What Ovulation Disorders Cause Infertility?

If you’re not able to conceive a pregnancy, it may be due to an underlying ovulation disorder. These conditions can affect a woman’s hormone levels and cause issues with infertility.

At Urology Specialist Group, our team of fertility specialists offer comprehensive testing services to identify possible causes of infertility, including ovulation disorders. We can also tailor a treatment plan to rebalance your hormone levels and stimulate your ovulation cycle, so you can build the family of your dreams.

Understanding ovulation disorders

Ovulation disorders are a common cause of infertility in women. These disorders cause abnormalities in the production of eggs during your menstrual cycle.

Common types of ovulation disorders we diagnose and treat include:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a condition in which your ovaries produce excessive amounts of the male sex hormone, androgen, which can interfere with your period and your ovulation cycle.

Your risk for PCOS may be increased because of your hereditary background, obesity, or elevated insulin levels in your body.

Premature ovarian failure

Premature ovarian failure or insufficiency occurs when your ovaries stop functioning normally before you reach age 40. This may be due to genetic disorders, autoimmune disease, metabolic disorders, or treatment with chemotherapy or radiation.

Hypothalamic dysfunction

Hypothalamic dysfunction describes thyroid conditions like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, two common thyroid conditions. In hypothyroidism, your pituitary gland doesn’t produce enough hormones to support conception. With hyperthyroidism, the gland produces too many hormones.

Excess prolactin

Prolactin is a hormone that promotes breast milk production. Too much prolactin can interfere with your monthly ovulation and your fertility.

Signs of an ovulation disorder

Ovulation disorders can cause a variety of symptoms that affect women differently. In addition to difficulties getting pregnant and infertility, you may also experience:

• Irregular periods
• Missed periods
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Unexplained weight changes

If you experience any of these issues, you can schedule a diagnostic evaluation with our team at Urology Specialist Group. We offer on-site testing services to measure your hormone levels and confirm or rule out an ovulation disorder.

You should also seek medical attention for infertility if you’re having unprotected sex for at least a year without achieving a pregnancy. Our team offers testing for both women and men on-site to identify what’s causing infertility.

Treatment options for an ovulation disorder

Your treatment plan for an ovulation disorder will depend on the severity of your symptoms and the type of disorder you have.

We may recommend hormone replacement therapy to rebalance your hormone levels with synthetic hormones that are structurally similar to what your body makes naturally.

There are also medications available that can stimulate your ovaries to release an egg for fertilization. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove cysts that develop because of PCOS.

Our providers can also discuss lifestyle and dietary changes you can make to stabilize your hormones. You should focus on exercising daily to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and limit how much alcohol you consume.

If you want to become pregnant but are struggling with infertility, schedule a diagnostic evaluation for ovulation disorders online or call the Urology Specialist Group office nearest to you today.