You’re tracking your cycles, peeing on sticks, and maybe even taking your temperature every morning before you’ve even had a sip of water. It’s exhausting. Most people assume that if they’re getting a period, they’re definitely ovulating. But biology is rarely that straightforward. Anovulation—the medical term for when an egg doesn't release—is actually pretty common, and it’s a leading cause of infertility. Honestly, it’s one of those things that can happen for months without you even realizing it until you start trying to conceive.
How do you know if you're not ovulating? It isn't always about a total absence of a period. Your body usually sends out a series of subtle, or sometimes loud, smoke signals.
The Myth of the Regular Period
Let's get the biggest misconception out of the way. You can bleed every month and still not release an egg. This is called an anovulatory cycle. What’s happening is that your uterine lining is thickening because of estrogen, but without the progesterone spike that follows ovulation, the lining eventually just gets too heavy and sloughs off. It looks like a period. It feels like a period. But it isn't a "true" menstrual period.
If your cycles are wildly unpredictable—say, 21 days one month and 45 the next—that’s a massive red flag. Dr. Jerilynn Prior from the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research has spent decades pointing out that "normal" looking cycles can often be anovulatory, especially if the luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period) is too short. A healthy cycle usually sits between 24 and 35 days. If you’re consistently outside those goalposts, your ovaries might be taking a break.
Why Your Cervical Mucus Matters More Than You Think
It sounds a bit gross to talk about, but your discharge is basically a real-time report card for your hormones. When you’re about to ovulate, your estrogen levels skyrocket. This changes your cervical mucus into something that looks and feels like raw egg whites. It’s stretchy. It’s clear. It’s slippery.
If you never see that "egg white" consistency, it’s a sign your estrogen isn't hitting the threshold needed to trigger the Luteal Hormone (LH) surge. Maybe you feel "dry" all month. Or perhaps your discharge stays thick and creamy throughout the entire cycle. While some medications (like antihistamines) can dry you out, a total lack of fertile-quality mucus is a primary indicator that the ovulation machinery isn't cranking up.
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Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and the Missing Shift
If you’re a data nerd, you probably have a thermometer on your nightstand. Tracking BBT is one of the most reliable ways to confirm ovulation after the fact. See, once you ovulate, the follicle that released the egg turns into the corpus luteum. This little "temporary organ" pumps out progesterone, which literally warms your body up.
Your temperature should jump by about 0.5 to 1.0 degree Fahrenheit after ovulation and stay elevated until your period starts. If your chart looks like a jagged mountain range with no clear "before and after" shift, you probably didn't ovulate. It’s frustrating to see a flat line or random spikes, but it’s honest data. Dr. Toni Weschler, author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility, emphasizes that a thermal shift is the most definitive "home" proof we have. Without that rise, progesterone is missing in action.
The LH Strip Trap
OPKs (Ovulation Predictor Kits) are those little strips you pee on to find your LH surge. They are great, but they can be deceptive. These kits detect the hormone that tells the egg to release, but they don't actually confirm the egg did release.
Think of it like an alarm clock. The alarm (LH) goes off, but you (the egg) might stay in bed. In conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), your body might have multiple LH surges because it’s trying so hard to ovulate but never quite makes it. You get a positive test, you think you’re good to go, but nothing happens. This is why pairing strips with temperature tracking is so much more effective than relying on the strips alone.
Physical Symptoms (Or the Lack Thereof)
Some women get "mittelschmerz," which is a fancy German word for ovulation pain. It’s a one-sided twinge in the lower abdomen. Others get breast tenderness or an increased sex drive mid-cycle. If you used to get these symptoms and they’ve suddenly vanished, pay attention.
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On the flip side, some signs of not ovulating are more about what is appearing.
- Excessive hair growth on the chin or chest (hirsutism).
- Stubborn cystic acne along the jawline.
- Thinning hair on the scalp.
These are often signs of high androgens, which are frequently linked to PCOS, a top cause of anovulation. When your hormones are out of whack, the communication between your brain and your ovaries gets garbled.
Progesterone: The Great Calmer
Progesterone is the "chill" hormone. It’s what makes you feel a bit more relaxed (or sleepy) in the second half of your cycle. It also helps stabilize your mood. If you find yourself feeling constantly anxious, dealing with spotting before your period, or having extremely heavy flow, you might be dealing with "estrogen dominance." This often happens because there’s no progesterone to balance things out because—you guessed it—no ovulation occurred.
Blood Tests and Medical Confirmation
If you’re suspicious, go to a doctor. But timing is everything. A lot of doctors will run a progesterone test on day 21 of your cycle. This assumes you ovulated on day 14. If you actually ovulated on day 20, a day 21 test will show low progesterone and the doctor might incorrectly tell you that you didn't ovulate.
The "Gold Standard" is a Progesterone test (PdG) taken roughly seven days after you think you ovulated. If the level is above a certain threshold (usually 3 ng/mL, though many functional practitioners prefer it higher), you can be fairly certain an egg was released.
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What’s Actually Stopping It?
Anovulation isn't a disease; it’s a symptom. It could be PCOS. It could be a thyroid issue—both hypo and hyperthyroidism mess with your cycles. Sometimes it’s "Hypothalamic Amenorrhea," which is a fancy way of saying you’re too stressed, exercising too hard, or not eating enough. Your brain literally decides it’s not a safe time to be pregnant and shuts the system down.
Even perimenopause can start with occasional anovulatory cycles. This can start in your late 30s or early 40s. It’s just the ovaries getting a bit sleepy.
Actionable Steps to Take Right Now
If you suspect you're not ovulating, don't panic. The body is remarkably resilient, but you need to gather evidence before jumping to conclusions.
- Track for three months. Download an app like Kindara or Fertility Friend and track your BBT and cervical mucus. Do not rely on "period tracker" apps that just guess your ovulation based on the calendar; they are often wrong.
- Get a full thyroid panel. Ensure your doctor checks TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and Thyroid Antibodies. Standard "screening" tests often miss subclinical issues that prevent ovulation.
- Check your stress and fuel. If you are in a caloric deficit or doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) five days a week, your body might be in "survival mode." Try adding more nutrient-dense fats and scaling back to walking or yoga for one full cycle to see if your body responds.
- Bloodwork timing. If you ask for a progesterone test, ensure it is done 7 days after your BBT shift, not just on a random "Day 21."
- Look into Myo-inositol. If PCOS is the culprit, research shows that Myo-inositol can help improve insulin sensitivity and restore regular ovulation, often as effectively as some prescription medications like Metformin, but with fewer side effects.
Understanding your cycle is a massive power move. Whether you want to get pregnant or just want to ensure your hormones are balanced for long-term bone and heart health, knowing the signs of ovulation is the first step to taking the wheel.