Most couples seek to try on the role of parents. However, not everyone manages to conceive a child the first time. Even the presence of ovulation in a woman does not guarantee pregnancy. Where should I look for the source of the problem? There is no need to worry about this issue. If there is ovulation, but pregnancy does not occur, the reasons may be hidden not only in physiological disorders in the body. Quite often they are psychological in nature.
Definition of ovulation
Ovulation is the time that a mature egg leaves the ovary, which confirms the readiness of the body for a future pregnancy.
After birth, the girl’s body contains more than a million eggs. Each of them has its own membrane or follicle. The eggs are in them until the puberty of the girl. Then wait for their time to exit. Many of them do not mature and die. During the period of the reproductive function in the woman’s body, only 400-500 eggs are matured and ready for ovulation.
About 14 days of the menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs. How long does pregnancy occur after it? It lasts only a few minutes. However, an ovum freed from the follicle can be fertilized during the day. If at this time she "meets" sperm, conception will happen. After this, the cell is guided through the fallopian tube and attaches to the uterine wall. Thus, pregnancy begins. When a fertilized egg cannot, for some reason, enter the uterine cavity, after a while menstruation begins, and the cell itself leaves the body.
An important question for many remains the question of whether pregnancy can occur before ovulation. If sexual intercourse occurred before the egg left the follicle, pregnancy is not excluded. However, conception occurs after. The presence of an alkaline environment in the vagina has a positive effect on the preservation of sperm in it. They will be able to wait for the release of the egg.
Conception Problems
Before you seek the help of specialists, you need to make sure that there are no problems with ovulation. There are several available methods to determine if an egg is ripening:
- Make a basal curve. The method is based on daily measurement of rectal temperature over several cycles. At the time of release of the egg by the action of hormones on the graph, the temperature will rise to peak values.
- Listen to your own feelings. With the approach of the day of ovulation, the nature of the discharge from the vagina changes. They become more transparent and at the same time viscous. At the same time, many women feel discomfort in the lower abdomen, swelling of the chest.
- Use special test strips. They are sold in pharmacies and are ideal for determining the day of ovulation at home.
- Monitoring using ultrasound. This is the most reliable option for identifying the release date of a mature egg from the follicle.
It should be understood that approximately 2-3 cycles per year in an absolutely healthy woman can be anovulatory. With age, their number increases.
When the above methods have shown that there is ovulation, and pregnancy does not occur, you can begin to look for the causes of the violation. They can be both women and men.
Gynecological diseases
Female infertility can result in a prolonged absence of the first pregnancy. The lack of demand for the reproductive system provokes such violations.
However, most often pregnancy does not occur after ovulation, when there are the following health problems:
- Inflammation or polycystic ovary. In this case, the follicle maturation process is disturbed.
- Obstruction of the fallopian tubes. As a result of the adhesion process, sperm and the egg can not enter the uterus.
- Congenital or acquired pathologies of the genital organ (bicornuate uterus, polyps, endometriosis, myoma).
- Uterine infection due to abortion, miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy.
In order for the menstrual cycle and ovulation to proceed without irregularities, the body of the expectant mother needs a normal hormonal balance. For example, as a result of estrogen deficiency, the follicle may not burst. Due to the lack of progesterone in the proper amount, the fetal egg cannot be fixed in the uterine cavity. A malfunction in the hormonal system usually occurs due to frequent hypothermia or regular stress.
Disorders in the endocrine system
If ovulation was, but pregnancy does not occur, perhaps the reasons for its absence should be sought in the endocrine system. It is she who is responsible for the production of hormones necessary for conception and successful development of the fetus.
The following diseases adversely affect fertility:
- Hypothyroidism The disease is characterized by a long latent course. It is especially dangerous for the growing organism, since it slows down the development of the reproductive system.
- Endemic goiter. This pathology negatively affects the menstrual cycle, as a result, significantly reduces the chances of a successful conception. In addition, if untreated, it can transform into cancer.
- Hyperthyroidism It provokes an increased release of hormones into the body, which completely disrupt the work of the menstrual cycle. Women with a similar diagnosis have excessively long menstrual periods or prolonged menopause.
Immunological conflict
Can pregnancy occur after ovulation in an absolutely healthy couple? It is not possible to unequivocally answer this question. The absence of diseases is not a guarantee of a successful conception, for example, due to the immunological incompatibility of partners.
In this case, the female body perceives sperm as a foreign protein. He begins to produce antibodies, which makes conception impossible. Sperm can not overcome the main barrier - cervical mucus. It is she who contains antibodies to sperm, as a result of which they die.
The second pregnancy may not occur in the Rh conflict of the mother and fetus after the first successful conception. At risk are women with negative rhesus blood. It may happen for them that even after stimulation of ovulation, pregnancy does not occur.
Psychological factor
Many couples after passing through various specialists and passing tests do not find a reason why there was ovulation, and pregnancy does not occur. As a rule, in such cases, psychological infertility is observed. There may be several reasons for its occurrence:
- pregnancy mania;
- unpreparedness for conception from a psychological point of view;
- fear of upcoming birth;
- fear of giving birth to an unhealthy child;
- concerns about a change in appearance;
- unwillingness to change the usual way of life.
In addition, many women are affected by failed past pregnancy attempts. In these situations, you need to seek help from a psychologist who will help the couple deal with problems.
