Re: Ovulation

Posted By hfhs.md.rcs on August 20, 1998 at 12:55:35:

In Reply to: Ovulation posted by Cam on August 08, 1998 at 09:16:00:






I am a 31 year old female in excellent shape. I do not smoke and have stopped drinking recently as my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant since May 25th when I stopped the pill (I know this is only a short period of time).  I have endometriosis and had a laporoscopy in 1996 follwed by 6 months of Lupron injections.  Since then, I was on the pill continually and never had a period.   I suffer severe low back pain and bilateral lower extremity radicular symptoms at the time of ovulation and during the time I would normally have a period. I stopped the pill May 25th and  my first period occurred July 2 and I have not had one since. I began taking my basal temperature last month and my temperature rise occurred around day 26 and 27.  Is it possible that I do not ovulate until that time?  I read that on a normal 28 day cycle, you should have intercourse on day 10,12,14,16 and 18.  I am really confused since my ovulation is occurring so late.  Is this normal?  Is this possible?  Thanks for you help.
Dear Cam:
It usually takes 6-8 weeks after stopping a medication that over-rides the menstrual cycle (example, continuous birth control pill use) to resume menses. The first menstrual period may or may not be the result of ovulation. The first or second ovulation off a suppression regimen is NOT an indication of the pattern a woman will establish.
Although the pattern of ovulation and menses does change as a woman ages, most women resume, after medications, the pattern they had before treatment.
The normal menstrual cycle can be as short as 21 days and as long as 35 days and still be considered normal. Ovulation occurs about 14 days BEFORE the menstrual flow begins. If a woman is having cycles about once each month (range of 26-30 days), then the rules you suggest apply. For women having any other cycle pattern, it is important to monitor at least two cycles, establish the usual timing of ovulation, and assure intercourse around the correct time.
A woman can be normal, have a 42 day cycle, and ovulation consistently around cycle day 28. As long as she knows this information, she can conceive as easily as the woman who ovulates around day 14. Longer cycles simply give one or two less opportunities per year to try and become pregnant.
Alternate day relations, across the likely time of ovulation, does provide excellent opportunity for pregnancy.
Keywords: ovulation
This information is provided for general education purposes only and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please contact your physician.