Had an ectopic last November, ruptured and lost the left tube. We are now trying to conceive again and been trying for 6 months. I got pregnant easily on first pregnancy (4th cycle) and ectopic (1st cycle). I am struggling with this monthly merry go round, the waiting and looking for signs and knowing that the likelihood is not being pregnant. Also for about 2 weeks I thought my ectopic was ‘the period from hell’ so my mind is jumping every month with what if I’m pregnant, what if it’s another ectopic, what if it’s just my crappy period?! I am on a waiting list for a fertility specialist but it will be another 6 months. From some of you that might have more experience with this, I am wondering: how can you tell if you can ovulate from both ovaries or if one is more dominant than the other? can a specialist tell you this? I don’t feel the ovulation pain but am doing the test strips so I am ovulating, is there any way for me myself to know from which one? I just need some hope, I know they say the opposite tube can suck up an egg but I can’t help think that’s a long shot … what are the odds of this happening? I’d be grateful for any insights from your own experiences.
Dear Hayday,
I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy and loss,
While I’m not medically qualified to comment on your specific situation, I did want to provide some information regarding ovulation.
We naturally assume that we will ovulate from alternative ovaries each month (left ovary, right ovary, left, right etc.) This is not true and varies from woman to woman. Some women will ovulate from the same side each month with an occasional ovulation from the other side, while others will ovulate randomly from side to side.
Both ovaries compete each month to produce an egg and usually the one that is ‘pulling ahead in the race’ continues while the other one gives up (but not always – sometimes women will ovulate of both ovaries in one cycle or twice from one ovary but these are rare events that explain how we get non-identical twins naturally). It depends on which ovary contains the egg that is at the right stage of development at the point in time where the woman is due to ovulate and is nothing to do with a set pattern.
The side we ovulate from does not strictly matter as an egg from one ovary can travel down the tube on the other side.
The fallopian tubes and uterus are lined with little receptor cells that, at the point of ovulation, are sent a chemical signal that ‘switches’ them on and they emit a signal that attracts a similar receptor in the egg and in the sperm to come and meet in the same place, i.e. the fallopian tube. The fallopian tubes are not attached to the ovaries and, also at the point of ovulation, some very delicate structures called the fimbriae on the end of the fallopian tube begin to move gently creating a slight vacuum to suck the egg toward the end of the tube it is nearest to (like lots of little fingers waving and drawing the egg towards it).
This means that, if you have only one fallopian tube, then there is only one set of receptors working and one set of fimbriae creating a vacuum and so the egg is much more likely to find its way to that tube, whichever ovary it is produced from.
Conservative estimates suggest that an egg produced on the tubeless side manages to descend the remaining tube around 15 to 20% of the time. This means that rather than your fertility being halved, it is more the case that the opportunity to conceive has been affected by around 30%. Or looking at it another way, it means we have around a 70% opportunity of conception with each menstrual cycle.
I hope that provides some additional information on ovulation. As you go through this process of ttc, please know these boards are a safe space for you and we are here for as long as you need.I
Sending much love,
Karen x
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