Some gynecologists suggest that their patients do not get hung up on the release date of the egg from the follicle. What day does pregnancy occur after ovulation? Usually the whole process takes place within a day. However, intimacy 2-3 days before ovulation increases the chances of becoming pregnant. The thing is that sperm can live in the female body for several days. Therefore, you can not wait for the onset of ovulation. Sperm will continue to function for several more days, conception will come.
Male source of problem
Trying to understand the problem of why ovulation is, and pregnancy does not occur, many ladies blame themselves. However, today male infertility is detected no less than female infertility. That is why in the process of conception it is often required to check the health status of the partner.
Male infertility may be due to the following reasons:
- Congenital malformations and diseases of the genital organs (cryptorchidism, absence of one or two testicles).
- Disruption of the hormonal background due to tumors, cystic formations.
- Taking steroids.
- Urological and andrological ailments of the chronic course (prostatitis, varicose veins of the testicle).
- Past infectious diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, mumps).
Another common cause of male infertility is poor sperm quality. Genetic material must contain a sufficient amount of active sperm capable of fertilizing the egg.
Other reasons
If pregnancy does not occur during ovulation, the impossibility of conception may be due to common causes.
One of the common factors that influence this process is physical overload. They can provoke a violation of the menstrual cycle, as a result, an ovulation failure will occur. Therefore, at the stage of pregnancy planning, doctors recommend that ladies prefer moderate exercise (walking, yoga, gymnastics). Men, by contrast, should do physical exercises. Regular exercise contributes to increased sperm production.
Taking combined oral medications warns against unwanted conception. As soon as partners make a decision about their readiness for children, a woman stops taking oral contraceptives. But pregnancy does not occur, but there was ovulation. The thing is that such drugs inhibit the development of the follicle and the maturation of the egg.
In some cases, pregnancy does not occur due to prolonged use of medications. We are talking about analgesics, antidepressants, antibiotics. Even the usual “ascorbic acid” can lead to a decrease in the volume of cervical mucus, if consumed in large quantities. If it is not enough, sperm survival is reduced, fertilization does not occur.
Harmful habits negatively affect the work of the whole organism, including the reproductive system. Therefore, several months before conception, doctors advise to exclude smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages in order to avoid intoxication. Even small doses of alcohol in the early stages can provoke a miscarriage or abnormality in the development of the fetus.
The age of partners also affects the possibility of conception. Pregnancy occurs after ovulation, when the couple is absolutely healthy. However, after 35-40 years, the female body begins to produce less hormones, and the quality of the male genetic material deteriorates after 50 years. For smokers and drinkers with chronic illnesses, the chances of conception are reduced much earlier.
The sperm maturation process is about two months. Therefore, future parents need to start controlling the daily diet in advance. Mono-diets deplete the body, and systematic overeating reduces the likelihood of pregnancy. Preservatives, fast food and other harmful products incorporate hormones that influence the successful conception. To increase its likelihood, you need to eat properly and balanced.
Diagnostic Methods
How many days after ovulation pregnancy occurs, the gynecologist should tell in detail at the reception. The same specialist should be contacted in case of unsuccessful attempts to conceive. The doctor, with suspected infertility, prescribes a comprehensive examination. It includes the diagnosis of hormonal background, vaginal microflora for dysbiosis and the presence of infections, ultrasound of the pelvic organs. Additionally, consultation with specialized specialists, for example, an endocrinologist, may be required.
A survey of men's health is also mandatory. Representatives of the stronger sex pass a spermogram. It allows you to evaluate sperm by the following parameters:
- quantity;
- mobility;
- ejaculate viscosity;
- liquefaction time;
- acidity;
- types and number of immature cells.
According to its results, tests for hormones, scrapings for flora or infections are sometimes additionally prescribed.
Correction options
Whether a pregnancy has arrived on the day of ovulation, a woman can understand only after passing an hCG test or using a standard pregnancy test. However, not always an attempt to conceive ends in a positive result.
If, according to the results of the examination, the woman revealed inflammatory or organic diseases, the obstetrician-gynecologist is involved in their treatment. His competence includes endometriosis, obstruction of the fallopian tubes, cervical erosion. With hormonal abnormalities, the help of a gynecologist-endocrinologist will be required. The treatment and consultation of men is carried out by the andrologist. Therapy is selected individually and depends on the revealed abnormalities in the spermogram.
One of the most effective methods of fertilization is artificial insemination. It involves the introduction of processed male sperm into the uterine cavity through a catheter. A similar technique is used today to treat certain types of infertility.
When there is no cause for concern?
If ovulation was, but pregnancy does not occur, do not immediately suspect infertility. The absence of the cherished two stripes on the test may be due to completely harmless reasons. Among them are the following:
- the mismatch of the protected sexual intercourse and the period of fertility in the lady;
- the attempt fell on the anovulatory cycle;
- over the past few months, a woman or a man was sick, which provoked a decrease in immunity;
- at some of the difficult stages of conception, an elementary failure occurred.
When the body is weakened by external factors, fertilization may not occur. If both partners according to the results of the examination are completely healthy, do not despair. Better to try in the next cycle. It is worth noting that from a medical point of view, infertility is usually understood as a condition in which pregnancy does not occur within 12 months.