Why does the cycle go wrong when planning a pregnancy?

If you realize you can't get pregnant, you may feel sad and disappointed, but don't give up. First of all, you need to determine the cause. According to official statistics, one third of conception problems is due to female infertility, another third is due to male problems, and the last third is due to incompatibility in the couple or unknown reasons. However, there are always solutions. The purpose of this article is to show you different aspects of the problem and help you identify the causes of irregular monthly cycles and lack of pregnancy. The sooner you understand everything and take the necessary measures, the higher your chances of making your dream of having a child come true.

Why is the menstrual cycle irregular?

An irregular cycle causes a lot of trouble both for those who are planning to conceive a child and for those who are trying with all their might to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. So why is this happening? Most often, the root of the problem lies in one of seven reasons:

- thyroid dysfunction

This organ is responsible for the production of hormones responsible for the endocrine system and sexual libido. The imbalance caused by the malfunction can lead to irregular menstruation and even amenorrhea.

Reference! Amenorrhea is the absence of a menstrual cycle for six months or more.

— first use or interruption of a course of oral contraception

Oral contraceptives are a fairly popular method of preventing unwanted pregnancy. They work according to the following principle: the drug increases estrogen levels and the woman’s body perceives this signal as pregnancy, which prevents actual conception. In some cases, medications of this kind can “assure” the body that pregnancy has occurred so much that menstruation simply stops. The same thing can happen if you suddenly stop taking birth control pills without consulting your doctor.

Reference! Statistics say that about 29% of women who stop taking oral contraceptives suffer from absence of menstruation for two or more months.

- physical stress

Intense physical activity can affect the functioning of the thyroid gland, cerebral appendage and adrenal glands. About 80% of women involved in bodybuilding and weightlifting suffer from irregular cycles and problems with conception.

- hormonal disbalance

Hormonal imbalance often occurs against the background of polycystic ovary syndrome. The level of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone is disrupted, which can also result in disruption of the cycle, sudden changes in weight, hair growth in unwanted places or skin rashes.

- inflammatory processes

Inflammation of the female genital organs is a large and common group of gynecological diseases. It includes many pathologies, including those that affect the frequency of the menstrual cycle.

- food allergies

Allergies to certain foods can lead to disruption of the thyroid gland and, as a result, irregularities in the menstrual cycle.

- improper or too poor nutrition

Abuse of foods with low nutritional value or dependence on diets is a serious blow to the body. Not receiving enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals, the body begins to work in “emergency” mode, day after day increasingly destroying itself. Such a destructive process can lead to disruptions in the menstrual cycle, amenorrhea and even infertility.

Reference! More than 90% of girls who go through anorexia have problems with reproductive function.

More on the topic

Features of the menstrual cycle and its relationship with pregnancy

On what days of the cycle can you not get pregnant?

Late ovulation and pregnancy: when will the test show the result?

Probability of getting pregnant on different days of the cycle

How to calculate ovulation with an irregular cycle

Irregular menstrual cycle: how to get pregnant?

If your cycle occurs on an irregular schedule, then this is the reason for visiting the gynecologist’s office.

Failure of the menstrual cycle has its own reasons, and irregular menstruation can be the cause of illness or hormonal imbalance in a woman.

As a result, pregnancy is impossible due to diseases of the genital organs.

Causes of pathological failure of menstruation:

• Various diseases of internal organs;
• Infectious diseases;
• Change of climate zone;
• Breastfeeding period;
• Physical fatigue, when the body exhausts its reserves, and as a result, menstruation begins to fail. There is no time for pregnancy here;
• Constant consumption of strong alcoholic drinks;
• Weight loss or severe obesity.

Lack of regularity of menstruation makes family planning a very problematic process.

There are several ways to get pregnant with this problem.

How to improve your chances of pregnancy?

