Anovulation

From ArticleWorld

Anovulation is a condition exclusively confined to women who have reached menarche (puberty), who haven’t reached menopause and who, for a variety of reasons, don’t release an ovum or female egg from the ovaries. This condition can happen in a woman who has what appears to be a normal menstrual cycle. It can also happen in women with irregular bleeding or with no bleeding at all. The condition of anovulation becomes significant when a woman or couple is attempting to get pregnant. Without the release of an egg, there is no possibility of having a pregnancy.

Causes

Anovulation can result from a variety of underlying causes. Some causes are directly related to stress—either physical or psychological. A woman experiencing a personal crisis or depression can create a neurological and hormonal environment that doesn’t support the release of ova. Physical stressors, such as thyroid diseases, severe diabetes, severe anemia or an inflammatory condition, can similarly affect the process of ovulation. Medications, such as those of the phenothiazine class, will cause anovulation.

Women who exercise excessively often fail to ovulate and fail to have any menstrual cycle at all. If a woman either gains or loses a great deal of weight or if she is malnourished, ovulation often does not happen. Hormonal problems, particularly those of high prolactin or high testosterone levels, cause an unfavorable environment for ovulation. There is a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome, which results in the formation of multiple cysts on the ovaries and an elevated testosterone level. Most women with this condition also experience anovulation and fertility problems. Other hormonal conditions that are not primarily related to the sexual hormones, such as hypothyroidism and adrenal gland disorders, will ultimately affect a woman’s ability to ovulate.

Finally, there can be a failure of the pituitary gland in the brain or of the ovary itself, so that anovulation results. When the pituitary gland fails, the hormonal signals it sends to the ovary are disrupted and the entire menstrual cycle, including ovulation, is affected. Primary ovarian failure occurs when a woman of child-bearing years unexpectedly suffers a loss of ovarian function, leading to anovulation and, ultimately, to early menopause.

Treatment

The treatment of most cases of anovulation is directed toward identifying and treating the underlying cause of the problem. While most women who experience anovulation suffer from infertility, there are many cases involving women who are not anovulatory all the time and who experience intermittent ovulation where pregnancy is possible. In some cases, ovulation can be promoted through the use of drugs that stimulate the ovary to produce eggs. This carries the risk of a multiple pregnancy and doesn’t generally work if the underlying condition is chronic or untreated. Unfortunately, women who have complete ovarian failure often have ovaries containing no viable eggs and show a reduction in hormones that a normal ovary makes. This type of anovulation is usually permanent and requires hormonal support for the woman who is not making sufficient reproductive hormones on her own.