Every month a woman's body prepares for pregnancy by producing a cycle of female hormones. The womb and ovaries act together to allow a pregnancy to occur. The womb prepares for a pregnancy each month. The ovary releases an egg that travels to the womb in a process called ovulation. Once this is done, the ovary makes the hormones that help a pregnancy during early growth. If fertilization and pregnancy does not occur, the cycle starts over with a period signaling the end of that month's attempt. A lot of things have to happen on time for the body to work well each month.

If the ovary does not ovulate, a pregnancy cannot happen. This happens in about 20 percent of women who aren't getting pregnant. There are several causes of this. Women who have the following problems may also have trouble ovulating:
* women with a chronic disease, like diabetes,
* heavy women,
* women who are stressed, either physically or mentally, and
* women over age 35.

There are signs indicating a monthly cycle that does not produce an egg. Usually a period that comes with no warning, that is out of cycle. This is often accompanied by heavy bleeding. This may happen every two weeks or once in three months. Before you get care for this problem, it is helpful to keep a log of your bleeding.

Blood tests can be done to tell if this is what is happening. The womb lining may be tested to see if it has gotten the signal from ovulation. An ultrasound, a test using sound waves, may be used to watch the growth and release of an egg from your ovary.

If a problem with ovulation is found, there are ways to treat it. If there is a disease, such as a thyroid problem, treating the disease will help ovulation. Physical stress, as with severe starvation in anorexia can affect ovulation. Only by helping that problem will the body be able to work normally. Other causes may need to be treated with drugs to make the ovary ovulate. This is more complex but usually successful.

For more information, contact your healthcare provider.

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