrual cycle. Once a year, a delay in menstruation or even its complete absence is the norm for the vast majority of women.

Late ovulation: when will the test show pregnancy?

Since fertilization is also delayed with a later release of the egg, the pregnancy test may not show the second strip for a long time, even against the background of a delay in menstruation. After all, the embryo needs time to grow up a little and begin to produce chorionic gonadotropin, to which all pregnancy tests respond.

How to calculate the gestational age for late ovulation?

It is very common for women with long menstrual cycles and late ovulation to miscalculate and miscalculate due dates. The classic formulas for calculating the duration of pregnancy are designed for a 28-day cycle with normal ovulation. Therefore, in such patients, the gestational age will be objectively less than the date of the last menstruation. It is important to remember this when diagnosing pregnancy, doubts about the normal development of the fetus and disputes about the term of delivery.

Alexandra Pechkovskaya, obstetrician-gynecologist, specially for the site

Useful video:

Is late ovulation a norm or an obstacle to a desired pregnancy?

Almost all married couples who have been planning a child for a long time (perhaps unsuccessfully) are familiar with the concept of "" and are thinking how to speed up this process. Some, in desperation, decided to raise money for the procedure. After all, no matter how hard you try, the test is negative from month to month. But maybe there are still chances to become parents on their own without violating the mystery of nature? Perhaps the reason for the failures is the incorrectly calculated time for the release of the egg? late ovulation may well interfere with conception. But what does this term mean? Let's try to figure it out.

• What it is?
• Is it possible to get pregnant?
• Signs and nature of menstruation
• Causes
• Displacement of the menstrual cycle
• What to do?
• Cancellation of contraceptives
• Diagnosis and treatment

Late ovulation - what is it?

It is believed that the average cycle length is 28 days and 14 days.

The concept of late ovulation is rather vague and often misused. Ovulation can very rarely be late or early. In a healthy body, it occurs 14 days before the start of the next cycle. If the menstrual cycle is 30–32 days and ovulation occurs on days 18–20, then this is not late ovulation, but normal for the indicated cycle length. In simple words, it takes more time to mature in the conditions of your hormonal background, because ovulation is a hormone-dependent process.

True late ovulation is the release of an egg during the period within 14 days before menstruation. For example, if your cycle is 34 days, the normal time for an egg to be released is day 20 +/- 3 days. Ovulation will be late if it occurs after the 23rd day of the cycle. Conclusions - late ovulation happens, but it is extremely rare.

Yes, you can get pregnant, provided there are no other pathological changes in the woman's reproductive system. Late ovulation is not the cause of infertility. In order to make correct calculations, you just need to know your cycle time. Prolonged maturation of the egg does not affect the process of conception, the course of pregnancy.

When to do an ovulation test?

With a 28-day cycle, it is recommended to do an ovulation test closer to day 14. In the instructions for ovulation tests, there are recommendations that the study should be carried out several times with a break of 1-2 days. However, the female body is a very cunning and subtle “device”, the functions of which depend on many factors. happens and comes after the 16-17th day.

To find out which day ovulation occurs with a different cycle length, you need to consider that the duration of the first half of the cycle can vary, and the second half usually lasts 14 days. From here, you can make calculations that determine the onset of ovulation with a cycle of any duration. Add 2-3 days to the resulting date. Examples are collected in the table.

Table 1. Late ovulation and pregnancy: when the test shows

Cycle duration (in days)	Ovulation is normal	When to take a pregnancy test during normal ovulation (cycle day)	late ovulation	Late ovulation: when the test shows 2 strips
21	About 8-10 days	On day 23–24	After 10 days	Not earlier than 25–26 days
26	Day 12–13	Day 27-28	After 14 days	Not earlier than 28 days
28	Day 14	Day 29-30	After 16 days	Not earlier than 30 days
30	Day 16	For 31–32 days	After 18 days	Not before 32 days
32	day 18	On day 33-34	After 19-20 days	Not before 33 days

These calculations are very approximate - it is impossible to calculate everything with an accuracy of up to an hour. But they will help determine how interconnected late ovulation and pregnancy, that is, when it is time to go to the pharmacy for a test.

When to do an ovulation test? Perhaps in the middle of the cycle or a little later you will feel a small (but weaker than before menstruation) or see a small discharge with blood - more precisely, some kind of drop or mark on toilet paper - this day will be the most suitable for the test.

