What Early Ovulation Means for Your Fertility

Early ovulation occurs when your ovaries release an egg earlier in your cycle than they should. Causes include stress and many other factors. Read on for more!

Using ovulation tests and other similar methods to track your fertile window will teach you many things about your cycle. Most women typically ovulate on the 14th day of their cycle, with day one being the day they get their period.

Studies, however, show that very few women actually ovulate on the 14th day. A majority either ovulate earlier or much later in the cycle. As a result, there are instances where you may have had early ovulation. There are a few reasons for this.

Early Ovulation: What Are the Causes?

Early ovulation occurs when your ovaries release an egg earlier in your cycle than they should. In women of reproductive age, ovulation typically occurs between days 6 and 21 of their average cycle.

It’s important to note that any ovulation that occurs before day 11 is deemed early and can easily cause some difficulties with conception. Some of the signs associated with it include:

• Change in discharge
• Breast tenderness
• Change in basal body temperature
• Change in libido

So, what causes early ovulation?

Is It a Bad Sign If You Ovulate Early?

Ovulating early isn’t necessarily a bad sign, even if you’re used to experiencing a regular cycle. There’s no guarantee that you’ll ovulate on the same day each month, which is why you need to use ovulation tests if you’re trying to get pregnant.

Timing your fertility window can prove even more problematic if you have an irregular cycle.

Early Ovulation and Infertility

Early ovulation doesn’t mean that you can’t get pregnant. However, medical experts recommend you look into the issue instead of overlooking it. Ovulating before day 11 can make it hard to get pregnant as the egg will not have matured and developed inside a follicle.

Remember, this has to happen for it to become fertilized and develop into an embryo.

Additionally, a relationship between women with short follicular phases and stillbirths may exist. According to a study by J Women’s Health, most women who have experienced a miscarriage in the past had a short follicular phase.

Does Ovulating Early Impact My Ability to Get Pregnant?

Not necessarily. Several studies have shown different results, implying that your ability to have a child mainly depends on why you’re ovulating early. You may want to track your cycle for a few months to establish the causes.

Note your findings and carry the data with you on your next visit to an OBGYN.

Is It Possible to Fix a Short Follicular Phase?

It’s likely that you have already read about all types of “natural fixes” online. The reality is that there’s no proof that these fixes, e.g., acupuncture, herbs and raw seeds, will assist in lengthening your follicular phase.

The best and most practical approach to understanding the reasons for your early ovulation is to consult an OBGYN. They will use any data you may provide to get down to the root cause of the problem before prescribing some medication to fix the issues.