How To Conceive With Irregular Periods
Since women with irregular periods can still get pregnant, having sex every two to three days is recommended. This way you dont need to keep track of your fertile window to increase the likelihood of pregnancy. Other solutions include stopping certain medications at the request of your doctor, reaching a healthy weight, and reducing stress.
If you have PCOS or hyperthyroid, your doctor may prescribe medication such as birth control or hormone treatment to help regulate the hormones in your body. Some women may need to have surgery to remove scarring or polyps from the uterus or reproductive system.
Women with irregular periods can still become pregnant if they wish to. By knowing the facts and recognizing when you may need treatment, youll increase the likelihood of becoming pregnant.
Do you have more questions about your pregnancy in Salem Oregon? Talk to our staff at WFMC Health or become a new patient today!
- Deliver your baby at either Salem Hospital or Silverton Hospital
- Unique Centering classes offer support and sharing during pregnancy
- Well share nutritional resources to help you and your baby stay healthy
- Spanish-speaking nurses and staff
Monitor Your Basal Body Temp
Your basal body temperature is your bods temp when youre completely at rest.
That means youll have to check it first thing in the morning. Youll need to track your temperature every day, all month long.
There will be a slight decrease right before you ovulate, followed by a slight increase about half a degree or so when you ovulate.
Cervical And Endometrial Cancer
Cervical and endometrial cancers can cause changes to your menstrual cycle, along with bleeding between periods or heavy periods. Bleeding during or after intercourse and unusual discharge are other signs and symptoms of these cancers.
Remember that these symptoms are more commonly caused by other issues. Speak to your doctor if youre concerned.
There are several possible causes of irregular periods, many of which require medical treatment. Make an appointment to see your doctor if:
- your periods stop for more than 3 months and youre not pregnant
- your periods become irregular suddenly
- you have a period that lasts longer than 7 days
- you need more than one pad or tampon every hour or two
- you develop severe pain during your period
- your periods are less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart
- you experience spotting between periods
- you experience other symptoms, such as unusual discharge or fever
Your doctor will ask about your medical history and want to know about:
- any stress or emotional issues youre experiencing
- any changes to your weight
- your sexual history
- how much you exercise
Medical tests may also be used to help diagnose the cause of your irregular bleeding, including:
- a pelvic examination
You May Like: When Should I Get My Period Calculator
Also Check: Can You Use Preseed While Pregnant
How Irregular Periods Impact Your Ability To Get Pregnant
The unpredictability of irregular periods can be frustrating for anyone, but what about when youre trying to conceive? Not being able to easily track your menstrual cycle and find your fertile window can add an obstacle on the path to pregnancy, but that doesnt mean conception wont happen.To better understand irregular periods and how they can impact fertility, we sat down with OB-GYN and Modern Fertility medical advisor Dr. Jennifer Conti, MD, MS, MSc. Keep reading for the answers to the following questions:
- When it comes to period length and frequency, whats considered irregular?
- How can irregular periods impact fertility and getting pregnant?
- If you use birth control to regulate your periods, what should you do when youre trying to conceive?
- How can you increase your chances of getting pregnant when you have irregular periods?
- Do you need to talk to your doctor if youre trying to get pregnant and have irregular periods?
- What fertility treatments can help when you have irregular periods?
Irregular Periods And Ovulation
Its possible to ovulate without later bleeding like a period. This often occurs because of previous uterine scarring or certain hormonal medications.
Its also possible to have menstrual-like bleeding without ovulation. This generally happens when the uterine lining becomes so thick it becomes unstable and naturally sloughs off.
The uterine lining can become thick without ovulation if the hormone estrogen, which is produced prior to ovulation, continues to be secreted unopposed by the other female hormone, progesterone, which is produced after ovulation.
There are many possible causes for irregular menstruation, and many of the causes can affect ovulation or make getting pregnant more difficult. In some cases, the cause of irregular menstruation is unknown.
Some causes that may affect ovulation and your ability to carry a pregnancy include:
Also Check: What Should Eat When You Are Pregnant
Load Up On Fertility Information
Borrow a few natural fertility books from the library or buy a few online or in a store.
My favorite in-depth fertility tracking book was Taking Charge of Your Fertility. This book taught me so much about womens cycles, tracking periods, and what everything meant.
Secondly, I loved the book Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility. After doing a personal quiz, this book helped me determine how to eat for my body type in order to achieve pregnancy. I did get pregnant 2 months after using the recommendations in this book, however, I had also been trying a variety of things to balance my hormones prior to getting my hands on this book.
Have you been dealing with infertility for some time? Learn about your infertility root cause through the Pregnancy Miracle Program.
