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How often do ovulation disorders contribute to female infertility?

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Diagram showing the female reproductive system with labeled ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina, alongside hormone pathways and the process from ovulation to fertilization and early embryo development. — infertility Major structures and hormones involved in the initiation of pregnancy. Also seen, at right, is the development of an egg cell (ovum) from follicle to embryo.

Ovulation disorders are responsible for approximately 25 percent of female infertility cases.12

These disorders primarily involve anovulation, which is the failure to ovulate, and oligoovulation, which refers to highly irregular ovulatory cycles. Various underlying conditions, such as thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, or ovarian diseases, as well as the presence of ovarian cysts—often associated with Stein-Leventhal syndrome—can interfere with the normal release of an egg.12

To determine if these disorders are present, medical professionals may use several diagnostic methods, including:
* Tracking basal body temperature to monitor progesterone production.1
* Testing urine for preovulatory surges in luteinizing hormone.1
* Performing pelvic ultrasound examinations of the ovaries.1
* Measuring blood progesterone levels.1