To increase your chances of conceiving despite circumstances such as an irregular period, you should take the following series of measures:

1. Get a medical examination. First of all, you need to visit a gynecologist and describe to him all the symptoms that accompany an irregular cycle, and also tell him about what preceded the failure. Depending on the condition you describe, your doctor will give you a referral to other doctors.
2. Calculate the day of ovulation. A gynecologist can help you with this by taking a sample of your cervical mucus for analysis, pharmacy ovulation tests, or daily monitoring of basal body temperature. For a more accurate result, it is better to combine these techniques together.
3. Bring your weight back to normal. Obesity disrupts hormonal balance, increasing the production of male hormones. Lack of weight, on the contrary, indicates a lack of female hormones and an inability to bear additional stress.
4. Work on your diet. Calculate your BCFA according to your body mass index and eat as many foods as you can that are rich in folic acid, saturated fatty acids, calcium, iron and vitamin E.
5. Don't forget to take your medications. If your doctor has prescribed you medications to stimulate ovulation, do not forget to take them. Follow the prescription, do not increase or decrease the dosage on your own. The most popular and effective drugs at the moment are Clomid and Serofen.
6. Sport as a guarantee of health. The main thing in this point is moderation and regularity. Be results-oriented, but don't push yourself to the point of exhaustion.

Note! Try your hand at yoga, Pilates or water aerobics. This way you will not only put your body in order, but also calm your nerves, shaken by an unstable cycle.

Determination of ovulation

The most reliable and effective way to determine ovulation is to contact a professional gynecologist. To achieve results, you may have to be observed by a specialist for several months. Ovulation can be determined by non-standard follicle parameters, which are clearly visible during an ultrasound.

If you intend to determine ovulation yourself, you should follow simple recommendations:

1. It is necessary to stock up on a thermometer with the function of measuring basal temperature, that is, down to tenths of degrees;
2. It is important to remember that during menstruation the temperature decreases, and by the period of ovulation it exceeds the normal level of 36.6. A temperature of about 37 degrees may indicate that the egg has dropped into the uterus and is ready for fertilization.
3. It is necessary to exclude stressful situations that affect body temperature and create conditions for incorrect measurements.
4. It is important to be patient, since the likelihood of conceiving with an irregular cycle is not as high as we would like. With a patient attitude, the likelihood of becoming a mother increases rapidly every month.

When to take a pregnancy test if your cycle is irregular?

The first and most obvious sign of pregnancy is the absence of menstruation. But what if they never arrive on time? Stock up on a pregnancy test in advance and follow the instructions:

1. Remember when you last had unprotected sex and count 10-12 days from this date (the period of embryo implantation).
2. After waiting for the required date, take the test strictly following the instructions.
3. If you are sexually active, do the test once every 4-5 days.

Note! With irregular menstruation, the test often gives a false positive result. Therefore, if you want to know for sure whether you are pregnant or not, visit a doctor.

How to count unfavorable days for pregnancy?

It is known that for successful fertilization it is necessary to have a viable sperm and an egg released from the ovary in the woman’s genitals. Therefore, favorable days for pregnancy are several days before and after ovulation.

If there are no male reproductive cells, then conception does not occur and the egg dies on the third day of its existence, and intimacy between partners after this event will not lead to pregnancy. At the same time, sperm can remain in the woman’s genitals for several days. Therefore, intercourse a few days before ovulation can lead to pregnancy.

But knowing the timing of ovulation allows you to determine only the most favorable days for conception. And the remaining days are considered relatively unfavorable, but do not guarantee the non-occurrence of pregnancy. 70% of couples who adhere to the physiological method of contraception experience pregnancy, since ovulation can occur on any day of the cycle. There are known cases of ovulation occurring even on the seventh day of the menstrual cycle. There is also evidence of pregnancy that occurred because the sperm “waited” for the egg for about 10 days. Adhering to the physiological method of contraception, spouses must be ready to give birth to a baby.

Having found out the day of ovulation, it is possible to calculate the day suitable for conception. How to find out the day of ovulation?

How is the gestational age calculated for an irregular cycle?

With an irregular cycle, the incubation period may occur much earlier or later than generally accepted norms. For example, in a woman with an average cycle length of 35 days, conception will be possible only on the 21st day of the cycle, and not on the 14th, as usual. You should not try to calculate the age of the fetus yourself - this will lead to confusion and in the end you will still have to seek medical help.

Conclusion

According to medical statistics, about 20% of girls with irregular cycles find out about their pregnancy after the first attempt to conceive a child. On average, from the first visit to the doctor with complaints about the absence of menstruation until the desired pregnancy occurs, 3 to 6 months pass.

