How is anovulation treated?
How is anovulation treated?
Treatment for anovulation depends on correcting the hormonal imbalance that’s causing it, if possible.
In general, lifestyle changes that may treat your anovulation include:
- Managing your stress: If your healthcare provider suspects that stress could be causing your anovulation, they’ll likely recommend trying to limit your stressors and using techniques such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing to better cope with stress.
- Managing your weight: If you have obesity, your healthcare provider may recommend trying to lose weight to treat your anovulation. If you have a low body mass index (BMI) your healthcare provider may recommend gaining weight to treat your anovulation. If either of these situations applies to you, be sure to talk to your provider and/or a registered dietitian to manage your weight safely and in a way that works for you.
- Decreasing your exercise frequency and intensity: If your healthcare provider suspects that your exercise routine and intensity are causing your anovulation, they may recommend limiting the amount of time you exercise and the intensity of the exercises.
Other treatments for anovulation include:
- Certain medications to treat other conditions: If you have a condition that’s causing your anovulation that’s treatable, your healthcare will likely prescribe you medication, which could also treat your anovulation. For example, if you have hypothyroidism, which can cause anovulation, taking medication to treat your hypothyroidism could also treat your anovulation.
- Adjusting current medications: Some medications can cause anovulation, such as anti-epileptic drugs and antipsychotic drugs. If you’re trying to conceive, your healthcare provider might adjust your current medications to try to treat your anovulation, if possible. Never adjust or stop taking your medications without seeing your healthcare provider. Always follow the instructions on your prescribed medications.
- Clomiphene citrate (CC): This medication helps correct ovulatory irregularities.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection: This hormone causes your ovary to release an egg. A synthetic form of it can be injected to help treat anovulation. It’s often taken with clomiphene citrate.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) injection: If your body isn’t making enough FSH and other treatments for anovulation haven’t worked, your healthcare provider may have you get an injection of synthetic FSH to help your ovary release an egg.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and antagonists injections: An injection of GnRH agonists and antagonists helps to control the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) your body makes, which is needed for ovulation.
If fertility and pregnancy are your goal and lifestyle changes and/or medication don’t help to treat your anovulation, there are still ways you may be able to experience pregnancy. Talk to your healthcare provider or a fertility specialist about in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI).