*Disclaimer:  I am not a health professional. This blog post was curated based on my independent research. Please consult your doctor if you have any concerns. 

Today's topic may be triggering for some. I will be touching on fertility concerns. If you need to refrain from reading this post, I completely understand. 

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Hello there! 

I am writing this blog post because I learned something new the other day when my Natural Cycles app said that they could not detect ovulation for me last month, which may be the result of an anovulatory cycle. This concerned me because I thought we ovulate every single cycle, but after doing some research I learned this is not the case for many. 

Now you've probably just read that and asked, "what is an anovulatory cycle?""How do you know you had one?" "Are they common" "Do you still have a period?" "What causes it?" "Does this have to do with infertility?" "When should I worry?" Lucky for you, I am going to answer all of these questions right here, right now. 

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What is an anovulatory cycle? 

An anovulatory cycle or anovulation is a cycle in which ovulation does not occur. Meaning, an egg is not released from the ovaries. 

How do you know you had one? 

Natural Cycles did not detect a significant enough change in my basal body temperature to confirm ovulation. Many people will never know if they had an anovulatory cycle because they will still have a period. If you have irregular periods or missed periods it may be due to anovulation. 

Are they common?

It is pretty common. 1 in 10 menstruators will experience anovulation in their lifetime. Anovulation is a common cause in 25% of infertility cases. This does not mean that if you have one anovulatory cycle you are infertile, if you have concerns please talk to a health professional. 

Do you still have a period? 

Technically, no. Menstruation is when the egg that was released from the ovaries was not fertilized and the uterine lining sheds. You may still have a period because your uterine lining sheds, which is called abnormal uterine bleeding, which is common in 1/3 of menstruators. 

What causes it? 

Anovulation is often caused by hormonal imbalances. It can also be caused by being overweight or underweight, excessive exercise, not consuming enough calories, significant stress, PCOS, etc. 

Does this have to do with infertility? 

Sometimes, yes. In 25% of infertility cases, anovulation is the main cause. Please consult a health professional for more information. 

When should I worry? 

Stress can make anovulation worse, so please do not stress. Talk to a health professional if you are concerned. 

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Anovulation is just another part of being a menstruator. If you are worried about anovulation or infertility consider talking to your doctor. I am sure they would be more than happy to discuss this topic with you. 

Sources: 

https://www.naturalcycles.com/cyclematters/anovulatory-cycles-explained

https://www.avawomen.com/avaworld/anovulatory-cycle/

https://www.osmosis.org/answers/anovulatory-cycle

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21698-anovulation