How late can ovulation be?

Here everything is so changeable that no doctor can unequivocally answer this question. An informative way to determine is individual monitoring of the growth and maturation of the egg during folliculometry for three cycles.

It is unreliable to judge the timeliness of the release of the egg in 1 cycle. Folliculometry with late ovulation is the observation of the dynamics of egg maturation using an ultrasound machine.

Late ovulation: signs and nature of menstruation

Signs of late ovulation it:

• a characteristic shift in the release of the egg towards the end of the cycle on the basal temperature graph. (this looks like a decrease in BBT with a sharp rise);
• obtaining a positive ovulation test result later than the calculated date (see how to do the calculations above);
• changes in well-being are an extremely relative sign.

If a pregnancy test at the right time showed a negative result and you are sure that conception did not occur, then menstruation will come later. This is not a pathology. The nature, duration and sensations during menstruation do not change. They will be the same as if menstruation came on time. You need to urgently seek medical help only when you feel that this month is unusually bright, the blood is too plentiful, or, on the contrary, menstruation is scanty. In a word, if something goes wrong, as always.

Late ovulation and delayed menstruation is a fairly common phenomenon, sometimes it is observed in quite healthy women (if this phenomenon is not permanent).

Late ovulation: causes

Why does the body arrange such “strike” and “confuse the cards” with those planning a pregnancy? So why does late ovulation happen?

You should not worry if the cause of late ovulation is:

• stress;
• rest in hot countries or overheating in the sun;
• any SARS or exacerbation of a chronic illness;
• treatment of gynecological disease.

In all these cases, the body may respond with a malfunction.

The question of whether there can be late ovulation disappears by itself. This is a protective reaction of a finely arranged reproductive system to stress. These phenomena can cause under-ripening, over-ripening or premature in this cycle. Consider the displacement of the oocyte exit as the protection of the body from poor-quality conception. Unfavorable factors affect the quality of the genetic material of the embryo.

Displacement of the menstrual cycle

Does the menstrual cycle shift - say, too much desire to get pregnant or, conversely, fear? It turns out yes! There is also such a psychological problem, most unexpected for many, sometimes lying at the subconscious level.

What to do?

For complacency, you can undergo an ultrasound. The doctor will tell you how the follicles grew in this cycle, why there was such a delay. If you are worried, waiting for the arrival of menstruation, get tested for hCG. This is the most informative diagnosis of pregnancy and its pathologies. The analysis will help to accurately determine if there is a pregnancy.

Another thing is when this situation has become habitual, especially if the delay is constantly increasing or ovulation does not occur at all. This already requires medical intervention, regardless of whether your cycle is normal or it goes astray. Lengthening the cycle, late ovulation may be a sign of the onset of menopause (you need to take into account the woman's age).

So, you watched your body for 2-3 cycles and found that late ovulation has become the norm for you. If this continues for more than 3 months after stopping OK (and recovery from hormonal contraception, as you know, takes about 3 cycles), then it's time to go to be examined.

The duration of the recovery period after the abolition of oral contraceptives is affected by the duration of their intake. The longer a woman takes "contraceptives", the longer the body returns to normal. Your goal is to find out if this is late ovulation or her, and then proceed to treatment.

Diagnosis and treatment

The doctor will prescribe you a blood test for hormones, ultrasound control. It will be necessary to check the level of FSH (stimulates the growth of follicles), LH (“responsible” for the maturation of the egg), estradiol (affects the quality of cervical mucus, where spermatozoa can “live” a little). You need to find out the level of "male" hormones (they suppress ovulation and slow down the growth of follicles). Then it will be found out why there is a delay in the release of the egg. With late ovulation, the endometrium will grow longer, so on ultrasound by the middle of the cycle it may still be thin, by the time the egg is released, it will “ripen”.

Late ovulation - Duphaston and Utrozhestan

The doctor will prescribe a correction with medications if a problem is identified at the hormonal level. Usually, the drugs of choice are Duphaston and Utrozhestan, which must be taken according to an individual scheme, selected based on the concentration of hormones in the blood plasma. The drugs will maintain the required level of progesterone, providing. Often, late ovulation occurs with multifollicular ovaries, then its stimulation is necessary.

