What is ovulation?
Ovulation is the monthly process in which a mature egg is released from the ovarian follicle and travels into the fallopian tube, where it can be fertilized by a sperm. Ovulation typically occurs about 14 days before the start of menstruation, but this can vary from woman to woman.
Ovulation occurs every month from puberty to menopause. Indeed, every woman is born with a stock of several hundred thousand ovarian follicles. The majority of these follicles die between birth and puberty; at that point, only 300,000 to 400,000 oocytes remain. This number will drop further to around 1,000 at the time of menopause.
The mechanism of ovulation
The menstrual cycle is divided into several phases:
- Follicular phase: It begins on the first day of menstruation and ends with ovulation. It is marked by the maturation of ovarian follicles, stimulated by the production of follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) ;
- Ovulation: Around day 14 of the cycle, a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) causes the mature follicle to rupture, releasing the egg into the fallopian tube. This process typically occurs throughout 24 to 36 hours.
- Luteal phase: after ovulation, the ruptured follicle transforms into a corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone to prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy ;
- Menstruation: If the egg is not fertilized, the corpus luteum breaks down and hormones drop, causing the uterine lining to shed and menstruation to begin.
Ovulation is a very important moment in the menstrual cycle because it helps to optimize the chances of getting pregnant or, on the contrary, avoiding pregnancy.
Symptoms of ovulation
Ovulation causes physical symptoms, some of which may be common to all women, or they may be less pronounced or completely absent. These symptoms include:
- Changes in cervical mucus: This is the viscous, transparent fluid produced at the cervix. This mucus becomes clearer and more elastic, similar to raw egg white.
- Increased body temperature: resting body temperature increases slightly after ovulation;
- Mild abdominal pain: Known as “mittelschmerz,” this pain (cramping) may be felt on one side of the abdomen.
- Swollen and more sensitive breasts: During ovulation, some women will experience sensitive and slightly swollen breasts;
- An increase in libido: Some women experience an increase in their sexual desire due to the estrogen surge that occurs a few days before ovulation.
Ovulation: Why is it important?
Ovulation is essential for conception because it is the moment when a mature egg is available to be fertilized by a sperm. Without ovulation, fertilization, and therefore pregnancy, could not occur.
Additionally, tracking ovulation is crucial for couples trying to conceive, as well as those trying to avoid pregnancy.
Factors influencing ovulation
Ovulation can be influenced by several internal and external factors:
- Stress, whether physical or emotional, can disrupt hormonal balance and affect ovulation.
- weight: too low or too high, weight can affect the regularity of ovulation by altering hormonal levels ;
- excessive exercise: excessive exercise can cause hormonal disruptions and thus affect ovulation;
- Diet: An imbalance in diet can also affect ovulatory cycles.
Additionally, certain health problems can also affect ovulation. These include:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): it causes anovulatory cycles (without ovulation) due to hormonal imbalance ;
- Premature ovarian failure: also known as “early menopause,” this failure is characterized by the loss of ovarian function before the age of 40 ;
- Hyperprolactinemia: High levels of prolactin, a hormone that inhibits ovulation, can disrupt the menstrual cycle.
Treatment of ovulation disorders
Treatment for ovulation disorders depends on the underlying cause. These may include:
- changes in lifestyle;
- of drugs to stimulate ovulation;
- surgical interventions in certain cases;
- hormonal treatments to restore regular ovulation.
Ovulation tracking tests and technologies
There are several methods available for tracking ovulation:
- The calendar method: This involves noting the date of the first day of menstruation in each cycle and counting 14 days to determine the approximate date of ovulation.
- Basal body temperature chart: Measuring body temperature every morning before getting up can help identify an increase that may be related to ovulation.
- Ovulation test kits: These detect the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine, which increases just before ovulation.
- Cervical mucus monitoring: Observing changes in cervical mucus can help predict ovulation.
Blood tests and ultrasound are also methods used by healthcare professionals to measure hormone levels in the first case, and to monitor follicular growth and ovulation in the second case.
In addition, many tools and applications are available to calculate your ovulation period.