Especially for beremennost.net – Elena Kichak

Normal cycle

The duration between periods depends on many factors. It is mainly regulated by hormones and is more or less constant. Previously, it was believed that the normal cycle should be four weeks with a slight deviation of two to three days.

It is important to understand that the ability of an egg to fertilize in all women lasts only a day and remains unchanged (unlike a man’s seed, which can remain active from several hours to a week). And the interval between its release and preparation for new production - the onset of menstruation in the absence of pregnancy - is about two weeks.

Thus, the most favorable time for conception in a normal cycle is 14 - 16 days.

General signs before delay

The most well-known initial diagnostic methods are a test and delay of menstruation . However, it is unlikely that a test (even a supersensitive one) will be able to show an error-free result in the first days of conception. Delay is a rather subjective indicator for every woman, because, firstly, the menstrual cycle for many is not clearly established, and secondly, there are cases when menstruation begins even during pregnancy, moreover, it “goes according to schedule” throughout her time.

A woman’s body begins to change quite quickly and greatly from the very beginning: the first signs of an interesting situation appear 8-10 days from the moment of conception. That is why it is important to pay attention to its signals and be able to interpret them correctly, especially if you become pregnant unplanned.

Let's look at the most common signs of pregnancy in the early stages :

• nausea, otherwise called toxicosis. It does not always appear in very early stages, but is not uncommon. Most often, this unpleasant sensation occurs in the morning, sometimes (or always) accompanied by vomiting. Various foods can cause nausea, even the thought of which sometimes makes you feel sick. Many also report heartburn and stomach pain.
• high sensitivity to odors. According to statistics, a large number of pregnant women complain of sudden changes in their sense of smell: favorite smells (perfumes, foods) cause nausea and, conversely, previously unloved aromas become especially attractive.
• emotional instability. Cry because you put a sock on the wrong foot or tear up from an ordinary compliment? Easily! Due to a hormonal surge, expectant mothers are quite easily impressed by absolutely innocent things; irritability and excessive radiance replace each other very quickly.
• enlargement of the mammary glands and their sensitivity. Breasts are one of the most externally changing parts of the female body during this exciting period. Often it begins to swell very early, excessive sensitivity appears, and the venous network is visible. Sometimes, on the contrary, the breasts lose sensitivity, but this happens much less frequently.
• feeling of heaviness in the pelvic area/pulling pain in the lower back. Many women often feel heaviness and “fullness” in the lower abdomen. This is explained by the active flow of blood to the pelvic organs, so even after visiting the toilet this feeling does not go away.
• increased appetite and changes in taste preferences. Many have heard about special “tricks” on the menu of expectant mothers, take, for example, herring with jam. Combining the incongruous is one of my favorite taste preferences, including the irresistible desire “here and now” (at one in the morning for strawberries - why not?). There is also a dulling of the feeling of complete satiety, in other words, you almost always want to eat.
• "game" of libido. Due to hormonal instability, women have a high probability of increasing or decreasing sexual desire throughout pregnancy, starting from the earliest stages (starting from 2-3 weeks from the moment of conception).
• drowsiness, sleep disturbance. A constant feeling of lack of sleep with sufficient sleep time is one of the obvious first signs of pregnancy , which accompanies some throughout this entire period. Poor sleep and waking at unexpected times (very early morning, late at night) may also be a concern.

It should be remembered that each organism is individual and some may not have most of these signs, or even any of them. Also, many people mistake these symptoms for PMS, which are actually very similar in sensation (if they were previously observed). In any case, if you know that there is a possibility of pregnancy, you need to carefully monitor the “bells” with which your body will rush to notify you.

How to determine the best time to conceive?

To do this, a woman should use any means to determine on which day of the cycle she ovulates and draw up an individual calendar of days that are unfavorable or suitable for conception.

Sexual intercourse that occurs on the third day of ovulation may not be suitable for conception, since the egg lives only 2-3 days, and sperm need several hours to reach the egg.

The most favorable days for conception are considered to be the day of ovulation and 3-4 days before its onset. Therefore, for planning a pregnancy, only 5–6 days of the menstrual cycle are most suitable, and if pregnancy is not desired, then additional methods of contraception should be used for 10–13 days.

If ovulation occurs normally, but you cannot get pregnant within a year, you need to consult a specialist.

THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISING. THE MATERIAL WAS PREPARED WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF EXPERTS.