Late ovulation – how to identify and why does it happen?

Late ovulation occurs when some women have what is known as delayed ovulation, which comes between 5 and 7 days later than normal. That is, if our cycle is 28 days, instead of ovulating at 14, we will do this between days 19 and 21. The luteal phase is shortened, as less progesterone is produced and, in general terms, an egg is released later it may be of lower quality and therefore reduce the chances of pregnancy.

What is Late Ovulation:

Late ovulation is ovulation that occurs after the 21st day of your menstrual cycle. Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from an ovary. It is triggered by the monthly rise and fall of certain hormones, namely:

• Estrogen ;
• Progesterone;
• Luteinizing hormone;
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone.

Ovulation usually occurs in the middle of your menstrual cycle. The average cycle is around 28 days, which means that ovulation usually occurs around the 14th day of your cycle. There can be a great deal of variation, however.

Why Do Some Women Have Late Ovulation?

To answer this question, it is first necessary to know what the menstrual cycle is like and what are the characteristics of a regular cycle. A so-called regular ovulatory or menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and is distinguished by several phases:

• Phase follicle: The follicle is growing.
• Ovulation: The follicle breaks and releases the egg into the tube (typically occurs between days 13 and 15).
• Luteal phase: the follicle that has already ovulated is transformed into the corpus luteum and produces hormones to facilitate the implantation of the embryo. This luteal phase lasts between 12 and 14 days.

These three phases occur as a result of hormonal changes in a woman’s body. In the ovulation phase, increased luteinizing hormone (LH) levels usually indicate the time of maximum fertility. This hormone is what causes the release of the mature egg and the lining of the uterus to allow for implantation.

Delayed ovulation can be the exception or the norm and hormones, as you have seen, play a key role in the release of the egg. Elements like stress , diet, weight loss, or illness can throw your hormone levels out of balance and alter your menstrual period.

Causes of Late Ovulation:

Your ovaries are amazing almond-shaped organs. They develop follicles containing eggs in preparation for ovulation. Each cycle, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) promotes the development of about 5-12 follicles. The most dominant follicle is released at ovulation. Growing follicles produce Estrogen . As a result of high levels of Estrogen  in your blood, the luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers ovulation in your body.

Ovulation occurs around 12 to 24 hours after the LH surge, when the mature follicle bursts through the ovarian wall. If the sperm is waiting for the egg, or if you have sex at this time, you may very well get pregnant. For 90% of women, cycle length can range from 23 to 35 days, with ovulation occurring mid-cycle.

Other factors (eg Stress ) can result in ovulation being delayed until the third or fourth week. However, the way care providers calculate pregnancy due dates is by assuming ovulation on day 14 of a 28-day cycle. This is one of the main reasons why birth dates are not so accurate!

Not every woman has a 28-day cycle, nor does she ovulate on day 14. A normal, healthy menstrual cycle should be around 26 to 32 days long.

Symptoms of Late Ovulation:

The onset of ovulation can be detected by several signs, each woman in particular can notice these symptoms easily if she is within the normal days of her cycle, that is, between 12 and 16 days after her last period. However, there are women who can have a Late Ovulation in some cycle, which means that ovulation occurs after the 21st day of the cycle. In this case, we are going to tell you what the symptoms of late ovulation are.

The symptoms of Late Ovulation , compared to those of regular ovulation, are generally the same:

• Temperature changes;
• Muco Cervical;
• An acute sense of smell;
• Changes in the cervix;
• Increased sexual desire.

Possible Consequences of Late Ovulation:

With ovulation too late, you may be releasing eggs that have not matured properly and may be too old. Improperly matured eggs (“bad eggs”) are not as good for fertilization and implantation as eggs that have matured properly. These eggs are not fertilized or if they are fertilized they are less likely to implant.

Hormone levels are not synchronized when eggs mature late, which can further decrease the chance of becoming pregnant.

The lining of the uterus (endometrium) needs to be ready for the fertilized egg to implant. If ovulation is delayed, the lining of the uterus may not be ready for implantation when it has been a long time since your last menstrual period. The egg may have been fertilized, but the fertilized egg may arrive too late in the uterus, so it cannot be implanted properly because the lining is not appropriate. The uterine lining may atrophy from the length after the last period and the embryo may not have the same kind of support as the endometrium and therefore have an increased risk of miscarriage.

There is no reliable information about a possible relationship between  Late Ovulation  and fetal anomalies. Therefore, if the embryo implants after  Late Ovulation , there are no known studies that show an increased risk of fetal malformations.

How Late Ovulation Affects Fertility and Conception:

An egg needs to be fertilized within 12 to 24 hours of being released for pregnancy to occur. So while irregular ovulation makes it difficult to predict your fertile period, that doesn’t mean you won’t get pregnant. It may be more difficult to time your fertile window.

If you are concerned about your fertility and ovulation, see a doctor for evaluation. You may have a medical condition that affects your monthly cycle, such as:

• Premature ovarian failure;
• Hyperprolactinemia, which is a condition where the body produces too much prolactin, which inhibits ovulation
• A typically noncancerous tumor in the pituitary gland;
• hypothyroidism ;
• SOP.

If you have Late Ovulation and want to get pregnant, talk to your doctor about using drugs like clomiphene and letrozole that stimulate ovulation. If ovulation is affected by an underlying condition or the use of certain drugs or medications, treating the underlying condition can improve your fertility in many cases.

How Can Late Ovulation Be Detected?

To detect late ovulation, the doctor usually uses an ultrasound to detect the time of your menstrual cycle, in addition to a blood test, with the aim of finding the progesterone that is secreted after ovulation. There are more archaic methods such as basal temperature.

But it is important to know that those who suffer from Late Ovulation can still get pregnant, and for that it is important that, in these cases, they use all the tools available to determine their fertile days; In addition to performing an ovulation test, watch for changes in your cervical mucus and measure your basal temperature. Sometimes, increasing the number of sexual intercourses is enough for fertilization to take place. Typically, an end to ovulation results in more cycle time, giving room for the luteal phase to carry out its work, however, when cycles are not long, and the luteal phase is not completed as it should, it can cause infertility .

If you think you are experiencing Late Ovulation , consult your gynecologist to determine whether or not it is appropriate to administer any type of treatment.

Available Treatments for Late Ovulation:

If you have an underlying condition like PCOS or hypothyroidism, treating it can help regulate ovulation. If no cause can be determined and you want to become pregnant, your doctor may prescribe medications that help regulate ovulation. They can include:

• Clomifeno (Clomid);
• Letrozole (Femara);
• Human chorionic gonadotropins (Pregnyl, Novarel).

To improve your overall menstrual and reproductive health:

• Don’t exercise too much. Research is conflicting, but very vigorous exercise can affect ovulation. However, if you are overweight or obese, moderate exercise can improve ovulation.
• Avoid smoking or exposing yourself to secondhand smoke. Cigarette toxins can harm the quality of eggs.
• Managing Stress .
• Use barrier forms of contraception such as condoms. These forms of birth control help protect against sexually transmitted diseases, which can reduce fertility.

Getting Pregnant With Late Ovulation:

Of course it is possible to get pregnant suffering from Late Ovulation . In this case, we advise you to use all the tools at your disposal to determine your fertile days, that is, that:

• Measure your basal temperature;
• Check for changes in your cervical mucus;
• Observe the changes in your cervix;
• Use an ovulation test.

Look for a downloadable fertility calendar where you can write down all the changes your body is going through during your cycle. Don’t worry that soon you will achieve the dream of being a mother…