Weak Ovulation

Disclaimer
Information found in this blog does not substitute getting professional opinions from a health care professional. 

Introduction

One reason a woman may have difficulty becoming pregnant is if she has weak ovulation. Women who are trying to conceive learn that ovulation is a vital part of becoming pregnant. A woman may discover through using ovulation prediction kits, also known as OPKs that sometimes the body ovulates and sometimes the body does not. As she is trying to conceive, she will also learn that a woman can have a period with ovulation, a period without ovulation, and sometimes ovulation without a period.

Weak Ovulation

It isn't likely that a woman will hear that she has weak or strong ovulation unless she is regularly seeing her gynecologist or a reproductive specialist for fertility. I found some different definitions for weak ovulation: 

1. When the egg does not rupture from the corpus luteum. This results in lower progesterone levels, as the corpus luteum isn't producing progesterone. It also makes conception impossible, because the egg cannot get fertilized.

2. The release of immature eggs that may not fertilize/implant.  

Side Note: I have read that weak ovulation can also be from many follicles developing each month, and the presence of so many maturing follicles messes with the hormone levels. The symptoms are egg white cervical mucus for an extended period before ovulation, delaying ovulation and releasing follicles that are passed they're prime. The results are weak ovulation and a corpus luteum that does not produce sufficient progesterone and creates a short luteal phase.

3. When your hormones do not provide enough direction in your follicular phase for the release of a healthy and strong corpus luteum to develop. 

4. Poor corpus luteum development and early breakdown. Basically, means the series that your body takes, isn't as strong as it should be. 

5. Sometimes this means your ovaries are not as reliable with ovulating on time or regularly.  

Diagnosis

Diagnosing is often said to be through confirming ovulation through ultrasound and P4 draw at 7 days passed ovulation. This will give your health care provider a good indication. Generally, on medicated cycles, they like to see levels at 15+ and 10+ on unmedicated cycles.  AMH blood draws to confirm egg quality and quantity. {Side Note: If you are tested at 3 days passed ovulation and get low progesterone, this is normal. Progesterone is supposed to be low at this point and it is to make sure that everything at this point falls in line. If not, it can affect the entire cycle).

Possible Symptoms

Slow rise in temperature after ovulation
producing lower quality, less mature eggs

What does this mean?
The follicle that ovulates the egg turns into the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum creates progesterone during the luteal phase. If the follicle and egg are not properly developed, then the corpus luteum does a poor job making adequate progesterone. This results in a lower progesterone, which is lower than it should be. A woman who is charting may see lower temperatures during the luteal phase because of this. It also means the progesterone isn't able to adequately keep the lining from shedding, which leads to spotting or a short luteal phase.

Treatments
The idea with fertility medicine (Clomid, Femara, FSH shots) is that it would fill in for your natural FSH, to stimulate your ovaries to produce a higher quality, mature egg. That increases your chance of fertilization. The results are producing more progesterone in the luteal phase and increase your chance of a successful ovulation.

Last Edited: January 2, 2017