Am I the oddball? Had Regular periods, but no more

[cmbburton]

Dr. Shana,

In my cases I have always had regular periods and my doctor has said that I am highly cystic. It is possible that I am having annovlutary cycles which is why I have not conceived?

[drshana]

Originally Posted by cmbburton

Dr. Shana,

In my cases I have always had regular periods and my doctor has said that I am highly cystic. It is possible that I am having annovlutary cycles which is why I have not conceived?

Dear friend,

Yes, women can have monthly periods without actually ovulating. Signs of ovulation include a shift in the basal body temperature and the presence of fertile cervical fluid (also called "egg white" mucus or spinnbarkeit). You can read more about how to monitor your fertility signs by reading the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health” by Toni Weschler. I highly recommend reading this book because you will definitely gain a better understanding of your body and optimizing your chances of becoming pregnant. You may also want to check out the following website regarding the Fertility Awareness Method: http://www.ovusoft.com/library/primer002.asp

One way to track your progress is taking your basal body temperature. By doing this you will be able to see if you are ovulating or not. To do this take your temperature under your arms each morning BEFORE rising from bed with a basal body thermometer. Approximately midway through your cycle, depending on how long your cycle is, you should see a rise (around 1 degree F) for 3 days. If so, this is an indication that you have ovulated.

It is common for women with PCOS to have anovulatory cycles. The good news is there are many ways to help this including a healthy diet, exercise, stress relief and nutritional supplementation.

I hope to hear from you again.