Yes! Irregular periods do not mean you cannot get pregnant. Many women who have them conceive without giving it any thought and go on to have healthy pregnancies. The reason that irregular periods can be challenging when you’re trying to conceive and time sex for conception is that you may not know when you are ovulating. In a regular menstrual cycle, follicle-stimulating hormone encourages your ovarian follicles to grow between days six and fourteen. Then, stimulated by a surge of luteinising hormone around day 14, one will usually rupture and release an egg.

Remember, monthly periods do not necessarily indicate monthly ovulation, as the blood is simply the uterine lining leaving the vagina. This lining will usually shed whether you ovulate or not. You need to look for other signs to ensure that you are ovulating.

In addition, irregular periods can be a symptom of undiagnosed polycystic ovary syndrome or another underlying health issue you may need to address before you can conceive successfully. You should see a doctor about irregular periods before trying anything else suggested in this article. Addressing any underlying issues could help to regulate your periods and make it easier to understand when you’re most fertile.

Let’s look at signs of ovulation you can identify even without a regular menstrual cycle.

A change in your cervical mucus

Cervical mucus changes in volume and consistency throughout your cycle in response to oestrogen. During ovulation, oestrogen is at its highest, and the cervical mucus is thin and more plentiful. The consistency is comparable to egg whites. When you’re not ovulating, cervical mucus is thick and not stretchy.

Mittelschmerz

This is a German word meaning “middle pain” that refers to a twinge of discomfort in the middle of your menstrual cycle. Some women experience lower abdominal fullness. The egg gets released from the ovary, and some women have a strong awareness this is happening, while others don’t feel it at all.

Increased interest in intimacy

This one is pretty straightforward. Some women are more inclined to have sex in the lead up to ovulation.

If you do not recognise any of these signs, there are products that can help you tell when you’re ovulating.

Basal body temperature taking

Ovulation may cause a slight increase in basal body temperature, the temperature our body is at when we wake up. This method is about monitoring your cycle over time and seeing when your basal body temperature peaks. When this happens, you have ovulated. The peak temperature usually holds for about three days. You should take your basal body temperature every morning before you get out of bed and then chart it. A regular thermometer isn’t right for this. A basal body temperature thermometer is very specific. Keep yours on the bedside table and try to use it at the same time every morning. The fertile window is six days before ovulation. Speak to your doctor if you are seeing temperature irregularities or no peaks at all.

Ovulation predictor kits

These shop-bought kits test your urine for a luteinising hormone surge. An LH surge indicates ovulation. Some doctors recommend taking the test between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., as while the brain tells the body to release LH into the blood in the morning, ovulation predictor kits can only test urine, and your body needs time to filter the hormone so it’s detectable there. The LH surge happens about 36 hours before ovulation.

Mid-luteal phase progesterone blood test

Progesterone is produced by a maturing egg. High levels of progesterone in the blood in the middle of the luteal phase (day 21) of your menstrual cycle can indicate that you’re ovulating. However, as this test relies upon knowing when you’re in the middle of your luteal phase and can be impacted by hormonal methods of birth control you use or have used recently, it’s best to speak to your doctor before investing in a home blood test.

We hope that conceiving with irregular periods isn’t a problem for you or, if it is, that we’ve given you some peace of mind. It is entirely possible to get pregnant without a regular cycle, and researching your personal period calendar can help you to optimise your health for pregnancy and to conceive faster.

For more evidence-based information on getting pregnant, watch Dr. Shree Datta’s Preconception Journey video course.

Can I get pregnant with irregular periods?