How to calculate the date of birth if the pregnancy test "earned" after the "due" period?

late ovulation, the delay after which began later than the scheduled date, shifts the date of birth. You already know when to take a pregnancy test for late ovulation. From here, one should “dance”, calculating the expected date of birth. Knowing exactly the day of ovulation and conception, you can add 280 days to this day - that's the estimated date of birth. Again, this is approximate. Not right away, but after a few days. Practice shows that the exact date of birth is calculated only in 4% of cases. Each pregnancy is also individual and develops with its own characteristics. Therefore, it is even difficult to determine exactly.

Who is more likely to be born if ovulation is "late"?

Sometimes pregnant women try to guess. Is it possible to get pregnant with the “planned” sex? The answer is ambiguous. The causal relationship here is as follows. If the child is conceived exactly on the day of ovulation, there is a higher chance that there will be a boy. If there was sexual intercourse before - a girl. The reason: spermatozoa with an X chromosome (“girlish”) are more tenacious and can wait longer for an egg even in almost hostile conditions. Gentle "games" die faster. So, if your ovulation charts are "jumping", you still have a slightly better chance of getting pregnant with a girl.

In general, if your ovulation is late this cycle, don't worry. The main thing is that it is, which means that you can get pregnant anyway. You just need to be patient - and everything will work out!

Timely release of the egg is an important stage of the menstrual cycle. If ovulation is late, in some cases this can make it difficult to conceive a baby, and with regular “lateness”, it can be a sign of health problems.

When talking about the menstrual cycle, as a rule, they mean its “ideal” value - 28 days. In this case, ovulation occurs exactly in the middle - on day 14, and menstruation comes on day 29 of the cycle. If any factors have affected the body - stress, road, illness - then the release of the egg may be delayed. Late ovulation with a cycle of 28 days will be observed on days 16-17 or even later.

With a cycle of 30 days, normal indicators naturally shift, and the release of the egg occurs around day 16, which is considered timely. It can be called late if it occurs on the 21st day of the cycle or just before the menstruation.

If the cycle lasts 34 days, ovulation should normally occur on the 20th day. It will be later if it happens on the 23rd day or even later.

Separately, mention should be made of recovery after hormonal contraceptives. Ovulation after stopping OK may be delayed or not happen at all. As a rule, recovery takes about three cycles. To understand why this happens, you need to know how oral contraceptives work. They suppress the activity of the ovaries, and after their cancellation, it takes time for the work to improve. If after the cancellation of OK, ovulation has not improved within three months, it is necessary to consult a doctor for advice, additional treatment may be required.

Why is there such a delay? What are the causes of late ovulation? We have already found out that sometimes the egg can mature on the 21st day of the cycle. This situation can also occur in a perfectly healthy woman due to the individual characteristics of her body.

However, most often, late ovulation occurs due to the presence of chronic diseases or various influences, often of a psychological nature.

Normally, ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle.

Normal duration of the first and second phase

To better understand the nature of the cycle, you need to understand a little how it goes. The menstrual cycle is divided into two phases. They may have different names - follicular and luteal, estrogen and progesterone, and even the banal first and second. Each phase has its own processes and symptoms. The first phase does not have a strict time frame, its duration can be different in each cycle, since everything affects it in general - stress, diet, illness, a glass of wine with dinner, road, lack of sleep or overwork. The same first phase is a sign of a calm, harmonious life.

But the second phase has specific instructions - normally it always lasts 13-14 days. Exactly so long lives after ovulation corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone. It maintains an elevated body temperature necessary for the development of a fertilized egg. After its implantation, the body receives a signal about pregnancy, and the placenta takes care of the temperature for the next few months. If the pregnancy does not take place, the corpus luteum dies, the temperature drops and menstruation begins.

Possible reasons

From this, two forms of late ovulation can be deduced. In the first case, the first phase is stretched and the development of follicles in the ovary slows down. In this case, there is a late ovulation and a delay in menstruation, which is not associated with pregnancy - the timing of the cycle has simply shifted. In the second case, ovulation occurs before menstruation, the second, progesterone phase of the cycle is too short. The reasons for such phenomena will be different:

• excess estrogen in the first phase. To help in conception, drugs with progesterone are prescribed in the second phase;
• increased concentration of luteinizing hormone and androgens. LH "bursts" the egg, and is also responsible for the production of a certain amount of male hormones in the ovaries. However, at elevated concentrations, it inhibits or even completely stops ovulation;
• lack of estrogen in the first phase. This can be determined by the slow development of follicles, which leads to "lateness".