Regular Menstrual Cycle Periods
A menstrual cycle is the process by which a womans body goes through a preparation to become pregnant. This monthly series of changes results in one of the ovaries releasing an egg, which is called ovulation.
Most cycles last 28-35 days, and ovulation usually occurs 14 days before the next period. According to the National Institutes of Health, 14%-25% of women have cycles that are irregular.
During the cycle, the female body grows a new uterine lining to prepare the uterus to nourish a pregnancy. To initiate the release of the egg, the body experiences hormonal changes starting with the menses phase. The hormone FSH spurs growth of the follicle that contains the egg. The follicle wall cells secrete estrogen.
An LH hormone surge triggers a follicle to release an egg. If an egg is not fertilized, then the uterine lining will shed resulting in a menstrual period. Every womans cycle is different, and there are variations of the time frame for cycles and of the severity of symptoms, such as painful periods.
Read Also: How Fast Can You Get Pregnant After Birth Control
What Are Regular Periods
Most girls get their first period between the ages of 10 and 15, but some get it earlier and some later. The first period is known as menarche .
A girl’s monthly cycle is the number of days from the start of her period to the start of the next time she gets her period. You often hear this is a 28-day cycle. But 28 is just an average figure that doctors use. Cycle lengths vary some are 24 days, some are 34 days. And a girl may notice that her cycles are different lengths each month especially for the few years after she first starts getting her period.
Early in a girl’s cycle, her ovaries start preparing one egg. At the same time, the lining of the uterus becomes thick to prepare a nesting place for a fertilized egg in the event that the girl becomes pregnant.
About 2 weeks before a girl gets her period, the egg is released from the ovary . The egg travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus. If the egg isn’t fertilized by sperm, it starts to fall apart. Then the lining and egg leave a girl’s body as her period and the whole thing starts all over again that’s why we use the word “cycle.” The first day a girl’s period comes is Day 1 of her cycle.
It’s also normal for the number of days a girl has her period to vary. Sometimes a girl may bleed for 2 days, sometimes it may last a week. That’s because the level of hormones the body makes can be different from one cycle to the next, and this affects the amount and length of bleeding.
When To Talk To Your Doctor About Irregular Cycles
If you have irregular periods, the best thing to do is see your gynecologist. Even if you weren’t trying to get pregnant, it’s a good idea to get checked out.
Usually, the recommendation is that you try to get pregnant for one year , and then, if you don’t conceive, to see a doctor. This doesn’t apply if there are signs of a problem. Irregular cycles are a risk factor for infertility.
Your doctor can run some simple blood tests to see if you are ovulating or not. If your blood work indicates that you are ovulating, and you’re not over 35, you might want to keep trying to get pregnant on your own for a bit longer.
Recommended Reading: How To Increase Milk Production While Pregnant
Signs Of Pregnancy When You Have Irregular Periods
A missed period is one of the most common ways that women know theyre pregnant. Once you conceive, your body releases hormones that basically shut down ovulation. But what if your period comes sporadically? One missed period can bring excitement or panic when youre not actually pregnant.
Watch for these other signs of pregnancy when you have irregular periods:
Keep in mind that many of these symptoms happen for other reasons. You might feel extra tired if you havent been sleeping well or you have an infection, for example. The only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test.
Symptoms Of Irregular Periods
You have irregular periods if the length of your menstrual cycle keeps changing.
Your periods may come early or late.
The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, but it’s normal for it to be a bit shorter or longer than this.
After puberty, many women develop a regular cycle with a similar length of time between periods. But it can vary by a few days each time.
Also Check: Can I Sue My Employer For Pregnancy Discrimination
When Can You Get Pregnant After Your Period
Chapel Hill Obstetrics & GynecologyFertility & Family Planning, Infertility Treatments, Pregnancy
Understanding your menstrual cycle is crucial to defining when you ovulate and calculating when you are most likely to get pregnant.
Women should be aware that if they have an irregular period, it can make the ovulation days difficult to determine. Said Dr. Martinelli. When examining fertility, its important to realize that an egg can survive for about 24 hours after ovulation, and sperm can live inside a womans body for three daysthough sometimes its possible for them to survive for five days.
Recommended Reading: How Can I Make My Period Come
What Happens If Youve Had Sexual Intercourse Within The First Five Days Of Ovulation
If you have, then there must be a sperm waiting in your reproductive system. Sperm can survive in the female reproductive system for approximately five days. Theres a higher chance of getting pregnant if you have sex in the five days of your ovulation. This is also known as the fertile window. You will become pregnant if a sperm fertilizes the egg. An embryo will not implant itself into the lining of your uterus. The ideal time for this is about 7 to 10 days after ovulation. Different hormones will not be triggered to prepare your body
Recommended Reading: What To Do For Sciatic Nerve Pain During Pregnancy
Can You Get Pregnant On The Last Day Of Your Period
If you stop bleeding on Day 6, have sex on Day 7 and ovulate on Day 11, its possible the sperm from Day 6 will be waiting in your fallopian tubes for conception. Your chances of conceiving right after your period increase each day after your bleeding has stopped. If you are trying to conceive this is a good time to have sex. Increase your chances of conception by having sex every other day for the next 14 days.
