If you can't get pregnant because you have problems ovulating, it means that your

 

 

 

 

 

ovaries
Women have two ovaries, one on each side of their womb. They are small glands that store eggs. Inside the ovaries are millions of pre-eggs, called follicles. Some of these grow into eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

ovaries are not releasing eggs at all or only releasing eggs occasionally. If you don't ovulate each month, then you won't have an egg available to be fertilized by sperm.

This problem is very common. About a third of women who can't get pregnant have this problem.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
University of York, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination.
The management of subfertility.
August 1992. Available at http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/pdf/ehc13.pdf (accessed on 13 June 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

¹

The most common reason that some women don't ovulate is a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS for short). PCOS is caused by an imbalance of hormones. It means that eggs grow in the ovaries, but are not released into the fallopian tubes.

If you have PCOS, you may also get acne and grow unwanted hair on your face and body.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Meniru GI.
Female factor problems.
In: Cambridge guide to infertility management and assisted reproduction. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK; 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

² Your periods are likely irregular, if you get them at all.

PCOS is more common in women who are overweight. To find out more, see our articles about Polycystic ovary syndrome.

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