Such violations can be of a one-time nature and be caused by various external reasons:

• stress, prolonged or excessive psychological and physical stress;
• change in climate or time zone;
• abortion;
• taking hormonal drugs and emergency contraceptives;
• infectious diseases.

Also, the cause may be a changing hormonal balance after the birth of a child, during lactation, or before the onset of menopause. In addition, one should take into account the possibility that the late release of the egg may simply be an individual feature.

Is it easy to get pregnant?

Late ovulation and pregnancy are not at all mutually exclusive, unless the delay was caused by gynecological problems. In the case when after ovulation, even if it happened later than usual, about 12-14 days pass before the onset of menstruation, pregnancy can occur without problems.

If there is a short second phase, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to become pregnant with late ovulation becomes more ambiguous. In this case, you may need the help of a doctor who will prescribe a course of suitable drugs to normalize the cycle. In addition, pregnancy with late ovulation may need a maintenance course of hormonal drugs that will make up for the lack of progesterone.

An obstetrician-gynecologist, a doctor of the highest category, a candidate of medical sciences, comments:

- If ovulation is late, but pregnancy has occurred, it is necessary to consult a doctor for observation about pregnancy.

If ovulation is late and pregnancy does not occur for more than 6-12 months, you should consult a doctor to identify other factors that interfere with the onset of pregnancy (inferiority of the first or second phase of the cycle, tubal factor, etc.). An examination will be scheduled based on a preliminary diagnosis. At a minimum - ultrasound, examination and assessment of the hormonal profile. If necessary, concomitant pathology (for example, thyroid disease, etc.) will be excluded.

When to do the test

If the pregnancy came as a result of late ovulation, there are a few important points to remember.

When to take a pregnancy test? First of all, it depends on the length of the cycle. If, with a cycle of 21 days, ovulation normally occurs on days 8-10, then the test can be done approximately on the 23rd or 24th day of the cycle. With late ovulation at this time, the result will be negative, in this case, you can do the test no earlier than 25-26 days. If the cycle lasts 35 days, pregnancy after late ovulation can be "caught" no earlier than 39-40 days.

If the test did not show a second line for the first time, do not worry: the procedure can be repeated after a few days. Perhaps the concentration of hCG was still insufficient, since tests from different companies have unequal sensitivity to this hormone.

If pregnancy has occurred, a woman needs to inform the gynecologist about the specifics of her menstrual cycle so that the doctor can correctly calculate the period. Since conception occurred later than generally accepted norms, the size of the fetus will be smaller.

It is very important to immediately inform the doctor that the pregnancy has occurred due to late ovulation, otherwise he may suspect a missed pregnancy or delayed fetal development. This is due to the fact that the obstetric gestational age and the actual one seen on ultrasound will differ, because it is usually considered from the date of the last menstruation, with ovulation "by default" in the middle of the cycle. With late ovulation, the gestational age will in fact be less, so the “lagging” indicators are actually normal

The hCG level will also differ from that which should be at the current obstetric period. You should not worry too much about this, but it is better to follow the dynamics of this indicator for some time.

Thus, late ovulation does not interfere with pregnancy, but when the test shows it, you should carefully monitor the health and development of the baby.

How to recognize her

Ovulation, as a rule, is manifested by a set of certain symptoms that are stronger or weaker in many women:

• increased libido;
• change in the nature of cervical mucus;
• change in the position of the cervix.

In addition, some women may feel a slight pulling pain from one of the ovaries, called ovulatory pain, or experience a slight spotting on the day the egg is released. All these symptoms are purely individual in nature and are not mandatory. What does the displacement of these signs mean, it is not necessary to explain - if they are always felt, then their “lateness” will be a symptom of delayed ovulation.

basal body temperature chart

The simplest method that any woman can use is. And although most modern doctors consider the method outdated and do not trust it, it still has many admirers. The measurement is taken rectally, using a mercury thermometer immediately after waking up. The result obtained must be recorded daily in order to draw up a schedule.

Obvious signs of a late release of the egg can be seen when maintaining a graph of basal temperature. The graph will clearly show that the ovulatory surge does not occur at the allotted time - in the middle of the cycle - but a little later. In order for the BTT readings to be reliable, it should be observed for at least 3 months.

The day before the release of the egg, a decrease in basal temperature is observed, and the next day it rises to 37 and above. To find out exactly on which day the egg will be released, measurements need to be taken for a long time (at least three months). With the help of the compiled graphs, you can clearly see the decrease and increase in indicators. The latter will indicate the onset of late ovulation.

Readings are taken immediately after waking up, in a state of complete rest, without getting out of bed. Temperature can be taken rectally, vaginally or orally. The first option is the most accurate, the last is the least.

Folliculometry

Another way to recognize delayed ovulation is to conduct an ultrasound cycle with an interval of 2-3 days (). This will allow you to follow the development of the follicles and notice the release of the egg.

Ovulation Tests

You can also use homemade, which must be repeated several times until the test shows a positive result. On the eve of ovulation, luteinizing hormone will be released, it can be detected in the blood and urine. To wait for the day when the test shows the coveted second strip, you must use it daily during the period of expected ovulation. That is, starting from about the 12th day of the cycle (if it is regular).

If the cycle is irregular, then the shortest cycle in the last six months (for example, 25 days) should be taken as a basis and 16 days should be taken away. It turns out that with such a cycle, you need to start using the test from the 9th day of the MC.

For a more reliable result, the test must be done at the same time. Moreover, unlike a pregnancy test, an ovulation test is done not in the early morning, but in the period from 10 to 20 hours. , This method is quite effective, but the tests are not cheap, and a lot of them will be needed.

Important! All methods are uninformative for a single use. To obtain reliable information, observations must be repeated within 3-6 months - the longer, the more accurate the picture.

Ovulation before period

Some women ask if they can ovulate before their period. Yes, in some cases it can. But most often this indicates that a woman has serious hormonal disorders.

After all, if the egg came out 5-7 days before menstruation, then the second phase of the cycle - luteal - is too short. For such a short period (less than 10 days), the endometrium will not be able to reach maturity, it will be too thin, and the fetal egg will not be able to attach to the wall of the uterus. Conception becomes problematic.

Normally, if the follicle burst late, then the entire cycle lengthens. And menstruation will come later - at least 10 days after the release of the egg. Late ovulation and delayed menstruation are related concepts. In this case, the delay does not indicate pregnancy.

After the abolition of COC

Given that many modern women use oral contraceptives as protection against unwanted conception, they are worried about whether pregnancy is possible after their cancellation. If, after stopping taking OK, the tests did not show the coveted second line for more than a year, this is a reason to undergo a thorough gynecological examination.

The fact is that it should come on time after a few months. This time is necessary for the body to fully restore its reproductive function.

After all, oral contraceptives contain sex hormones that inhibit the following natural processes in the body:

• do not allow the egg to mature;
• reduce the number of contractions of the fallopian tubes, through which the fertilized egg must move;
• contribute to an increase in the amount of cervical mucus, which interferes with the full passage of spermatozoa.

Sometimes immediately after the cancellation of occlusion, ovulation does not come immediately or it is late. It happens that the body may need more than a year to fully restore reproductive function.

This is due to such factors:

• age after 30 years;
• instability of the immune system;
• the presence of concomitant chronic diseases;
• long-term intake.

Gynecologists believe that each year of taking OK is equal to three months of the recovery period.

Is it necessary to treat

A one-time delay in ovulation associated with external causes does not require intervention or serious treatment. It is enough to normalize the lifestyle and the cycle also returns to normal. More serious reasons for delayed ovulation can be a number of gynecological diseases. In this case, medical assistance is required. These pathologies include:

• diseases in which the level of estrogen in the blood rises (endometriosis, some types of breast cancer, endometrial hyperplasia);
• diseases that are characterized by an increase in the level of male hormones (polycystic ovary, pathology of the adrenal cortex);
• sluggish inflammation of the uterus or fallopian tubes, ovarian cyst, genital tract infections (chlamydia, trichomonas, ureaplasma).

Often, late ovulation can be the only sign of these processes.

In addition to all of the above, late ovulation can be a symptom of various endocrine pathologies of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, and ovaries. In addition, it often occurs with obesity or underweight, since adipose tissue is actively involved in the hormonal system.

Late ovulation is not a sentence or an obstacle to conceiving a desired baby, but you should make sure that this is an accidental phenomenon or an individual feature of the body, and not a manifestation of a serious illness.