The Causes Of Irregular Periods You May Be Overlooking
One of the main causes of an irregular period is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome . PCOS is an imbalance in the hormones controlling the reproductive system. PCOS causes irregular ovulation, cysts on ovaries, bleeding, and infertility. Research shows PCOS cases double miscarraiges and premature deliveries.
Recommended Reading: How Much Does Planned Parenthood Charge For Pregnancy Test
What Is An Irregular Cycle
Irregular cycles are common. At least one in five women have irregular menstrual cycles that are longer or shorter than the norm.
To see if you have irregular periods, count the days in your cycle. Start counting on day one, which is the first day of menstrual bleeding, and stop counting the day before your next period starts. The number of days you counted is your cycle length. Bear in mind, length may vary from one cycle to the next.
How Do You Know When To Test If You Dont Get Your Period Once A Month
The good news is, youre not alone. About 25% of women have irregular periods. We do too! If you have an irregular period or your hormonal birth control has stopped your period, its best to test at least 19 days after having sex. If youre having sex on the regular, you can subscribe to Stix for peace of mind. We offer pregnancy test subscriptions that ship out every one, two, or three months. The frequency is up to you, and you can cancel or pause the pregnancy tests at anytime.
Read Also: How To Pass Glucose Tolerance Test Pregnancy
How Might My Period Be Different Postpartum
When you do start your period again, chances are the first period after delivery wont be like your periods before you got pregnant. Your body is once again adjusting to menstruation. You may experience some of the following differences:
- cramping that might be stronger or lighter than usual
- flow that seems to stop and start
- irregular cycle lengths
The first period after your pregnancy may be heavier than youre used to. It might also be accompanied by more intense cramping, due to an increased amount of uterine lining that needs to be shed. As you continue your cycle, these changes will likely decrease. In rare cases, complications such as thyroid problems or adenomyosis can cause heavy bleeding after pregnancy. Adenomyosis is a thickening of the uterine wall.
Women who had endometriosis before pregnancy might actually have lighter periods after giving birth. Light periods can also be caused by two rare conditions, Asherman syndrome and Sheehan syndrome. Asherman syndrome leads to scar tissue in the uterus. Sheehan syndrome is caused by damage to your pituitary gland, which may be the result of severe blood loss.
Dont Miss: Can You Have A Colonoscopy On Your Period
How To Get Pregnant Fast And Easy
The phrase were trying for a baby can either be indicative of an exciting time or the most frustrating journeys. Often, you just want it to happen a little faster than it is taking. If thats you and youre wondering if theres a way you can speed up the race to being a mommy , heres how to get pregnant fast and easy.
So you have taken all the homemade pregnancy tests you know, and store-bought tests and all of them come back negative?
That single stripe is one of the most discouraging sights for a woman trying to get a baby. But hey, THAT SINGLE STRIPE DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. And it doesnt mean there will never see double stripes.
Ive been there, and I know how EXACTLY it feels. Here are some tips and tricks for your trying to conceive .
Recommended Reading: How To Check If I M Pregnant At Home
You May Like: What Helps With Nausea And Vomiting While Pregnant
Struggling To Get Pregnant After Having A Baby
My relief was completely unwarranted I later learned.
It turns out, many women with infertility issues actually are able to conceive when quickly going off of birth control after years of use.
A fertility doctor told me its incredibly common for her to see couples who have been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant with their second child. They almost always had conceived after stopping birth control suddenly.
She said this can prompt your body to sporadically ovulate once, and if you catch that egg you get pregnant and can have a successful pregnancy all while infertility struggles hide in the background.
I felt stupid going to a fertility doctor after trying for baby #2 for only 6 months, but I expected it to happen immediately like my first son had.
The fertility doctor looked at my blood work results and disagreed with a previous doctor who determined I didnt have PCOS based on an ultrasound.
She said my FSH and TSH level ratios were 3 to 1, a classic case of PCOS .
She applauded us for coming to see her this soon and not waiting for months or years.
Because I was still breastfeeding my first son, she couldnt start any sort of medication, but told me to wean him and come back.
I left her office frustrated, but determined to conquer this on my own WITHOUT weaning my son and sacrificing that relationship.
After some research, I decided to try this natural supplement I read good things about.
